A study by the German Institute for Economic Research (DIW Berlin) concludes that rent controls can only reduce economic inequality in the short term. This is based on the assumption that poorer households that pay high rents face richer households that have income from renting. If the legislator limits the growth of rents, according to...

The Berlin consumer advice center knows what to consider when installing a ventilation system. Among other things, it points out that appropriate specialist planning is required, that the most efficient devices have the EU efficiency label A+ and that the acquisition costs for ventilation systems with heat recovery are financially subsidized via the federal subsidy program for efficient buildings (BEG).

A technology for optimizing solar systems is the goal of the Dig4morE joint project, which includes the Helmholtz Institute Erlangen-Nuremberg and the photovoltaic companies Sunsniffer, Aquila Capital and Sunset Energietechnik. The project partners want to use artificial intelligence to develop a methodology that suggests optimization measures for solar installations. Thanks to the...

The Federal Court of Justice (BGH) has strengthened the pre-emption rights of tenants in a recent ruling (VIII ZR 305/20). In this case, a tenant of a 46.60 square meter unrenovated apartment in an apartment building in Berlin, which the owner divided into condominium units, wanted to exercise her right of first refusal. According to the purchase agreement, she was to pay 163,266.67...

Property owners in Baden-Württemberg are more satisfied than tenants. This is the conclusion reached by Prof. Dr. Frank Brettschneider from the University of Hohenheim in a study commissioned by the Baden-Württemberg building societies. The study shows that 71 percent of homeowners in Baden-Württemberg are satisfied with their current housing situation. For tenants, the figure is only 52...

According to the "savoo" portal, the most family-friendly city in Germany in 2022 is Berlin, followed by Nuremberg and Münster. For the survey, the portal analyzed factors such as the "number of doctors", the "crime rate" and the "number of parks" in 30 cities, but also, for example, the "number of daycare centers", the "average hourly wage for a babysitter" and the...

Due to the war in Ukraine, the Federation of the German Construction Industry can no longer rule out construction stops for many projects. According to the association, it is uncertain whether there will be enough material for all construction sites in Germany. In addition to steel producers, who would have to cut back their production, large refineries have also announced that they will have to reduce their bitumen production....

The United Income Tax Association points out that - in view of the rise in energy costs - it can be worthwhile investing in renovation measures using renewable energies in your own home. Owners can claim up to 20 percent of the costs and up to 40,000 euros in tax relief for energy-efficient refurbishment measures. This is regulated in paragraph 35c, section 1 of the...

The residents of an apartment building in Ratingen, North Rhine-Westphalia, are worried that an ATM in the building could be blown up. The reason for this is that there are repeated reports in the media about ATMs being blown up. The owner of the apartment building therefore asked the bank to remove the ATM. However, he was already on...

The "schoener-wohnen.de" portal has taken a close look at the outdoor trends for the 2022 garden season. According to the portal, outdoor upholstered furniture, which is hardly any different from a sofa for the living room, is popular. Garden loungers are also back in fashion, both with and without wheels. Those who like bold colors will also get their money's worth this garden season: with...