Munich in Corona times: on the one hand, landlords are driven by greed for profit - and on the other hand, they demonstrate humanity.
- The rental market in Munich is competitive and life in the state capital is not cheap
- In the wake of the Corona crisis *, the city can now be seen from two sides
- In Corona times, Munich shows two faces - between greed for profit and heart
Munich - The Munich rental market has been highly competitive for years, and the monthly costs are constantly increasing. However, it is shocking for many: Despite the Corona crisis *, there are owners who are currently tough increasing their rent - to the misery of many Munich residents. In some cases, those affected have to shell out over 100 euros more per month.
Munich in the Corona crisis: tenants are so brazen
But: there are also positive cases. Stories from landlords who help their tenants, sometimes even waiving all of their taxes. We describe a few fates here - between fear and hope. And we spoke to the tenant association about the developments.
Monika Wipper (79) doesn't know what to do. She receives a pension of € 1308 a month. And now that: The elderly woman is suddenly supposed to pay 117 euros more basic rent. Instead of 632 euros, a whopping 749 euros! The landlord of the apartment block at Josephsburgstrasse 9, in which she has lived on 65 square meters since 1990, justifies the contract with the fact that the apartment has "good floor" and a terrace.
"How am I supposed to pay? In addition, the parquet floor is ancient and only installed in one room, ”says Monika Wipper desperately. In addition, there are also 145 euros in operating costs per month. So Monika remains 400 euros a month - for food, electricity, telephone and running costs! The landlord sees the case very differently: the increase is smaller because there has already been a rent reduction . In addition, there is no connection between the increase and the corona crisis * .
Hans G. from Starnberg is just like Monika Wipper: unaffected by the crisis and short-time work, his landlord also increases the monthly costs for a 74-square-meter apartment - from 920 euros to 1,012 euros . "My wife and I are already working short-time, we can hardly pay the existing rent," said the person concerned.
Incidentally, the Munich West Cooperative, which owns 3,361 apartments, has also sent a letter of increase. And the Wacker Chemie Pension Fund, which according to its own information has several hundred apartments in Munich . According to company spokesman Christof Bachmair, this is “a routine process” - and “absolutely necessary” to cover the pension claims of the company's pensioners. But they would "accommodate those tenants who can provide credible evidence that they have run into economic difficulties because of the effects of the Corona crisis ."
Munich in the Corona crisis: There are also positive examples
When hairdresser Monika Habich (66) thinks of her landlord , she has to smile briefly. Despite the hard times, despite Corona * . Ever since she had to close her shop, she has noticed how much she loves her job, her contact with her customers. After all, her landlord called two weeks ago: "He said that I had to pay no rent for two months and we would go on looking."
When she can open her small salon in Starnberg, which she has been running on Josef-Jägerhuber-Straße for twelve years, is open. "For me it is a pain, I would like to continue working straight away, I had been very careful beforehand and worked with a mask and gloves and asked all customers to wash their hands after entering." The additional costs continue to run, the revenues are broken away.
The couple Pamela and Till Weiß, who run the Augustiner am Wörthsee , are also happy about a generous landlord. The brewery has given them one and a half monthly rents. Fortunately, there are many such positive examples that give courage.
And also really big landlords - for example Vonovia (with 400,000 apartments across Germany and 5,300 apartments in Munich). This company also reacts: "With the spread of the corona virus, the economic risks for many freelancers, employees and companies grow," said Vonovia regional division manager Carsten Baurigk: "We forego market-related rent increases , have canceled all apartment vacancies and offer help to tenants if they are run into economic difficulties. "
And the Wogeno Cooperative has set up a hardship fund and is now calling on members to donate to those who, through Corona and the problems associated with it, have come into economic need through no fault of their own.
The Corona crisis in Munich: that's what the rental expert says
"These are great and important gestures!" Says Volker Rastätter, Managing Director of the Munich Tenants' Association , about landlords who are accommodating their tenants during the crisis: "Other landlords should follow these examples, if possible. Ultimately, they too will benefit if they show solidarity with tenants. Because if small businesses have to file a series of bankruptcies, landlords will no longer be able to rent their commercial units as easily in the future. ”
Rastätter sharply criticized the landlords, who increased taxes during the crisis: "Such cases confirm our demand for a six-year rent freeze , which we want to enforce with our referendum." He welcomes the fact that the legislature has set up a protective shield for tenants that will protects against termination if you can only pay later due to Corona rents. Rastätter also calls for a “safe living fund” that will step in if tenants can no longer pay their rent debts later. Terminations of personal needs should also be limited so that landlords can no longer terminate for domestic workers or more distant relatives.
S. Sasse
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Rubric list image: © Photo: Michael Westermann
