The Garmisch-Partenkirchen market is turning the rent screw for its own apartments - and is arousing criticism.
Although the increase is legally legitimate, FDP councilor Martin Sielmann finds it, it comes at an absolutely inopportune time in the middle of the Corona crisis.
Garmisch-Partenkirchen
- The FDP is seen as an economically liberal force that holds up the flags of the free market economy.
It is all the more remarkable that Garmisch-Partenkirchen's chief liberal Martin Sielmann raises his social voice in housing policy - and criticizes a rent increase in the market.
The background: From January 1, 2021, the municipality will demand 15 percent more money for certain apartments from its own portfolio.
This was decided behind closed doors in the main and finance committee at the beginning of September - and announced in the latest municipal council meeting.
As town hall press spokeswoman Ute Leitner explains when asked by the daily newspaper, this affects 111 publicly funded apartments (so-called social housing, which can only be given to people with a housing entitlement certificate) and 50 privately financed apartments (which are also given to people without a housing entitlement certificate).
The increase takes place "in the sense of a proper management".
Rent increase lawful
Sielmann sounded the alarm in September, calling for more transparency and social responsibility (we reported).
The controversial district and municipal council, which is applying for a mandate in the Bundestag for the FDP next year, feared that the aforementioned increase in rental law would be shaky and could result in a wave of lawsuits.
But these concerns have now apparently been dispelled - after Mayor Elisabeth Koch (CSU) answered a questionnaire from her arch rival.
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Renting in the district: "An expensive plaster"
"The rent increase is legal," the FDP politician admits.
Nevertheless, this is not politically correct.
Because: "That is the wrong signal," he says.
"That's not okay, it didn't have to be." You could have waited another year with that.
In times of the corona pandemic, many have to cope with a low short-time allowance and are dependent on the least possible stress.
He also could not understand, Sielmann continued, why the whole thing was negotiated in camera.
In his opinion, sensitive data could easily have been anonymized.
Mayor emphasizes: Housing is still cheaper than usual in town
The rent increase caused Sielmann stomach ache above all because, as he argued, there was no rent index for the place and comparative rents were not given - an assessment that was not entirely true.
According to Mayor Koch, comparative apartments have been named that correspond to the municipality's own accommodation in terms of year of construction, location and equipment.
And the vast majority of residents are said to have already agreed to the increase.
According to the tenor in the town hall, this is completely in line with the law.
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The 15 percent surcharge has a rather moderate effect, since the rents are inherently low.
According to Koch, the new average for privately financed apartments on the market is 5.55 euros per square meter - favorable for Garmisch-Partenkirchen conditions.
According to the town hall chief, nine to ten euros are currently due for comparable quarters.
Her summary: "Despite the rent increase on January 1, 2021, the market is fulfilling its social mission and offering its tenants affordable living space at rental prices that are up to 50 percent below the local rents."