Skip to content
Emergency

Holiday apartment completely different from the description? Money back

A dream in the listing, a disappointment on site: dirty, much smaller, no sea view, defects everywhere? You do not have to pay in full for a defective holiday apartment. With the right documentation you get back part of the money.

Reach your next steps and the matching ready-made texts in just a few minutes, free of charge:

Reduce the price →

Your chances of getting your money back

If the accommodation deviates significantly from the description or has defects, you can reduce the price. For accommodation booked as a travel service, travel defect law applies (§§ 651i ff. BGB); for pure holiday apartment rental, the rent reduction law (§ 536 BGB).
What matters is that you report the defects immediately on site (landlord/organizer) and give an opportunity to remedy them, and that you record everything in a way that secures evidence.

What you should do now

  1. 1

    1. Report immediately

    Report the defects promptly to the landlord/organizer and demand a remedy.

  2. 2

    2. Secure evidence

    Record photos/videos, listing screenshots and, if possible, witnesses.

  3. 3

    3. Quantify the reduction

    Estimate the reduction according to the severity of the defects and announce it (pay under reservation).

  4. 4

    4. Reclaim in writing

    After the trip, demand the repayment of the reduction amount in writing with a deadline.

Frequently asked questions

Do I get money back if the holiday apartment was not as described?

Yes, for significant deviations or defects you can reduce the price. The condition is usually that you reported the defects immediately on site and gave an opportunity to remedy them. Depending on the booking, travel defect law (§§ 651i ff. BGB) or rent reduction law (§ 536 BGB) applies.

How do I prove the defects?

With photos and videos, the original listing (screenshots) and, if possible, witnesses. Record when you reported the defect and how it was handled. This documentation is decisive for enforcing the amount of the reduction later.

Take action now

We put together the ready-made texts and the right places to contact for you.

Reduce the priceCheck a suspicious message
More help: Emergency by phone · Act together · Right to a lawyer · All guides

General information for self-help, not legal advice (RDG). In case of a high loss or uncertainty: contact a consumer advice center or a lawyer.