150 square meters of living space and a large garden for a reasonable rental price. This is possible in Regensburg – with a small catch.
Regensburg – Affordable living space is scarce in many cities, especially for families with many children. The construction subsidiary of the city of Regensburg is now taking a new approach to renting out its old houses cheaply, as the
BR
reports - but not without something in return.
Cheap rent for a terraced house: property with a catch in Regensburg
Mid-terrace and corner house, seven rooms on three floors, 150 square meters of living space. There is also a large garden in a family-friendly residential complex in Regensburg's barracks district. The rental price is a reasonable 1200 euros per month – a tempting real estate ad. However, there is a catch, as the
BR
reports: The two terraced houses, which are only to be rented out together to one tenant, are in serious need of renovation. The tenants have to bear the costs.
The houses belong to Stadtbau Regensburg, the city's construction subsidiary. Managing director Götz Keßler is convinced that skilled tenants can be found for the properties who want to put work, time and money into the houses. Because the deal is: A tenant pays a relatively low rent in a permanent rental agreement, but in return renovates at his own expense.
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Cheap rent for something in return: pilot project in Regensburg
Stadtbau estimates the renovation costs to be up to 250,000 euros, depending on how much the tenant does themselves. “With a little bit of craftsmanship you can do a lot of things yourself,”
BR
quotes Keßler. Unlike in normal tenancies, the tenant here also has to set up heating and sanitary facilities - of course at his own expense. You also have to pay for a roof yourself, all in close consultation with the city building department.
Stadtbau could also renovate itself, says Keßler, but in the end rental costs of around 3,000 euros would be due. “That is anything but socially acceptable,” says the managing director. Because then the city would have to renovate with high standards and ultimately demand a lot of money to cover the costs. Selling was also an option. “Then the house would have gone to the highest bidder – that’s not in the spirit of social housing either,” says Keßler.
As the
BR
further reports, every single room has to be renovated from the ground up. Until now, each room was heated individually with oil-powered stoves, but now the future tenant has to install or have central heating installed, to name just one example.
Pilot test in Regensburg: cheap rent, craftsmanship in return
A tenant therefore first has to spend a lot of money. But what happens if he moves out at some point? “Of course, you have to take all of this into account and record it in a waterproof manner in a rental agreement,” explains Keßler at
BR.
“That the tenant will be paid out if necessary or that the costs will be offset against the new tenant.”
It is a pilot test that is taking place in Regensburg. Stadtbau has other properties that will become available in the next few years, it is said. If the housing project is successful, it could continue. Within a short space of time, 25 interested parties responded to the first advertisement for the houses in the barracks district. These mainly included families with many children and low incomes. It is not yet clear who will ultimately win the contract.
(came)
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