What happens to lease when tenant dies?

How the answer differs across 2 jurisdictions

GermanyFull article
The Short Answer

When a tenant dies in Germany, certain family members or cohabitants may automatically step into the lease. Otherwise, both the landlord and the tenant’s heirs may terminate the lease extraordinarily within one month of learning about the death.

1 month
Deadline for heirs or landlord to give extraordinary termination notice (BGB § 580)
1 month
Deadline for new occupants to decline entry into the lease (BGB § 563(3))
0%
Allowed reduction in tenant protections — any clause harming the tenant is void (BGB § 563(5))
Full article
The Short Answer

When a tenant dies in Japan, the lease does not automatically terminate; it generally continues with the tenant’s legal heirs unless the lease agreement states otherwise or the heirs formally renounce inheritance.

No automatic en
Lease status
3 months
Notice period
Joint liability
Heirs' obligation
Civil Code
Governing law

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GermanyWhat Happens to the Lease When a Tenant Dies?What happens to the lease if tenant dies?

Not legal advice. This article is general information based on publicly available sources, written for educational purposes. Laws change and individual situations vary. Consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction before acting on anything you read here. Last reviewed: June 2026.