Letter types

Short guides to common German official letters. On each page you can read the basics, then use Briefed to decode your own document in plain English.

Driving & traffic

• Bußgeldbescheid Official traffic fine — Einspruch deadline, Punkte, Fahrverbot, and when to contest.

Legal & disputes

• Abmahnung Formal legal warning — Unterlassungserklärung, fees, deadlines, and how to respond.
• Mahnbescheid Court payment order in the yellow envelope — 14-day deadline, Widerspruch, and Vollstreckungsbescheid.
• Inkasso-Brief Debt collection agency letter — not a court document, fees, Verjährung, register check, and Schufa rules.

Tax & finance

• Finanzamt Nachzahlung Tax back-payment demand from the German tax office — amounts, deadlines, and what to do next.

Utilities & energy

• Stromanbieterwechsel Electricity provider letters — switch confirmations, tariff changes, rejected switches, Lieferbeginn, and Grundversorgung.

Broadcasting & household fees

• Rundfunkbeitrag Mahnung GEZ / Beitragsservice reminder — €18.36 household fee, Säumniszuschlag, exemptions, and enforcement risk.

Health & insurance

• Krankenkasse Beitragsanpassung Contribution rate change from your statutory insurer — Zusatzbeitrag, deadlines, and your special right to switch.

Rent & housing

• Mieterhöhung Formal rent increase — Mietspiegel, Kappungsgrenze, Zustimmungsfrist, modernization rules, and when the letter is invalid.
• Nebenkostenabrechnung Annual utility and operating-cost settlement from your landlord — deadlines, allowable charges, and how to dispute.