Leipzig's WG-Chaos: City prohibits poor 14-room apartment!

Leipzig's WG-Chaos: City prohibits poor 14-room apartment!

Demmeringstraße 100A, 04229 Leipzig, Deutschland - The city of Leipzig has decided to prohibit the use of a controversial 14-room shared apartment in Demmeringstrasse 100a. This ban, which has been in force since May 2023, is the result of serious grievances in the shared apartment. Report by LVZ According to the conditions under which the tenants had to live there in March 2023. The immediate proximity of toilets for the kitchenette and defects in the areas of garbage disposal, electrics, fire protection and heating were just a few of the considerable problems that significantly impaired the quality of life of the residents.

The rents in this flat share were exorbitant. Owners demanded up to 30 euros per square meter, which was intolerable for many tenants. The tenants now have six months to find new accommodations, but so far they have not received any specific help from the city or the owners. At the moment, only two of the 14 rooms are occupied because a third resident is currently moving out.

legal location and rental usury

The problem of excessive rents is not new in Leipzig. According to a report by Left Group Leipzig reported via a special app at excessive rental prices. These reports show that rents that are 20 % above the local comparative rent can be regarded as an administrative offense and even a criminal offense. A fine of up to 50,000 euros could come to landlords that are guilty of such practices.

Although the number of reports is increasing steadily, no administrative offense procedures have so far been initiated against the relevant landlords. However, the social welfare office of Leipzig has started to check the living conditions of the owners of the WG, whereby the results remain uncertain. So far, over 230 suspicion notices have been registered on rent increases in which the price increases between 20 % and 652 % vary.

future prospects

The city of Leipzig is working on a qualified rent index that is intended to help to better assess the appropriateness of rents. Furthermore, the city is committed to an extension of the Saxon Capping limits regulation in order to counteract further rent increases. These measures are necessary in order to meet the persistent protests and the legitimate concerns of the tenant in the city.

The situation in Demmeringstrasse is emblematic for the challenges that many tenants in Leipzig face. Tenants of the said WG have currently handed over a catalog of claims to the owner Sven Schwarzat, in which more than ten cases are listed in which tenants are waiting for repayments of deposits. To date, the owner's answer has failed to materialize, which further increases the frustration and uncertainty among the tenants concerned.