Gas prices continue to soar unabated, inflation threatens to reach double digits in autumn and it is still completely uncertain whether and how the federal government's announced electricity price cap will work.
Both the Hessian Tenants' Association and Haus & Grund Hessen warn that tenants and landlords are overburdened financially.
Both are calling for the country's aid program, such as an emergency fund.
Tenant associations in the state want to hire more staff and are planning to extend their consultation times.
This was announced by Eva-Maria Winckelmann, director of the Hessian tenant protection association, when asked.
Uncertainty and concern prevail among many Hessian tenants.
"Especially with a view to the ancillary costs, the need for advice is currently increasing.
But that's not all, because there are also many rent increases.
This has picked up again, as has the terminations due to personal use,” says Winckelmann, describing the current situation on the Hessian rental market.
In her estimation, the three developments are at least partially related and are due to the energy crisis.
Landlords would try to unilaterally increase the advance payments, although they are not yet allowed to do so.
Others would increase the rent because they are afraid of not being able to do so later, and there are more landlords who want to move into their condominium themselves in order to get a better grip on heating costs and save.
“Of course, this is doubly problematic at the moment, because many tenants usually have to pay significantly higher ancillary costs.
If these are then also increased in the Rhine-Main area and in the university towns with their already high rents, this will put a double burden on the tenants, ”says the tenant advocate on the situation.
Jan Schalauske, Hessian state and parliamentary group leader of the left in the state parliament, complained at the beginning of the week that neither an effective energy price cap nor a rent cap had been implemented.
"Due to the price increases, many people are faced with the question of whether to fill their fridge or turn on the heating," he warned and made it clear: "That must not be." Winckelmann also advocates a rent cap, especially in the metropolitan areas ,
so that the price spiral "does not spiral upwards endlessly".
"We would like it to be rolled out for a period of five or six years to bring in a bit of calm," she says.
Worry about "fat additional payments"
At the moment, however, it is above all the ancillary costs that bother tenants and landlords alike.
According to the law, landlords must first submit a statement before they can increase the advance payments.
Winckelmann therefore advocated that landlords and tenants get together early and talk "reasonably" about discounts.
According to your information, there are already many voluntary agreements between tenants and landlords in Hesse to prevent high back payments.
"Most people prefer that to having to pay the big back payment later," says Winckelmann.