General Terms and Conditions

for events in the lecture hall, seminar rooms and associated ancillary areas of the Langenbeck-Virchow-Haus in Berlin.
(September 2025)

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  1. Scope of Application
    These General Terms and Conditions (GTC) apply to contracts for the rental provision of premises at the Langenbeck-Virchow-Haus by Langenbeck-Virchow-Haus-Veranstaltungs GmbH (hereinafter referred to as the “Landlord”) for events such as, e.g., meetings, congresses or conferences, as well as for all other services and deliveries provided by the Landlord to the Tenant in connection therewith. Only the Landlord’s GTC shall apply. The Landlord does not recognize any terms and conditions that conflict with or deviate from these GTC unless the Landlord has expressly agreed to their validity in writing. Tenants within the meaning of these terms and conditions include both consumers and entrepreneurs within the meaning of Sections 13 and 14 of the German Civil Code (BGB).
  2. Conclusion of Contract
    • 2.1 Inquiry, Granting of an Option, Conclusion of Contract
      Upon request, the Landlord shall inform the Tenant at which time event rooms in the Langenbeck-Virchow-Haus and the ancillary areas assigned to them are available (granting of an option). The granting of an option is non-binding unless expressly agreed otherwise. Until an offer is confirmed, the Landlord may grant an option for the same date multiple times. There is no entitlement to the conclusion of a contract. The Landlord is free to reject any inquiry by a Tenant without stating reasons until a contract is concluded. A binding contractual relationship shall only come into existence once the Tenant has confirmed an offer in writing (also in the form of an acceptance by email) and the Landlord has given its consent.
    • 2.2 Contracting Parties
      The contracting parties are the Landlord and the Tenant stated as the billing address in the offer or the inquiring Tenant. If the Tenant is not the organizer, the Tenant shall be jointly and severally liable together with the organizer for all obligations arising from the contract concluded between the Landlord and the Tenant. The Tenant is obliged to bind the organizer contractually.
    • 2.3 Subject Matter of the Lease
      The subject matter of the lease agreement are the event rooms in the Langenbeck-Virchow-Haus and the ancillary areas assigned to them as specified in the offer. Services that are provided in connection with the rental and/or implemented by third-party providers may also be included. Individual items may be adjusted after confirmation in the course of planning, however a reduction of the confirmed total amount is only permitted by a maximum of 30%. If the Tenant wishes to use rental items or services, including through third parties, that are not agreed in the contract, the Tenant must obtain the Landlord’s prior written consent. This additional agreement shall then automatically become part of the contract.
    • 2.4 Rental Period
      The rental period is defined contractually. It may be either a half day (between 07:30 and 13:00 or between 14:00 and 22:30) or a full day (between 07:30 and 22:30). The Tenant shall bear any costs arising from exceeding the agreed rental period. This also includes claims asserted against the Landlord by third parties as a result of exceeding the rental period.
  3. Rent and Ancillary Costs
    • 3.1 Rental Costs
      The rental costs listed in the offer include the costs for heating, ventilation, air conditioning and general building and room lighting. Changes to the equipment requested by the Tenant shall be invoiced separately to the Tenant. The Landlord reserves the right to charge additionally for provisioning and cleaning costs that exceed the usual level.
    • 3.2 Ancillary Costs
      All other ancillary costs for additional technical equipment, other facilities and all other services shall be invoiced separately to the Tenant. This also applies to costs incurred by the Landlord through the commissioning of a third party.
    • 3.3 Billing, Price List
      Advance payments shall be calculated on the basis of the provisional rent and ancillary costs agreed in the contract. Without prejudice to the provisions on the Tenant’s withdrawal (Clause 6), final billing shall take place after the event based on actual usage, on the basis of the Landlord’s offer prices valid at the time the lease agreement was concluded. The price list underlying the offer is only valid for events that are no more than 10 months in the future.
  4. Payment Terms
    • 4.1 Principle
      Payments by the Tenant shall be made no later than within 30 days of receipt of the invoice or by the date stated in the invoice, stating the invoice number, to the Landlord’s specified account. Down payment invoices of 50% shall be issued upon conclusion of the contract if the contracting party’s registered office is abroad. Payments are generally accepted in euros. The agreed net prices are plus VAT applicable at the time of invoicing.
    • 4.2 Non-Payment
      If the Tenant fails to meet a payment date and no payment is made within a grace period set by the Landlord, the reservation of the agreed premises shall lapse despite any down payment already made. In addition, the Tenant shall be liable for damages for all consequences arising from late payment.
    • 4.3 Default
      Without prejudice to the provision in Clause 4.2, in the event of late payment by the Tenant the Landlord shall charge default interest at a rate of 2.5% above the respective discount rate of the European Central Bank.
  5. Assignment, Subletting
    The Tenant is only entitled, with the Landlord’s prior written consent, to assign its rights under the contract to third parties and to transfer premises and other contractual items in whole or in part to third parties, in particular to sublet the premises. Subletting may only take place under the conditions that apply between the Landlord and the Tenant. The Tenant must also base the Landlord’s contractual conditions in relation to its contracting partners and is responsible for compliance with them.
  6. Withdrawal by the Tenant, Cancellation
    • 6.1 Notice of Withdrawal
      A notice of withdrawal must be made in writing.
    • 6.2 Cancellation Fees
      If the Tenant cancels an event or part of the booked rooms and ancillary areas, the Landlord shall assert the following claims:
      • If cancellation or postponement occurs up to 12 months before the start of the event, 10% of the rental and provisioning costs shall be charged.
      • If cancellation or postponement occurs up to 6 months before the start of the event, 30% of the rental and provisioning costs shall be charged.
      • If cancellation or postponement occurs up to 4 weeks before the start of the event, 60% of the rental and provisioning costs shall be charged.
      • If cancellation or postponement occurs up to 2 weeks before the start of the event, 80% of the rental and provisioning costs shall be charged.
      • If cancellation or postponement occurs less than 2 weeks before the start of the event, 100% of the rental and provisioning costs shall be charged.
  7. Changes to the Event
    • 7.1 Adjustment of the Number of Participants
      An adjustment of the number of participants is possible up to 14 days before the start of the event. The number of participants reported by then shall be deemed bindingly agreed. This notification must be in writing. If the adjustment entails modified room planning or the cancellation of individual services (cloakroom staff, etc.), the adjustment shall only become effective with the Landlord’s consent. If the number of participants increases, the originally agreed price may increase accordingly.
    • 7.2 Adjustment of Rental Periods
      If the agreed start and end times of the event are shifted, this requires the Landlord’s consent. The Landlord is entitled to invoice its additional services or those of its third-party providers appropriately. A reduction of the rental period leads to a maximum reduction of the total price stated in the confirmed offer of 30%.
    • 7.3 Adjustment of the Rented Rooms and Ancillary Rooms
      In the event of cancellation of part of the rented rooms, the cancellation fees described in Clause 6.2 shall apply.
  8. Termination
    The Landlord is entitled to withdraw from the contract for an objectively justified reason, for example if force majeure or other circumstances beyond the Landlord’s control make fulfillment of the contract impossible, if events were booked under misleading or false statements of essential facts (e.g., of the Tenant or the purpose), if the Landlord has justified cause to assume that the event may endanger the smooth operation of business, the safety or the public reputation of the Langenbeck-Virchow-Haus, without this being attributable to the Landlord’s sphere of control or organization, or if there is a breach of Clause 5.
  9. Rules for Execution
    • 9.1 Schedule Information
      In the interest of smooth preparation and execution of the event, the Tenant must provide the Landlord with information about the planned schedule of the event no later than 10 working days before the event date. If the Tenant fails to comply with this obligation, the Landlord cannot guarantee that the necessary technical and staffing equipment for the event will be provided appropriately by it or can be provided at the offered price. Exceptions must be agreed with the Landlord in writing.
    • 9.2 Operation of Technical Equipment
      The technical equipment in the Langenbeck-Virchow-Haus may only be operated by the Landlord’s staff or by third parties commissioned by the Landlord. The Landlord assumes no liability for technical malfunctions except in the case of intentional or grossly negligent actions on the part of the Landlord. If the Landlord procures technical or other equipment/furnishings from third parties for the Tenant at the Tenant’s request, it acts in the name and for the account of the Tenant. The Tenant is liable for careful handling and proper return. In the event of liability, the Tenant shall fully indemnify the Landlord against third-party claims. Malfunctions of technical or other equipment provided by the Landlord will, where possible, be remedied immediately. Payments may not be withheld or reduced insofar as the Landlord is not responsible for these malfunctions.
    • 9.3 House Rules
      By confirming the offer, the Tenant undertakes to comply with the house rules of the Langenbeck-Virchow-Haus. The Landlord may require written confirmation of acknowledgment before or during the handover of the rooms.
    • 9.4 Handover of the Rental Items
      The rented rooms, facilities or equipment (rental items) shall be deemed to have been handed over in proper condition if the Tenant does not assert any defects in writing upon handover.
    • 9.5 Requirements Concerning Rental Items
      Alterations to the rental items and installations, the bringing in of heavy or bulky items as well as the attachment of decorations, signs and posters require the Landlord’s prior written consent. The Landlord’s written consent does not include any statement regarding the content and visual design of the decorations, signs and posters.
    • 9.6 Restoration
      The Tenant shall restore the rental items to their original condition at its own expense by removing the items brought in by the Tenant by the end of the rental period. The costs of dismantling back to the original condition shall be invoiced to the Tenant if dismantling is not completed in full. After expiry of the rental period, items may be removed and disposed of for a fee or stored with third parties at the Tenant’s expense. Any liability on the part of the Landlord is expressly excluded.
    • 9.7 Catering
      Any provision of food and beverages (for consideration or free of charge) is exclusively reserved to EUREST DEUTSCHLAND GmbH. Exceptions must be agreed with EUREST DEUTSCHLAND GmbH. 9.8 Image, Film and Audio Recordings Commercial image, film and audio recordings of any kind require the Landlord’s prior written consent.
    • 9.9 Advertising, Sale of Services, Landlord’s Authority
      Any type of advertising and sale on the premises of the Langenbeck-Virchow-Haus and on the surrounding grounds of the Landlord is only permitted with the Landlord’s prior written consent.
    • 9.10 Tickets, Admission
      No more tickets may be issued than there are seats available according to the seating plan. The Tenant may admit to the event room only the number of persons, including its staff, approved by the building authority for the event.
    • 9.11 Safety Regulations
      Principles The provisions of the Berlin Building Code and the Berlin Ordinance on Places of Assembly (VStättVO), where applicable, shall apply. The Tenant is also responsible for compliance by its employees, including its setup and dismantling staff and third-party companies commissioned by it, with other technical regulations (e.g., VDE regulations) and accident prevention regulations (UVV). Duty Stations The designated duty stations for representatives of the Landlord, for the police, the fire brigade and the medical service must be kept clear. Decorations, Fire-Hazardous Actions The Tenant is in particular responsible for compliance with the provisions applicable to it under the Berlin Building Code and the operating regulations of the Berlin VStättVO. This includes, above all, keeping escape routes and access to fire extinguishing equipment and fire alarms clear, which must not be covered, locked or blocked. The Landlord will, as required, arrange fire safety guards and/or personnel for medical services at the Tenant’s expense. Contract Companies Only companies and/or persons who guarantee compliance with the above provisions may be commissioned with carrying out the event and with producing, setting up and dismantling decorations, items and other installations. Where possible, the Landlord’s contracted companies should be commissioned for these works.
  10. Permits
    • 10.1 Building Authority, Fire Brigade, TÜV
      Any permits that may be required for an event from the building authority, the fire brigade and TÜV shall be obtained by the Tenant with involvement of the Landlord. If a permit and/or consent is not granted or is granted subject to conditions, the Landlord must be informed accordingly. The conditions must be complied with. The Landlord is not obliged to monitor deadlines, file legal remedies, etc. The Landlord is only liable for damages caused by intent or gross negligence on its part.
    • 10.2 GEMA
      Registration and payment of fees to GEMA (German Society for Musical Performing and Mechanical Reproduction Rights) is the Tenant’s responsibility.
    • 10.3 House Rights
      During the event, the Tenant is subject to the Landlord’s house rights over the entire premises. Instructions given by the Landlord’s employees must be followed.
  11. Liability
    • 11.1 Event Risk
      Responsibility for the Process The Tenant bears full responsibility for the running of the event, including its preparation and handling after it has ended, in particular for maintaining peace and order. The Tenant must arrange the necessary measures at its own expense. Parallel Events The Tenant may not derive any rights from, or raise any objections to, the fact that other events, including similar or identical events, are taking place at the same time in the Langenbeck-Virchow-Haus in addition to its event. Certain areas may be rented as exclusive event space, however passage to other events must always be ensured.
    • 11.2 Liability of the Landlord, Scope of Liability
      The Landlord is not liable for damage caused by its own slight negligence or that of its vicarious agents, unless this involves a breach of material contractual obligations. Independent contractors acting to fulfill their own obligations (such as freelancers, interpreters, photographers, employees of radio and television broadcasters) are not considered vicarious agents. Proven liability for intent or gross negligence remains unaffected. Operational Disruptions The Landlord shall only be liable for failure of any facilities, operational disruptions or other events impairing the event if the Landlord is responsible due to intent or gross negligence. Left-Behind Items Exhibits brought along or other items, including personal items, are kept in the event rooms at the Tenant’s risk. The Landlord assumes no liability for loss, destruction or damage, including financial losses, except in cases of gross negligence or intent by the Landlord or its vicarious agents. The Landlord assumes no liability for items brought in or stored by the Tenant. No safekeeping agreement is concluded. Securing and insuring these items is solely the Tenant’s responsibility. After expiry of the rental period, items left behind may be disposed of by the Landlord for a fee or stored with third parties at the Tenant’s expense. Any liability on the part of the Landlord is expressly excluded.
    • 11.3 Liability of the Tenant, Principle
      The Tenant is liable to the Landlord in accordance with statutory provisions, in particular for all damage to the building or inventory of the Landlord caused by event participants/visitors, employees, other third parties from the Tenant’s sphere, or by the Tenant itself. Indemnification The Tenant shall indemnify and hold harmless the Landlord and the property owners from all claims that may be asserted in connection with the event and for which neither the Landlord nor the property owners are responsible. Security Any securities provided by the Tenant (e.g., insurance, deposits) serve as security for all claims of the Landlord and the property owners arising from and in connection with the lease agreement, even if only certain purposes of the securities are stated. Insurance The Tenant must take out liability insurance covering personal injury, property damage and damage to rented property in connection with the event. If the Tenant cannot provide evidence of adequate liability insurance by no later than 8 days before the event, the Landlord is entitled to cancel the event.
  12. Other Provisions
    • 12.1 Amendments to the Contract
      Amendments or supplements to the contractual relationship must be made in writing.
    • 12.2 Environmental Protection
      The Tenant is obliged to act in an environmentally responsible manner and must comply with the Landlord’s environmental guidelines on waste prevention and disposal. The Tenant must ensure that these guidelines are also complied with by persons employed within the scope of the event, its vicarious agents and other representatives.
  13. Final Provisions
    • 13.1 Place of Performance
      The place of performance is Berlin.
    • 13.2 Jurisdiction
      The place of jurisdiction is Berlin-Charlottenburg if the Tenant is a registered merchant or a legal entity under public law or has no general place of jurisdiction in Germany.
    • 13.3 Applicable Law
      The contractual relationship is governed by the law of the Federal Republic of Germany.
    • 13.4 Severability Clause
      This contract shall remain valid even if individual provisions should be or become invalid. In such a case, the invalid provision shall be supplemented or amended in such a way that the intended purpose is achieved.