Trouble because of rent for Ukraine refugees - landlord pissed off

Created: 2022-06-25 05:04

By: Katja Rudolph

Annoyed with the social welfare office: Albert Sarkisian has rented two apartments on Gellertstrasse to refugees from Ukraine.

For two and a half months he was in the dark as to whether the city of Kassel would cover the rental costs.

© KATJA RUDOLPH

When war broke out in the Ukraine, several people from Kassel wanted to provide apartments.

Now they complain about the approach of the social welfare office.

Kassel – Albert Sarkisjan rarely says no when someone asks him for help.

And so there was no question for the man from Niestetal that he would take in refugees from the Ukraine in his apartments in Fasanenhof, which he runs as a small hostel part-time.

He has four apartments on Gellertstrasse, which he usually rents out to guests.

On March 21, he took in five war refugees from Ukraine in two of them, as reported by hna.de.

Sarkisyan had no idea how much work he would have to do to have the city reimburse him for the rental costs.

When the 36-year-old reports to the HNA, he has been waiting for almost two and a half months for the rental and ancillary costs to be covered.

The native Armenian emphasizes that he does not want to capitalize on people's plight.

He came to Germany with his family 18 years ago as a refugee.

That's why he only put on a cold rent of 320 and 390 euros for the two- and three-room apartments.

In the documenta summer in particular, he could earn a multiple with rentals to hostel guests, says Albert Sarkisyan.

Kassel: Landlords complain about the effort involved in getting rent for refugees from the city

After numerous phone calls, e-mails and several personal visits to the social welfare office in Kassel's town hall, his feelings fluctuate between annoyance and despair.

Again and again his offer to rent was rejected - only with the hint that the total costs were too high.

Sarkisian adjusted the rent several times, but then received a note that the operating and heating costs were too low, which is why considerable additional demands are to be expected.

Right from the start, Sarkisian set a flat rate for all ancillary costs, as the forms he submitted to the HNA show.

The upper rent limits that apply to recipients of social benefits were therefore not exceeded.

When the third month began without a commitment from the city, the man from Niestetal became increasingly worried about his own financial resources: "I've been bearing the full ancillary costs since March, and I also have to pay my monthly installments to the bank." but the uncertainty as to whether he will ever come to an agreement with the city of Kassel.

"I can't throw people out." In his distress, he had written to the clerk in the social welfare office that he saw himself forced to give notice to the tenants from the Ukraine if he didn't get a commitment quickly.

Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine is having an impact on Kassel.

Many people in Kassel want to take in refugees, but landlords have to take a few things into account.

Rent for refugees in Kassel: Landlords are angry

In the district, where Sarkisian also owns several apartments and has taken in a total of 13 people from Ukraine, the transfer took a few weeks.

But he always had a contact person there and felt that he was in good hands.

At the Kassel social welfare office, on the other hand, where crowds of people crowded each time he visited, he was treated as if he were a nuisance.

He understands if the staff there is overworked, says Sarkisian.

But if the city calls for housing to be provided for refugees, someone has to take care of it.

A few days ago, the transfer from the city reached Sarkisyan's account.

Another Kasseler describes negative experiences with the social welfare office

A few weeks after the outbreak of war, Andreas Elsner also followed the call from the city of Kassel to provide housing for refugees.

The owner of a plumbing company offered to make two rooms on the top floor of his apartment building in Oberzwehren available rent-free for a period of six weeks.

At the beginning of April, an employee from the social welfare office came by to inspect the rooms, reports Elsner.

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Because it was raining that day, the householder asked the city worker to take off her shoes.

There is carpet in the stairwell, says the 56-year-old.

"None of us goes up there with street shoes." However, the lady was absolutely not ready to take off her shoes.

"Okay, then the viewing is over," he then said, remembers Andreas Elsner.

He then tried several times to get in touch with a supervisor of the employee via the service number 115.

That didn't work.

Ten days later, another employee from the social welfare office called to arrange a tour of the rooms.

Before he goes into that, he would like feedback on his colleague's behavior, said Elsner - and so his room remained free.

He's not happy with that, says the man from Kassel.

Because he actually wanted to help the people from Ukraine.

(Katja Rudolph)