Training obligation: it remains for residential property managers but is abolished for estate agents

At the end of 2025 there were reports that the training obligation under the Trade Regulation Act (Gewerbeordnung) would be abolished. That is not true for residential property managers. The Bundestag amended the draft and removed the obligation only for estate agents.

The rules since 24 July 2026

The Act to Reduce Bureaucracy in the Trade Regulation Act (Gesetz zum Bürokratierückbau in der Gewerbeordnung) was promulgated on 23 July 2026 and came into force the following day.

Residential property managers with a licence under § 34c Abs. 1 Nr. 4 GewO must continue to complete 20 hours of training within three calendar years (§ 34c Abs. 2a GewO). This also applies to their employees who are directly involved in management. Estate agents are exempt from the obligation.

The evidence now only has to be kept for three years instead of the previous five, and it may be held on a durable medium or digitally (§ 15b MaBV). The authority's option to require a formal declaration on training in accordance with Anlage 3 MaBV has also been abolished.

What this means for property management firms

In addition to the owner or managing director, employees who look after properties, prepare statements or prepare owners' meetings are also subject to the obligation. In practice, it helps to record the hours for each person and keep the certificates of attendance in one place.

In terms of content, the training must relate to the topics in Anlage 1 MaBV, such as condominium law, tenancy law and the commercial or technical fundamentals of property. Obvious choices are new developments such as remote meter reading under the Heating Costs Ordinance (Heizkostenverordnung) or the new Building Modernisation Act (Gebäudemodernisierungsgesetz).