New landlord strategies: loopholes in the rent cover

With modernization prior to re-letting the apartment group Akelius so far with high Rents. Now, the company does not appear to change the strategy. the Small

New landlord strategies: loopholes in the rent cover

With modernization prior to re-letting the apartment group Akelius so far with high Rents. Now, the company does not appear to change the strategy.

the Small holes in the wall are only a small Problem photo: Reuters

1.200 Euro warm for a 120-square-meter apartment in a trendy district of: Leonie said coarser is happy, after a difficult apartment search, affordable apartment for your 3-to have the WG found. Coarser is actually different, don't want to read your real name but in the newspaper, afraid to lose the apartment, because they commented negatively about your landlord.

Because the apartment has some peculiarities: There are no floors, a water damage, a large hole in the wall, with paint smeared Windows and stained walls. Half rent of the WG was adopted to ensure that it takes on the renovation itself. Above all, however, The lease is for a period of five years.

owner of the apartment is the Swedish group Akelius owns in Berlin, around 14,000 apartments. Akelius is known to take new leases, the highest Rents in the entire city, in a cut, EUR 20.23 cold per square meter. So far, despite the rental price brake is possible, because Akelius modernized the apartments before each new rental.

In the case of such apartments, the rental price does not apply brake – the rent cover, which should occur at the beginning of the year 2020, but already. On the fixed ceiling of EUR 9.80 per square meter can also be used for the modernization of a maximum of one Euro per square meter pitched. Rent, as required by Akelius so far, are no longer possible.

"for Us, it was a Akelius staff said very clearly, that we get, therefore, the fixed-term contract, because as long as the rent cover applies to you and you want to renovate the apartment then," says groeber. During the apartment handover, a staff member had noted the condition of the apartment as "OK". "As I do not have, then said carefully, in order, the apartment was Yes she answered: Yes, apparently, otherwise they wouldn't hire you."

Apparently, the Senate decision to hire cover at Akelius has this u-turn enforced: "The extensive refurbishment of empty homes, we do not currently have", says Ralf Spann, European head of Akelius, on taz's request. And: "Occasionally we place a time limit on leases for apartments which need to be redeveloped in the future in a comprehensive way."

at the same time he is convinced that the rent cover will legally have no existence: "The setting of prices by the state or by a state government is not possible." Akelius reckon that "the rent cover will not work and may not in force".

its leasing strategy changes Why the company still remains unclear. The question of what is the meaning of the rent cover economically for Akelius, does not want to answer Spann: "calculations of the third of the possible effects on the rent of the housing stock, or economic impact on Akelius are not serious," he says. And pushes afterwards: Perabet "We may leave to such statements and calculations, legally, in terms of damages in check."

the rent cover could make the group sensitive, is obvious. "We believe that a great many of Akelius tenants will make use of the possibility of their Rent with the rent cover lower," says Miriam Grost. Also Grost is Akelius-tenant and don't want to call for fear of negative consequences for their tenancy in your real name. She is involved in the Akelius-tenant networking, the Berlin-wide Meeting of Akelius tenants:organized inside, to exchange ideas, to help and build up pressure.

to be Different from the group is it not so that the tenant:the interior of the expensive modernized Akelius apartments would pay the high Rent, says Grost. In many cases, there are international tenant:interior, the Akelius advertising in a targeted manner. "These are people who are from other cities, high Rents accustomed and do not know the Berlin housing market and the German legislation for the first time," she says. "Many of them only after some time that your rent is completely inflated, and then try very well, because as soon as possible to get out."

With the rent cover the tenant should be able to:your rent is lowered, if it is more than 20 percent above the upper limits. This applies to all the modernised apartments, Akelius, nearly 40 percent of Berlin stock of the company.

Grost and your comrades-in-arms:the inside of the rent is pleased to cover, because it means that Akelius could not continue with business as usual. "But we also ask ourselves: What happens after the five years?" And The next Problem on the Berlin housing market was already in full swing – the condo conversion office captive terminations. "If the policy needs to be as now for so long, until you reacted as you for the rent in the lid and used, is fatal."

The Swedish group has in Berlin, around 14,000 apartments

In the taz Interview had offered Akelius-chief Spann in October, the tenant of networking a conversation: "I am ready to meet with you and help to solve their problems."

If Akelius wanted to help the tenant:the inside, there is a possibility, says Grost: "We call on Akelius, no cancellations more to say and ongoing termination proceedings." They knew of many dismissals, which "be drawn from the slightest, or even designed events with an incredible unwillingness to compromise by". For existing tenants, especially Altmietern that have cheap contracts, have Akelius no interest.

The Leonie coarser from neighbors: "they told us that in case of problems, never to respond." First own experience would confirm this: "We have notified the repair service that we have in the bathroom the water from the joints occurs, but there was no response." Given the state of the apartment was not, in any event, the most urgent Problem.

Date Of Update: 19 November 2019, 06:00
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