Notice & Demand: templates and forms

A letter telling your motor insurer in Germany that you have sold the car, as § 97 of the German Insurance Contract Act (VVG) requires without delay: the vehicle, plate, policy number, date and hour of handover, and the buyer's name and address. The policy passes to the buyer with the car (§ 95 VVG); without the notice the insurer may be free from liability for later losses. It asks for a final account, the refund of any credit and confirmation of receipt. In German, to send by post or as a PDF by e-mail.

The letter a freelancer in Germany — a translator, architect, consultant, teacher or journalist, for example — sends to the tax office (Finanzamt) on giving up their self-employed profession. Section 138 of the German Fiscal Code (AO) requires the notice within one month, and there is no official form for it. It gives the tax number, the kind of work and its last day, says whether the practice is closed or sold, deals with the VAT pre-returns and asks for the advance payments to be adjusted. In German, to post or to send through ELSTER.

The letter telling your motor liability insurer in Austria that you have sold your car, as § 71 of the Austrian Insurance Contract Act (VersVG) requires: with the policy number, plate, chassis number, date and hour of handover, the buyer's name and address and the day of deregistration. It asks for the premium to be settled and prepaid premium refunded to your account, or for the policy to move to a replacement car, and for a confirmation of your claims record. Austria has no notice of sale to an authority. In German, ready to print, sign and send by registered post.

The registered keeper's reply when an Austrian authority asks who drove or parked a vehicle (§ 103 Abs 2 of the Austrian Motor Vehicles Act, KFG 1967): with the file number, plate, the time and place given in the request, and the name and address of the person who drove or parked it – or of the person who can say. Answering is compulsory, within two weeks of service, even about a relative; a false, incomplete or late answer can cost up to € 5,000. If the request comes with a reply sheet or the authority offers an online reply, you can use that for free. In German.

The reply to the German fines authority on a hearing form (Anhörungsbogen), sent because you are accused of a traffic offence, or a witness questionnaire (Zeugenfragebogen), sent because the vehicle is registered to you. It gives the personal details the law requires and, on the facts, your choice: no statement, a statement only after inspecting the file, a declaration that you were not driving, or reliance on the right of witnesses to refuse to testify or answer (§§ 52 and 55 of the German Code of Criminal Procedure, StPO). Nobody has to incriminate themselves or a close relative, and the letter names no driver. In German.

The notice of sale (Veräußerungsanzeige) by which a seller in Germany tells the vehicle registration office who the new keeper is: the buyer's name, date of birth and address, the vehicle, plate and VIN, the date and hour of handover, and confirmation that the registration certificate Parts I and II were handed over (§ 15 of the German Vehicle Registration Ordinance, FZV). The seller's motor vehicle tax ends only when it arrives (§ 5(5) KraftStG). Many registration offices also offer their own free form. In German, to print, sign and hand in on the day of sale.

The letter cancelling your motor liability insurance in Austria in the four most common cases: at the end of the insurance year (§ 14 Abs 2 of the Austrian Motor Liability Insurance Act, KHVG) — the anniversary of the policy's start, not necessarily 31 December, with the notice arriving a month before — after a premium increase (§ 14a KHVG), after a claim (§ 158 VersVG), and after buying a used car whose insurance passed with it (§§ 69 ff VersVG). With the policy number and plate. In German, ready to print, sign and send by registered post.

A letter for claiming accident damage directly from the motor liability insurer of the vehicle that caused it, as Austria's Motor Liability Insurance Act allows (§ 26 KHVG): date, place, the other vehicle's plate and policy number, how it happened, the damage, the amount so far, your IBAN and a date for a reply. The insurer must make an offer or give written reasons within three months (§ 29a KHVG), and the claim suspends limitation until it rejects it in writing. The same in every Land. In German, ready to print, sign and send with the accident statement and photos.

A letter reporting an accident or damage to your own motor insurer in Austria: under the liability cover where someone else may claim against you, or under partial or comprehensive Kasko cover for damage to your own vehicle. With the policy number, plate, date and place, who was driving, others involved, police, witnesses, what happened and the damage. Austrian policy conditions (AKHB) ask for prompt notice; your policy states the period. The letter records facts and admits no fault. In German, ready to print and sign.

A letter cancelling your German motor insurance with your current insurer: at the end of the insurance year, early after a premium increase or a claim, or after buying a used vehicle whose policy passed to you (§ 96 of the German Insurance Contract Act, VVG). For all cover or for the comprehensive cover only, asking the insurer to confirm the end date and refund any unused premium. For most policies, a cancellation for 31 December must reach the insurer by 30 November. In German, ready to send.

The first claim after a road accident someone else caused, sent straight to their German motor liability insurer: the date, time and place, the other vehicle's plate, your vehicle, what happened, the damage, the police and witnesses, the amount quantified so far and your IBAN, with a request to confirm liability in principle. Under § 115 of the German Insurance Contract Act (VVG) you have a direct claim against the insurer, and you must notify it in text form within two weeks (§ 119 VVG) — a letter or an e-mail will do. In German.

Reporting a loss to your own German motor insurer: to the liability cover when someone else may claim against you, or to the partial or comprehensive cover (Teilkasko, Vollkasko) for damage to your own vehicle. With the policy number and plate, the date, time and place, who was driving, anyone else involved, what happened, the damage, the police and witnesses, and a question whether the insurer wants to inspect the vehicle before repair. The model motor insurance terms (AKB) ask for notice within one week; your own policy's terms govern. In German.

The letter a tenant in Germany uses to object to a landlord's ordinary notice — for own use, for example — and to demand that the tenancy continue, because moving out would be an unjustifiable hardship for the tenant or the household (§ 574 of the German Civil Code, BGB): old age, illness, pregnancy, children at school or no affordable replacement housing. Since 1 January 2025 text form is enough (§ 574b BGB); the objection must reach the landlord no later than two months before the tenancy ends. The letter gives the reasons and does not accept the notice. In German.

The declaration by which a managing director of an Austrian GmbH or FlexCo resigns under § 16a of the Austrian Limited Liability Companies Act (GmbHG) — at once for good cause, otherwise after 14 days or on a later date. The same letter goes to every shareholder; the other managing directors and any supervisory board chair receive a copy. With the request to file the end of the director's authority with the company register (Firmenbuch, § 17 GmbHG) and an acknowledgement of receipt, since receipt has to be proved. In German.

A landlord's notice in Germany when the tenant is behind with the rent: without notice under § 543(2) of the German Civil Code (BGB) and, at the same time, ordinary notice in the alternative under § 573(2) no. 1 BGB — because if the tenant pays up, only the termination without notice falls away (BGH VIII ZR 106/23). The letter states the ground and every unpaid month, sets a date to hand the flat back, objects to a tacit extension and tells the tenant about the objection in text form. In German, to print and sign by hand by every landlord.