FAQs – The 10 most frequently asked questions

You can either come to our head office in Cologne Mühlenbach 49, one of our branches or we can send you the membership documents by post. Alternatively, you can become a member right here. Memberships can be set up for individuals, married couples and non-marital partnerships. Each resident of a (student) shared flat must (unfortunately) acquire their own membership.

The membership fee is € 99.00 per calendar year including legal expenses insurance. There is also a one-off admission fee of € 20.00 on joining.

This fee applies uniformly to all memberships with legal expenses insurance. In the year of joining, the fee must be paid pro rata by the end of the year. The remaining annual contributions are due for payment on 1 January of each year.

Discounts (e.g. for students or pensioners) are unfortunately not possible.

You can use the services of our legal department immediately after making an appointment. The waiting period only applies to the legal protection associated with membership of DMB legal protection insurance.

You can also take advantage of our advice in cases where the tenancy has already been terminated.

As part of your membership of the Cologne Tenants' Association, you are covered by a group legal expenses insurance policy.

You only receive cost protection under the tenants' legal expenses insurance for claims that occur after the three-month waiting period has expired.

DMB legal expenses insurance covers up to € 20,000.00 per case.

If you have taken out rental legal protection insurance with another legal protection insurer, you can have your new membership with us set up without legal protection. Please send us a copy of your insurance policy to prove the existence of the other legal expenses insurance. The premium is € 75.00 per calendar year. Please also send us the fully completed and signed waiver form.

Legal protection is not available for commercially used rental properties or owner-occupied flats. The premium is € 75.00 per calendar year. Please also send us the fully completed and signed waiver declaration:

Waiver (43kB)

At least two full calendar years.

If you join in 2020, this means until 31 December 2022.

(See also question 6.)

If you move away from our business area, you can have your membership transferred to the tenants' association in your new place of residence. You will receive a credit note there for any membership fees you have already paid to us. In this case, your legal protection with the DMB legal expenses insurance will not be interrupted.

Of course, new residents of Cologne will also receive a corresponding credit note from us if they were previously members of another DMB tenants' association.

Membership can only be terminated by the member by giving written notice of cancellation. The termination date is always 31 December. The cancellation period is three months. The letter of termination must therefore be received by the tenants' association by 30 September at the latest. (See also question 5.)

No. Tenants' associations do not serve charitable, benevolent or ecclesiastical purposes.

Our legal department will be happy to assist you during our opening hours. For organisational reasons, please arrange a consultation appointment with us. The telephone number is: 0221.202 37-95.

Each individual consultation appointment lasts 20 minutes.

If you are unable to keep the agreed appointment, please cancel it in good time so that we can offer it to another member seeking advice.

No. As a member, you can also take advantage of our brief telephone counselling service on 0221.202 37-75. You can also send us your questions in writing by post, by fax to 0221.240 46 20 or by E-Mail.

Yes, with pleasure! The Cologne Tenants' Association will credit an amount of € 15.00 to your membership account for each new member you recruit - provided your own membership is not earmarked for cancellation. 

Become a member now!