A termination notice (Kündigung) means that someone ends a contract. This can be an employment contract, a rental contract, or a contract for your phone, electricity or internet. You can give notice yourself. The other side can also give you notice, for example your employer or your landlord. The contract usually does not end right away. It only ends after a certain period of time. This period is called the notice period (Kündigungsfrist).
Where you will see this word
- Work: Your employer sends you a termination notice. Or you have a new job and you quit your old one.
- Housing: You are moving and you cancel your rental contract. Or your landlord gives you notice.
- Contracts: You switch providers for your phone, electricity or internet. Then you cancel the old contract.
- Insurance and memberships: for example an insurance policy or a gym.
The word often appears in the subject line of a letter, for example „Kündigung des Mietvertrags“ (termination of the rental contract).
What you should do
If you give notice yourself
- Read your contract. It states the notice period and how notice must be given.
- Give notice in time. Your notice must reach the recipient before the deadline. The date on your letter is not enough.
- Pay attention to the form. You must cancel an employment contract or a rental contract in writing, on paper, with your own signature. An email or text message is not enough in these cases. Many other contracts can also be cancelled online.
- Include your name, your address, your customer number or contract number and the end date you want in your notice.
- Ask for written confirmation. Keep a copy and proof of sending, for example the receipt for a registered letter (Einschreiben).
If you receive a termination notice
- Write down the date the letter arrived.
- Act quickly. If your employer gives you notice, the deadlines are short. If you want to challenge it, you must act very fast.
- After losing your job, contact the employment agency (Agentur für Arbeit) early. Also sort out your health insurance.
- If your landlord gives you notice, a tenants' association (Mieterverein) in your city can help.
- Get advice, for example from an advice centre, a trade union or a lawyer. If you do not fully understand the letter, bring someone along who can translate.
Important: Losing your job can also matter for your residence permit (Aufenthaltstitel). In that case, ask your immigration office (Ausländerbehörde).
Examples
- „Hiermit kündige ich meinen Mietvertrag fristgerecht zum 31. Mai.“ (I hereby terminate my rental contract with due notice, effective 31 May.)
- „Wir kündigen das Arbeitsverhältnis ordentlich zum nächstmöglichen Termin.“ (We are terminating the employment relationship with regular notice at the earliest possible date.)
- „Bitte senden Sie mir eine schriftliche Bestätigung meiner Kündigung.“ (Please send me written confirmation of my cancellation.)
Related terms
- Notice period (Kündigungsfrist): The time between giving notice and the end of the contract.
- Regular termination (Ordentliche Kündigung): A normal termination in which the notice period is respected.
- Termination without notice (Fristlose Kündigung): The contract ends immediately. This is only allowed if there is a serious reason.
- Formal warning (Abmahnung): A warning. It often comes before a termination, but it is not a termination itself.
- Termination agreement (Aufhebungsvertrag): The employer and employee end the contract together. Do not sign too quickly, because it can cause disadvantages with unemployment benefit (Arbeitslosengeld).
- Withdrawal (Widerruf): You cancel a new contract shortly after signing it. This is different from a termination.