Many an enthusiast turns it up at Christmas time: everything from light shows and scented clouds is included.
But at some point the fun stops.
What is possible - and what is not?
Berlin - There is one saying that is particularly valid around Christmas: You can argue about taste.
One loves colorful, flashing fairy lights that are wound around the balcony parapet, another blows larger than life Santa Claus for the front yard.
Neighbors' Christmas decorations: can you veto?
And a third party cannot take advantage of the hype surrounding the festival.
But what do Christmas grouches have to accept?
And where are the limits?
“
In principle, whatever you like is allowed in the rented apartment or in the property you use yourself,
” says Eva Neumann, spokeswoman for Haus & Grund Germany in Berlin.
"Just because the decoration is too unusual for the neighbors, he has no right to take action." But
nobody should be
overly disturbed or even endangered
.
An overview of typical points of contention:
Bright lighting through fairy lights: what the neighbor is allowed to do with the Christmas decorations
The Berlin Regional Court has ruled that it is a widespread custom to decorate windows and balconies with electric lighting at Christmas time (Az .: 65 S 390/09).
“However, electrical lighting
should not shine continuously and permanently into the apartment opposite,
” says Ulrich Ropertz.
He is the managing director of the German Tenants' Association in Berlin.
So nobody has to accept flashing lights into the bedroom at midnight.
“Christmas lighting must
not be significantly brighter than the other lighting on site,
” explains Neumann.
Some municipalities have therefore set upper limits in statutes for the duration of lighting, the permitted brightness and the permitted volume.
If you want to avoid trouble, you can switch off the lights during the usual quiet times between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m.
Time switches are ideal for this.
Exterior decoration at Christmas: when is it too much?
Whether clinking Santa Clauses on the house wall or reindeer standing on the roof - a lot is possible.
Nobody should be disturbed or endangered, and the decoration must be attached safely and properly, as Ropertz says.
Outdoor decoration must also withstand strong winds
.
“Tenants should generally speak to the owner before drilling into the balcony wall and using dowels to fix Santa Claus,” says Neumann.
If the building is damaged, landlords or other co-owners should demand that the jewelry be removed and the damage repaired, she explains.
Can the neighbor decorate the stairwell for Christmas?
Both neighbors and the landlord do
not have to accept
a
staircase decoration
without further ado, but can demand the removal, shows a judgment of the Münster District Court (Az .: 38 C 1858/08).
Even
Christmas fragrance sprays
may not be sprayed all over the house, the Düsseldorf Higher Regional Court decided a few years ago (Az .: 3 WX 98/03).
Candles in the stairwell are taboo anyway due to the risk of fire.
“The stairwell is only shared with the tenants,” explains Beate Heilmann, lawyer in Berlin and member of the executive committee of the tenancy law working group in the German Lawyers' Association (DAV).
Accordingly, nobody can decide here alone.
What the other tenants shouldn't be offended by are
Christmas wreaths on the door of the apartment
.
This emerges from an earlier judgment of the Düsseldorf Regional Court (Az .: 25 T 500/89).
Nothing may be damaged here either.
Even if all tenants agree on the staircase decoration, it should be safely attached - otherwise there may be trouble.
For example, if someone falls through a cable on the landing and is injured, the decorator is liable, as Neumann says.
(dpa) * Merkur.de is part of the nationwide Ippen digital editorial network.
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