High-priced apartments in Leipzig draw criticism from the left-wing community
Nearly two-thirds of registered rents in Leipzig are deemed excessive, according to the Left Party. Comparative rents reveal that over 60% of these rents are at least 20% above the average, with half exceeding 50%. The Left Party arrived at these findings through their "Rent-Gouging App," which is available in several German cities.
Furthermore, the party discovered approximately 100 incorrect heating cost settlements from around 70 buildings within Leipzig through a free check on their website. Ines Schwerdtner, the Left Party leader, described the inconsistencies as concerning and stated that Leipzig shares this issue with Berlin and Munich. She emphasized her party's call for a rent cap and stricter legislation against excessive rental increases.
Affordable housing was a central focus in the Left Party's federal election campaign.
German rent regulations are predominantly controlled by the Mietpreisbremse (Rent Brake) and Kappungsgrenze (Cap Limit), both of which permit state-level adjustments to better address local housing market dynamics. Notably, Leipzig has not been designated as a "tense housing market," which would have resulted in more stringent rent regulations similar to those in Berlin and Munich.
While Leipzig has experienced significant rental price increases, its smaller scale and less uniform market trends have inherently led to less stringent oversight and enforcement compared to Berlin and Munich. However, the situation in Leipzig may prompt a reevaluation of rent control regulations in the future.
Rent increases in Leipzig have been more flexible than those in Berlin and Munich, which have stricter regulations to curb excessive rentals. Despite efforts in Leipzig, rising rents have sparked calls for increased protections for tenants in the city.
The Left Party's findings about excessive rents in Leipzig have highlighted the need for stricter legislation, especially in the realm of investing in real-estate. Ines Schwerdtner, the party leader, has pointed out that such issues are not unique to Leipzig, but are also shared with larger cities like Berlin and Munich. The Left Party, having affordable housing as a key election promise, has continued to advocate for a rent cap to ensure finance policies better cater to general-news issues like this.
