Stricter rules: BUND is planning measures against rental uses for furniture!

Stricter rules: BUND is planning measures against rental uses for furniture!

This day, renting is a hot iron, especially when it comes to furnished apartments. Federal Minister of Justice Stefanie Hubig (SPD) has now decided to put a stop to the wild growth in this area. In their view, there are considerable scope for regulations that should regulate the rental of furnished living space more strictly. In Berlin, where she recently had her own experience in finding an apartment, she was shaken by the high prices for partially furnished and partially used apartments. Here Hubig found that the equipment of the apartments has a significant impact on rental prices, which is often exploited in the industry. According to [RBB24] (https://www.rbb24.de/biebtrag/2025/06/berlin-brandenburg- Justice Minister-hubig-moebliertes-verenten-strenger-regel), the differences in the quality and equipment of furnished apartments are a central topic.

But what are the background of this price development? In Germany's metropolises, the demand for furnished living space now accounts for a third of the entire rental market. As a result, rents are not only increasing in large cities, but the price trend runs through the entire housing market. The Tagesschau, according to furnished apartments are particularly expensive; In Berlin, tenants have to dig deep into their pockets on average and pay a proud 36.82 euros per square meter - and that is not the only price driver. An increased need for rental apartments and the persistent shortage of apartments are the main causes for this price explosion.

The rental price brake under pressure

The federal system of the rental price brake should actually ensure that rents do not increase beyond the extent. However, the rules, which also apply to furnished apartments, have some loopholes in practice. For example, landlords are allowed to request up to 10% over rent for comparable living space for partially furnished offers. This gap is often used consciously, which has led to a significant increase in the proportion of furnished offers on real estate portals in recent years - from 4% to 8% within the last two and a half years. The situation in cities with 100,000 to 500,000 inhabitants is particularly red, where the proportion of furnished offers has also increased.

Federal Minister of the Bauin Klara Geywitz has already outlined plans to protect the rental price brake from the daily trials. In a similar gesture, Berlin's governing mayor Kai Wegner (CDU) called for consistent sanctions against violations. According to Haufe, the aim will be in the future that the furniture surcharge will be determined by law. This should not only create more transparency, but also better protect tenants. Because the background is clear: more and more landlords are trying to escape the pressure of the market by switching to furnished offers - a trend that could make a positive development of the offer side unprofitable.

Return to the housing market

The reactions to the planned changes are mixed. While some politicians and experts are calling for more regulation, others see no need for regulation for furnished apartments and fear that stricter regulations could continue to cut the already scarce housing offer. Two -thirds of the furnished apartments are offered by private individuals, and with this clientele there is often little knowledge of laws and regulations.