New Regulations Impact Consumers, Landlords, and Travelers in September

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New Regulations Impact Consumers, Landlords, and Travelers in September

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September 2026 is bringing several significant changes for consumers in Germany, driven by new EU regulations and national reforms. These changes will impact buyers of smart devices, tenants, and rail passengers.

A major development for consumers of connected products is the implementation of the EU Data Act’s “access by design” obligation, effective September 12, 2026. This regulation requires that new smart devices and related services sold in the EU be designed to provide users with direct, secure, and free access to the data they generate, by default. This means data should be continuously available in a machine-readable format, moving beyond the previous requirement of providing data only upon request, which took effect September 12, 2025. The German IoT market, projected to grow from EUR 32.74 billion in 2025 to EUR 44.94 billion by 2029, will be significantly affected by these requirements. Separately, the Cyber Resilience Act, also impacting smart devices, will require manufacturers to report actively exploited vulnerabilities starting September 11, 2026.

For tenants in Germany, reforms to tenancy law are set to strengthen tenant protection. The “Mietpreisbremse” (rent brake), which caps new-contract rents in designated tight housing markets at 10% above the local reference rent, has been extended until December 31, 2029. From 2026, tenants can reclaim overcharged rent for up to 30 months after the lease began, even without a prior complaint. New rules also mandate that landlords disclose furnishing surcharges for furnished apartments, with specific calculation methods proposed. Furthermore, increases for index rents in tight housing markets will be capped at a maximum of 3.5% per year.

Rail passengers will also see changes in September. From September 1, Deutsche Bahn is implementing a ban on alcohol consumption at its railway stations across Germany, with a phased rollout to approximately 5,400 stations by October 15. Four major stations, including Berlin Hauptbahnhof and Berlin Gesundbrunnen, will be among the first to implement this ban. While drinking alcohol on station premises will be prohibited, restaurants and other gastronomic establishments within stations are exempt, and passengers can still carry sealed alcohol. In terms of passenger rights, EU Regulation 2021/782 continues to govern compensation for train delays. Passengers are entitled to a 25% refund of the ticket price for delays between 60 and 119 minutes, and 50% for delays of 120 minutes or more.

Finally, new consumer protection measures are coming into effect. From September 27, stricter EU rules against “greenwashing” will apply in Germany, requiring companies to provide proof for generic environmental claims such as “environmentally friendly” or “sustainable.” Unverified sustainability labels and certain climate-neutral claims based on carbon offsetting will also be prohibited. Additionally, retailers in Germany must use a standardized notice to inform consumers about their statutory two-year warranty rights for goods, including products with digital elements, also effective September 27.

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