Politics
Tuesday, September 23, 2014
The old tenant moves out, the new will pay 25 percent more for the apartment. Such price jumps are not uncommon in the coveted city locations. The rental price brake is to provide relaxation, but they can also landlords still loopholes.
Who has moved in the last year in Berlin, had to pay 14 percent more than the previous tenant in the downtown districts are the Neuvermietungspreise partly by almost 30 percent over the comparable rents in the local section. A common image in German cities and university towns. In the coalition agreement the government parties have agreed on a rental brake, but the hastily drafted bill of Justice and Consumer Protection Minister Heiko Maas (SPD) went CDU and CSU too far. Now the coalition parties have agreed on a compromise
core of the new law. When a tenant changes the new hire must be no more than ten percent above the usual local level. This is not true in general, but only in areas with “a tense housing market”, which were reported by the countries. “You’re close, which can estimate well and flexibly respond to changes in the housing market,” says Maas. The rental price brake to come into force in the first half of 2015, for five years, countries can then define areas for which the law should be applied. The restrictions are there but not indefinitely, but for a maximum of five years. In addition, brokers should be paid in the future of the party, which it has delegated.
So far landlord for new leases largely free hand. The only limit: If 20 percent of the rent exceeds the rent index, they can be prosecuted under certain circumstances because of usury. But that’s only if the housing shortage is utilized proven. The landlord can then be sentenced to a fine, in practice it happens but rarely.
Exceptions for new and remodeled buildings
Two important limitations of the law, the coalition partners enforced. The first: The scheme does not apply to new buildings, ie buildings that are completed after the adoption of the law. In the original bill, new buildings were excluded only for first time use and only in the first five years of the rent brake. Now, they are generally exempt from the limit. Taking the first tenant so after only a short time, the landlord may at the next residents again strong demand surcharge
The second limitation. Old buildings may be exempt from the rent brake, namely when a comprehensive modernization carried out been. This can be an energy-efficient renovation, but also a measure that increased the residential value, such as a new bathroom. The new rents can then continue to be well above the rent index, the ten percent limit does not matter.
coalition will not slow residential construction
The exceptions are a concession to the real estate industry. She had Maas accused of wanting to stall the housing. Ropertz Ulrich, head of the German Tenants’ Association (DMB) holds the exaggerated: “We had in the past seven years has never been so much residential building permits, such as 2013 and 2014,” Ropertz declared the end of July in an interview. The real estate companies would buy apartments because so good profits are to make. “The fear obviously not all that their businesses through the rental brake to a standstill”, said the DMB-chief.
More on the topic“If we want to prevent the enormous increase in rents over the long term, we also need new housing,” consumer minister defended the changes. CDU / CSU parliamentary group leader Volker Kauder said it was a balance between regulation and incentives for investors has been found. The rental price brake alone will not lead to the fact that all people find an apartment. Therefore, the housing should be encouraged.
The Green Consumer Protection politician Renate Künast criticized the coalition plans, however inadequate. “The alleged Rent brake by Heiko Maas has no braking effect more,” said the chairman of the Consumer Protection Committee. “CDU and CSU have piece by piece ever relaxed.” The victims were tenants. “A concept for the modernization allocation lacks the alleged rental brake anyway quite” Künast said. A reduction and limitation of the levy on energy refurbishment and age-appropriate conversion would have been necessary in their view to the protection of tenants urgently. Will the old tenants after renovation in the apartment, the rent may namely rise by up to eleven percent of the costs incurred, until the costs are paid.
Source: n-tv.de
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