German property tax (Grundsteuer), explained
If you own property in Germany, the Grundsteuer is an annual tax you pay to your municipality. After the 2022 reform, values were recalculated and the new amounts apply from 2025 — which is why many owners suddenly received several letters.
The reform produces up to three separate Bescheide. Each can be challenged, but only within one month of notification. Check the base-value letter first — it drives the final bill.
The three letters
- Grundsteuerwertbescheid (from the Finanzamt) — sets the new taxable value of your property. This is the number worth checking most closely.
- Grundsteuermessbescheid (from the Finanzamt) — applies a statutory figure (Steuermesszahl) to that value to produce the Messbetrag.
- Grundsteuerbescheid (from your Gemeinde / Stadt, the municipality) — takes the Messbetrag, applies the local multiplier (Hebesatz) and tells you the amount actually due and when to pay.
How to object
The remedy depends on who sent the letter:
- Against a Finanzamt letter (Wert- or Messbescheid) you file an Einspruch, within one month.
- Against the municipality’s Grundsteuerbescheid you file a Widerspruch, within one month (in some Länder the direct remedy is a Klage — the Rechtsbehelfsbelehrung says which).
A short written objection with your reference number keeps the deadline; detailed reasons can follow. Object to the value in the Grundsteuerwertbescheid itself — an objection against the later Messbescheid or the municipality’s bill cannot correct the value any more.
Grundsteuer Einspruch letter template
For the Grundsteuerwertbescheid from the Finanzamt. Replace the placeholders in [brackets]. You can send it by post, by email or through ELSTER.
[Your name]
[Your address]
Finanzamt [town]
[Finanzamt address]
[Place, date]
Steuernummer / Aktenzeichen: [number from the letter]
Betreff: Einspruch gegen den Bescheid über den Grundsteuerwert vom [date]
Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren,
gegen den oben genannten Bescheid lege ich hiermit fristgerecht
Einspruch
ein.
Begründung: [e.g. Die angesetzte Wohnfläche von [X] m² ist unzutreffend;
tatsächlich beträgt sie [Y] m². Ein Nachweis liegt bei.]
Ich beantrage, den Grundsteuerwert entsprechend herabzusetzen.
Bitte bestätigen Sie mir den Eingang dieses Einspruchs.
Mit freundlichen Grüßen
[Signature]
[Your name]
English meaning: „I hereby lodge, within the deadline, an objection (Einspruch) against the Grundsteuerwert assessment of [date]. Reason: the living area of [X] m² used is wrong; it is actually [Y] m², proof attached. I request that the value be reduced accordingly. Please confirm receipt.“ No reason yet? Leave the Begründung out and write „Eine Begründung reiche ich nach“ (reasons to follow). Against the municipality’s final Grundsteuerbescheid use the general Widerspruch template instead.
Don’t feel like filling this in yourself? With Smart, Mein Büro writes the letter from your scanned Bescheid – reference number, date and address already filled in. Have the letter drafted for you
Is it worth appealing your Grundsteuer?
- Yes, if a fact is wrong and you can prove it: living or plot area, year of construction, property type, or the land-value zone (Bodenrichtwert) used. Every later figure is built on these.
- Rarely, if the amount simply went up. The reform deliberately redistributes the tax; a higher bill alone is not an error.
- The objection is free, but it does not pause payment — keep paying the municipality on time unless a suspension (Aussetzung der Vollziehung) is granted.
Some Länder (e.g. Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg, Hamburg, Hesse, Lower Saxony) use their own models, so the letter names differ slightly — the one-month Einspruch to the Finanzamt works the same way.
Frequently asked
Why did I get several letters at once?
Which one should I check first?
How do I object to the amount?
Is it worth appealing my Grundsteuer?
Keep the one-month window
Upload a photo or PDF – Mein Büro finds the sender, the amount and the deadline, counts down the days and suggests what to do next. It can also draft your reply in German, ready to send to the authority.
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