Who is legally responsible for clearing snow and ice in Berlin and Brandenburg, what hours apply, and how property owners and managers stay liability-safe in winter.
Who has to clear snow and ice?
In Berlin, the duty to clear footways (Räum- und Streupflicht) is shared. For most street-side pavements the city service (BSR) handles clearing, but property owners remain responsible for the path to the entrance, the entrance area itself, and shared walkways on the property.
In Brandenburg, municipalities typically transfer the footway clearing duty to adjacent property owners by local statute (Straßenreinigungssatzung). Landlords usually pass this duty to tenants or — more reliably — to a professional winter service.
What hours apply?
As a general rule across Berlin and most Brandenburg municipalities, walkways must be cleared and gritted on workdays from 07:00 to 20:00, and on Sundays and public holidays from around 08:00/09:00 to 20:00. If it keeps snowing, you must clear repeatedly — a single morning pass is not enough.
Why owners outsource it
If someone slips on an uncleared path, the responsible party can be held liable for injury. A documented professional winter service removes that risk: clearing is logged with times and conditions, gritting material is applied correctly (environmentally friendly grit, not road salt where it is restricted), and the work happens on time even when you are away.
Where we provide winter service
We cover residential buildings, commercial properties and HOAs across Berlin — from Mitte, Pankow and Lichtenberg to Spandau and Treptow-Köpenick — and in the Brandenburg belt including Potsdam, Oranienburg, Bernau and Falkensee.