Berlin becomes first German city to make rent cap a reality

[paradoxal 2948]

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jun/01/rent-cap-legislation-in-force-berlin-germany?CMP=fb_gu

 

 

Berlin has become the first city in Germany in which rent-control legislation has come into force in a bid to put the brakes on some of the fastest rising rents in Europe.

From Monday, landlords in the capital will be barred from increasing rents by more than 10% above the local average. Such controls were already in place for existing tenants but have now been extended to new contracts.

 

“The rent ceiling is very important for Berlin because the difference between the rent paid in existing contracts and new contracts is so high,” said Reiner Wild, managing director of the Berlin Tenants’ Association. “The other problem is that we have 40,000 more inhabitants per year. Because of this situation the housing market is very strong.”

 

 

Average rents in the German capital rose from just over €5.50 (£3.60) a square metre in 2005 to close to €9 last year, according to a report by property services company Jones Lang LaSalle. Between 2013 and 2014, rents went up by more than 9%.

 

And here I am, crying about not having enough money to move to Berlin while living in the capital of Helsinki in an extremely affordable flat with a rent of over 12€ per square meter. Yes, it's student housing.

 

Apparently the average here in Helsinki is 14€ per square meter, but the smaller the flat, the more the rent is per square meter. How about a 25 square meter flat with a rent of 700€? That's an average of 28€ per square meter, and no, it's not in the center of Helsinki - it's a crappy flat with old interiors about 6-7 kilometers from the center.

 

What do you think about this article?

How high is your rent?

[Zeus 7997]

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jun/01/rent-cap-legislation-in-force-berlin-germany?CMP=fb_gu

 

 

 

And here I am, crying about not having enough money to move to Berlin while living in the capital of Helsinki in an extremely affordable flat with a rent of over 12€ per square meter. Yes, it's student housing.

 

Apparently the average here in Helsinki is 14€ per square meter, but the smaller the flat, the more the rent is per square meter. How about a 25 square meter flat with a rent of 700€? That's an average of 28€ per square meter, and no, it's not in the center of Helsinki - it's a crappy flat with old interiors about 6-7 kilometers from the center.

 

What do you think about this article?

How high is your rent?

Please. My rent is about 1400€ monthly (and rising), and I have a rather small apartment, and that's not on top of the food and transportation costs it takes to get places. NYC has some rent stabilized apartments which is very similar to this, but we don't have an outright rent cap. We need one too. You know it's bad when 75% of most of your friend's pay goes towards food and shelter, and some of your other friends are approaching 30 and still living with mom and dad because the rent is too damn high and the pay is too damn low.

[shinobu. 252]

Ya... feel like if you live in the capitol, the rent is always going to be higher... I've heard rent in a lot of European countries is actually quite reasonable compared to the US. Where I live luckily you can find some more reasonable rent prices but with it becoming a major economic city and more people moving here, kinda worried the rent prices will go up lol

 

A rent cap would be nice, I guess... Living costs will always go up, though... 

[Peace Heavy mk II 7200]

lmao @ $780 for rent

 

 

 

$1675 and I live in a hispanic ghetto

[Karma’s Hat 3107]

Berlin is absurdly cheap for anyone not from there. To provide a comparison I'm pretty sure can't get a place with a liveable interior from the depths of East Brooklyn for the price you can get a flat in a reasonable neighborhood in Berlin. Good US cities are very rough with NYC being utter insanity. 

 

London is the worst one in Europe, but Helsinki and Stockholm are quite bad as well. I don't pay rent but I did get myself a 30 square meter flat last year for 150k from a place that's the last bastion for acceptable prices in Helsinki's inner city. 

 

 

Apparently the average here in Helsinki is 14€ per square meter, but the smaller the flat, the more the rent is per square meter. How about a 25 square meter flat with a rent of 700€? That's an average of 28€ per square meter, and no, it's not in the center of Helsinki - it's a crappy flat with old interiors about 6-7 kilometers from the center.

 

 

 

Well if you luck out and somehow get picked over the dozens of other applicants, you can get a flat for even less than 700 euro in Suur-Kallio - heck I've seen some go as cheap as 550/a month. It is just that there's a ton of people trying to apply for those same flats and in the worst cases the elimination process for the privately owned rental flats is just dumb. Years ago when I was looking for a one room place 2 rent and the application asked for a bloody essay where one was to describe themselves fucking hobbies and all. Naturally I wasn't down for that kind of nonsense and opted to wait a little to buy. Muh profits in 10 years when gentrification comes a' knockin'.

[Biopanda 2675]

I pay $160(142€) a month for a 1200 ft²(111m²) 2-bedroom apartment in a decent area. Eat it chumps :v

[eiheartx 1310]

I pay 560€ for a 58m² (+2 bedrooms upstairs). It's pretty cheap comparing the offer in my town, but I was lucky to found this (or not so lucky: the owner is...my boss!). Normally, this price goes for a 25-40m², sometimes even a studio...wth. I hate living there, on a touristic town; where prices goes high as fuck when summer comes. I would like to move out but I can't find similar options, prices are just insane. No need to talk about buying a house too, I'm out category.

[Champ213 1858]

It's not just Berlin actually. Berlin is the first but other german cities will follow.

 

As far as major german cities are concerened, Berlin is actually still considered relatively cheap. As they say, Berlin is considered "poor, but sexy". A lot of young people want to move there, but can't afford high rents.

 

If you want to live in the inner parts of Munich for example you need a good income or you're screwed.

 

In Cologne, where I am, it's somewhere in between. I pay around 550€ for 57m², including heating. Which is pretty okay for my city, but I don't live in one of the "trendy" quarters of the city (ie. I live on the eastern side of the Rhine, which is considered with disdain by the locals). XD It's still pretty central though.