New brokerage fees often arise in order to circumvent a changed legal situation. In 2015, the orderer principle was introduced for brokerage orders for rental apartments. After that, only the person who commissioned the broker paid a commission. After this change in the law, this was usually the seller of the property.
Also read: The best locations and the most attractive cities in the large WiWo real estate atlas
In order to be able to collect money from prospective tenants, a Stuttgart real estate agent charged 35 euros for group viewings and 50 euros for individual viewings. The tenant association warned the broker because of the fees. The Stuttgart regional court also considered the business model of charging money for viewings to be inadmissible.