"A catastrophe": Munich should pay twice as much after renovation
Created: 12/30/2022 10:43 am
By: Lucas Sauter-Orengo
Götz Winterfeld can no longer afford the rent in the small house.
© Jens Hartmann
In Aubing, a father of two daughters is desperate.
After a refurbishment, his landlord suddenly demands twice as much rent - this becomes unaffordable for him.
Munich - Götz Winterfeldt is a professor at the Technical University in Deggendorf and is therefore one of the higher earners.
Since 2018 he has lived with his nine and eleven year old daughters on Rabensteinstrasse in Aubing.
A simple settlement house - which is now priceless for him.
Because the rent has more than doubled after a renovation!
Aubing: Munich should pay twice as much rent after renovation
Moving out would be a bit of a drama, because the three have settled in well over the years, says Winterfeldt.
"This is a major catastrophe, especially for my daughters," says Winterfeldt.
The two girls would have made many friends in Rabensteinstrasse and would feel very comfortable.
But: The family man cannot afford the drastic increase in rent from 1,580 to around 3,200 euros per month.
This is what the toilet looked like during the renovation.
© Jens Hartmann
Winterfeldt is appalled that "even higher earners are now finding it impossible to live in the Munich area".
If things continue like this, old tenants throughout Munich would gradually be forced out of their apartments to create expensive luxury living space.
A study at the beginning of December showed that rents in Munich are rising almost inexorably.
Rental hammer in Aubing: apartment suddenly costs 3,250 euros
His landlord justifies the rent increase with a renovation of the building, says Winterfeldt: "The work began in September 2021 and has been delayed further and further.
At first it was said that the house should be demolished, then we were told that the roof truss should be expanded in order to create social housing for 300 to 400 euros a month." Now, however, the landlord wants Winterfeldt to square meter apartment also rents the smaller, newly built section in the attic for 850 euros per month.
In addition, the rent for Winterfeldt's previous apartment is to be increased to 2,400 euros.
"With two children and the high electricity prices, I just can't afford 3,250 euros a month," explains the desperate father.
A lot of work - such as new water pipes here - was carried out very simply.
© Jens Hartmann
But not only the rent increase, but also the renovation work itself is causing problems for Winterfeldt.
The renovations would only be carried out by a single craftsman.
He also lived in a caravan in Winterfeldt's garden for months and used his power connection for the construction work.
Winterfeldt is now examining legal measures.
The landlord could not be reached for comment in the
tz
.
(Sophia Belliveau)
Experts explain: These rules apply to price increases
Winterfeldt turned to the Munich Tenants' Association for help.
This generally gives tenants the following advice: landlords may not increase the rent for modernization projects by more than three euros per square meter within six years.
Furthermore, the work must be announced three months in advance.
“The tenant must be able to get an idea of what the landlord is planning, how long it will take and what rent increases he can expect.
Without this announcement, the tenant does not have to tolerate the measure.” Of course, tenants do not have to pay electricity costs, which are caused by craftsmen in this case.
Real estate economist Olaf Drehsen, who is also familiar with such cases, recommends that tenants always look at the rental agreement first in the event of conflicts.
In this way one can check
which options for action the landlord actually has in detail.
"The more precisely a rental agreement is drawn up, the fewer misunderstandings between tenants and landlords are programmed in the future," says Drehsen.
