There is hardly a tenant who does not have to deal with housing deficiencies at some point in time. Whether it's a broken stove, a malfunctioning heating system or mold – you want the damage to be repaired quickly and permanently. You can contribute to this yourself. If you simply ask the janitor in the hallway about the leaking windows, you shouldn't be surprised if nothing happens. And anyone who reduces the rent by 30 percent on his or her own initiative because of a crack in the laminate may even risk termination. We tell you what you have to pay attention to so that your notice of defects is successful and you can enforce your right to a defect-free apartment.
There are said to be landlords who, after receiving a call, send a craftsman the next day to repair the defect. It is much more common for tenants to wait months in vain for a defect to be remedied. "… I have already called the property management company a few times about this!", the legal advisors of the citizen of Berlin tenant association (BMV) often get to hear. An argument that drives lawyers to despair, because a notice of defect by telephone is nothing more than a gamble: maybe it will do some good, maybe not. Further claims, such as the right to terminate without notice in the case of extreme defects or claims for damages, for example for radiator costs in the case of a failed heating system, cannot be derived from this.
Learn more →