ImmoScout24 now supports private landlords with a new rental price check to help determine rent levels. The tool shows a transparent assessment during the ad creation process based on comparable rental offers, the local rental index, and rent brake regulations. The goal is to simplify price discovery and create more transparency in the housing market.
"Many private landlords face the question of what rent is appropriate for their apartment. With the Rental Price Check, we provide them with transparent guidance during the ad creation process," says Daniel Hendel, CEO of ImmoScout24. The new feature is part of the platform's Fair Initiative, which aims to make the housing market simpler and fairer.
How does the rental price check work?
The rental price check occurs step-by-step during the entry of apartment data. After entering the address, the system first displays the average asking rents for comparable apartments in the area. When landlords provide additional information such as living space and year of construction, the local rental index and rent brake regulations are also taken into account – where available at the respective location.
With complete information, the rental price check places the planned rent in relation to comparable offers and available reference values. However, the system only provides an initial assessment and does not replace legal review of the rent level. The classification based on the rental index may differ from municipal rental index calculators, as these often consider additional value-relevant features such as equipment details.
What does this mean for private landlords?
Private landlords often face the challenge of determining a market-appropriate rent – especially if they only rent occasionally and lack access to professional market data. The rental price check provides them with initial guidance and can help avoid unrealistic rental demands. At the same time, the tool offers the opportunity to not undervalue comparable properties at the lower end of the price scale.
For landlords in cities with tight housing markets, comparing with the rent brake is particularly relevant. The tool shows whether the planned rent exceeds the legally permitted maximum. This can reduce legal risks – such as refund claims from tenants that may be asserted in cases of rent brake violations.
Possible effects on the housing market
Whether the rental price check actually leads to a moderation of asking rents depends largely on how many private landlords use the tool and what conclusions they draw from it. If landlords increasingly orient themselves toward the rental index and rent brake, this could tend to align asking rents with the customary comparative rent. In cities with high demand and limited supply, however, the effect is likely to be limited – here rent levels are primarily determined by the relationship between supply and demand.
Conversely, there is a risk that orientation toward average asking rents for comparable apartments creates an anchoring effect: landlords who originally wanted to set a lower rent could adjust upward when they see that other providers are asking higher rents. This mechanism is known from behavioral economics and has a particularly strong effect where landlords lack their own market knowledge.
Transparency as a business model
With the rental price check, ImmoScout24 is consistently expanding its Fair Initiative. The platform thus positions itself as an intermediary that not only brings supply and demand together but also actively influences price formation – albeit only in an advisory capacity. In the future, ImmoScout24 plans to expand the Fair Initiative with additional product solutions that provide guidance, increase transparency, and strengthen confidence in the housing market.
For users of the platform – both landlords and apartment seekers – the rental price check should be a useful tool that reduces information asymmetries. Whether it leads to fairer rents in the long term or primarily strengthens the platform's market position will become clear in the coming months. Professional landlords and housing associations typically rely on their own valuation models and are likely to use the tool less than private landlords who only occasionally advertise.
The rental price check is now available to all private landlords on ImmoScout24 and is automatically integrated into the ad creation process. Use is free and voluntary – landlords can view the assessment but are not required to adopt the suggested rent level.
