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Received rent increase? What can you do about it?

2020-11-23T18:11:25.864Z


Rent increases are often an unpleasant surprise. But do tenants always just have to put up with them? We will show you when and how you can defend yourself.


Rent increases are often an unpleasant surprise.

But do tenants always just have to put up with them?

We will show you when and how you can defend yourself.

The housing market is currently tense not only in many large cities in Germany *.

All the greater the joy when you can get hold of an inexpensive apartment.

But only a few months later, the rude awakening often follows: A

hefty rent increase

flutters into the house.

You now have to accept this if you want to stay in the property.

Or maybe not?

One thing is certain: an arbitrary rent increase is often inadmissible.

We show you how landlords have to

justify

an

increase

and in which cases you are not obliged to accept it.

Also read:

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Landlord has to justify increase

Just raise the rent to get more money: That doesn't work under German tenancy law.

Your landlord must always

provide

you with a

reason

for the increase.

And here, too, it is precisely specified

when this is legal

.

An important factor, for example, is the

rent index for your place of residence

.

If you have paid significantly less than usual so far, your landlord can ask for more money.

However, the

adjustment to the local comparative

rent must not happen in one fell swoop.

A

maximum increase of 20 percent is

permitted

within 3 years

.

Another reason for a rent increase is if the

property has recently been modernized

.

Then the rental price can be increased regardless of the local rental price.

However, the landlord is also limited in this.

Your rent may only be increased for the first time twelve months after you move in.

And then there must be

at least one year between the increases

.

After all, you have at least

three months

if a rent increase comes into your home.

You can use these to check their legality and then to accept or reject them.

More on this:

Unbelievable: For one room in Munich you get six in Dortmund.

Reduce rent through rent brake

The

rent brake

has been in place in Germany for a number of years, namely since 2015. This means that the rent may be a maximum of

10 percent above the local comparable

rent

.

If you find that this has not been done in your case, you can obtain a rent reduction and claim back rent that has been overpaid.

The rent brake only applies in areas or cities where the

housing market is particularly tight

.

If you live in such an area, you should first find out about the usual rent index there.

You can then, for example,

use the tenants' association

to formulate a complaint to your landlord in order to lower the rental price.

(lw) * Merkur.de is part of the nationwide Ippen-Digital editorial network.

Source: focus.de

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