The Berlin administration can say so much bad. But if you want to get an overview of how high the rents are on average in your own neighborhood, or if the new landlord makes a fair offer, just a few clicks on the Internet are enough.

In many cases, the information still holds an unpleasant insight ready: the rents have now reached a level at which even normal earners already have problems to find affordable for them apartment

And that is not only true in Berlin. The German Tenants' Association and other tenant interests communities have long been calling for the federal government to finally take action.

It will be difficult to curb the rapid rise in prices for real estate and rents, because far too few have been built in recent years. According to experts, up to 400,000 apartments are missing, especially in the conurbations and smaller university towns. In addition, the low interest rates have triggered an assault on real estate, which has fueled the inflation still. The mine pay the tenants at the end.

All too violent excesses should prevent the so-called rent-price brake, which had already introduced the previous black-red coalition. In principle, it stipulates that, in districts with tight housing markets, the rent may be increased to a maximum of the local comparative rent plus ten percent if a contract with a new tenant is concluded. New buildings were excluded so as not to offend investors. The same applies to extensive modernization - or if the rent was already higher. In which regions the brake applies, the federal states determine.

In practice, however, the instrument proved to be a blunt sword - among other things, the new tenants often did not know what their predecessors have paid. And defending against inadmissible rents was complicated. Therefore, Federal Minister of Justice Katharina Barley (SPD) wants to re-sharpen now. On Wednesday, the Cabinet has passed the plans, now the draft goes to the Bundestag.

The most important changes at a glance:

  • Transparency: If the rent for the newly occupied, but refurbished apartment more than ten percent above the local rent, then the landlord must justify in writing before the contract. He must disclose the previously paid rent - namely the status of one year before the end of the respective tenancy. In retrospect, the landlord may not rely on exceptions.
  • Right of appeal of the renter: If the renter feels that his landlord demands too much, he must simply communicate this in the future and provide no detailed justification. In essence, this equates to reversing the burden of proof. Because now the landlord has to prove conclusively that the rent is appropriate.

  • Modernization: So far, landlords were allowed to spend eleven percent of the costs on the tenants, in the future only eight percent. But that only applies in the regions where the housing market is tight and only for five years. From the point of view of critics, however, the levy is far too high in all areas. Because landlords can finance the loans for such measures thanks to the low interest rates much cheaper.

    In order to limit the bureaucratic effort, a "simplified procedure" should apply to modernizations below € 10,000. In such cases, the landlord does not have to list each item separately, the lump sum is sufficient.
  • Capacity limit: This is likely to be the most effective protection instrument for tenants in the tenancy amendment in addition to the transparency rule. After a modernization, it limits the increase in rent within the next six years to a maximum of three euros per square meter. In the past, luxury renovations often led to drastic surcharges, which the old tenants could no longer afford.

  • Compensation: In the past, modernization was often the means to drive long-term tenants out of a home. If real estate owners announce or implement a modernization with the intention to get rid of the tenant - politicians also speak of "outmodernize" -, then the person concerned in the future entitled to compensation. This can happen, for example, if one year after the announcement of the modernization nothing has happened, if the landlord announces a doubling of the rent or the construction work is unnecessarily burdensome for tenants.

  • Sanctions: A modernization or its announcement "in an abusive way" counts in the future also as an administrative offense and can be punished with a fine up to 100,000 euros.

Video: Mietwahnsinn - The fight for an affordable home

Video

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