Survey on rents: 89 percent support tougher penalties against rent usury

A large majority of city dwellers support stricter measures against excessive rents. This is the result of a representative Forsa survey that was carried out on behalf of the German Tenants' Association (DMB) and the German Trade Union Confederation (DGB). 1,014 tenants in large cities were surveyed between September 17th and 29th this year.

According to the survey, one in three people surveyed consider their own rent to be too high. At least 64 percent think they are appropriate. There were hardly any differences between East and West, but the age of the respondents played a role. Only 17 percent of respondents over 60 complained about the rent level. However, among 30 to 44 year olds it was 38 percent and among those under 30 years old it was even 44 percent. Given that older rental agreements are often cheaper, this is not surprising.

The tenants were also asked which measures they consider to be effective in order to get rent developments better under control. 89 percent of those surveyed were in favor of harsher penalties against landlords for so-called extortionate rents, which are more than 50 percent higher than the typical local rent. 75 percent were in favor of tightening the rent cap and 65 percent were in favor of a so-called rent cap.

What is interesting is that a tightening of the rent cap was somewhat more accepted in major western German cities than in eastern Germany, while a rent cap was supported slightly more often by those surveyed in the east than in the west.

The results of the survey will also be presented at the housing summit on Thursday, which is being organized by the Tenants' Association and the DGB. Federal Justice Minister Stefanie Hubig (SPD) and numerous specialist politicians are expected there to discuss the rent crisis.

In the run-up to the summit and against the background of the survey, the Tenants' Association and the DGB called on the federal government to push ahead with planned tenancy law reforms more quickly. Violations of the rent cap and rent usury would have to be punished more severely than is currently the case.

“There is a lack of fairness in the rental market,” explained Melanie Weber Moritz, President of the German Tenants’ Association. The current tenancy law “formally invites abuse” due to loopholes and exceptions. Stefan Körzell, deputy chairman of the DGB, pointed out that rents that are too high are exacerbating the shortage of skilled workers. This becomes “a problem for companies and the economy as a whole”. In addition to new affordable housing, there is a need for a tightening of the rent cap and a nationwide rent freeze.

Caren Lay, rent policy spokeswoman for the Left Party in the Bundestag, also called for tougher action against excessive rents: “The extent of excessive and illegally high rents is enormous, as our rent extortion app shows.” Affordable housing is “as rare as gold dust in many parts of the country.”

A commission set up by the federal government is currently examining the question of how excessive rents can be addressed. It is made up of representatives from the judiciary and science as well as owners and tenants' associations. Results are expected to be presented by the end of the year. Among other things, it will be examined whether there should be fines for violations of the rent cap in the future. The current situation is like this: If a court finds a violation of the rent cap, it is enough for the landlord to reduce the rent to the permissible level and make repayments.

A tenancy law reform is also on the way from Justice Minister Stefanie Hubig, with which furnished living, short-term rentals and index rents are to be regulated more strictly and protection against dismissal is to be improved.