Overview
- Housing Minister Verena Hubertz said the rent brake’s extension to 2029 is insufficient to curb excessive rent hikes.
- She singled out furnished rentals as a loophole because they are exempt from the rent brake, citing cases where minimal furniture justifies steep surcharges.
- Hubertz described CPI-linked index leases as problematic after sharp inflation drove double‑digit rent increases during the energy price crisis.
- She called for clearer contracts that separate base rent from furnishing fees to prevent inflated charges.
- A Justice Ministry tenancy-law panel is working on recommendations, with no new rules enacted yet and Hubertz stressing most landlords act responsibly despite some "black sheep."