1300 warm in Neuhausen, suing the landlord and winning? Am I missing something here? I know many people that pay more than this.

2 comments

1. Then they should also try suing (given that the average rent in their distract is way lower as in the case you posted)

2. The point is that the rent was too high *for that area*.

   This is about the “Mietspiegel”, which regulates how much rent a landlord can demand. Each area has its own “Mietspiegel”, which by law must take into account things like the age of the building, its location, how well-maintained it is, and so on.

   In this case, the tenants looked up the local “Mietspiegel” and calculated that the rent was too high. The court agreed: for an apartment of that age in that condition and in that neighbourhood, the “comparison rent” is €11.81 per square metre; the landlord can’t go more than about 10% above that rate.

   So if you think you’re paying too much rent, you have to find out what the “Mietspiegel” is. If you’re paying more than 10% over that, you might have a case.