© dpa
In the fight against excessive rents, the Berlin Senate is now turning to a so-called "rent scan" as a new tool.
As part of this process, apartment listings on online portals are automatically screened for potential violations of the rent cap, according to Housing Senator Christian Gaebler (SPD).
An initial analysis of more than 7,700 rental listings in June revealed that 46 percent - that is, nearly half - are suspected of violating regulations. According to Gaebler, the landlords in question are now being contacted in writing. The letter asks them to review their rent demands and adjust them if the statutory limit has been exceeded. It was also stated that the rent scan will continue on a monthly basis for the time being. The goal is to proactively alert landlords to potential violations of applicable law and prevent them from exploiting a housing shortage. In addition, the initiative aims to support people in their search for affordable housing.
"Berlin is using every means at its disposal to enforce tenant protection in the city," Senator Gaebler explained. "With the Rent Scan, we want to focus on landlords and take decisive action against rent gouging." The goal is fairness for tenants, but also for law-abiding landlords. According to the rent cap law, the rent for newly leased apartments may not exceed the local market rate by more than 10 percent. The basis for this is the rent index. There are certain exceptions, such as for the initial leasing of apartments in new buildings. If the rent is more than 20 percent above this level, it is considered excessive. This can be punished as an administrative offense with fines of up to 50,000 euros. If a rent more than 50 percent above the local comparative rent is demanded, it is considered a usurious rent. This can constitute a criminal offense.