Overview
- The building minister endorsed a Hesse-style Fehlbelegungsabgabe that charges tenants whose incomes rise above eligibility levels, with proceeds earmarked for social housing and implementation left to the states.
- She highlighted planned investment of about €50 billion in social housing through 2029, including a €23.5 billion federal share, and called for efficient methods such as simple or serial construction.
- Hubertz targeted abuses in furnished rentals, urging clear separation of cold rent and furnishing charges, noting these units often escape the rent cap and can carry outsized surcharges.
- She flagged problems with index-linked leases that lift rents with inflation and pointed to an experts’ commission under the Justice Ministry to develop enforceable changes to tenancy law.
- Tenant data show social housing has fallen to roughly 1.1 million units, and Left Party leader Jan van Aken pressed for faster action and fines up to €100,000 for rent gouging, while tenancy-law changes sit with Justice Minister Stefanie Hubig.