Oberhavel: 550 euro fee for refugees in shared accommodation!

Oberhavel: 550 euro fee for refugees in shared accommodation!

The Oberhavel district council made an important decision on July 9, 2025: The monthly usage fees for refugees in shared accommodation are now up to 550 euros. This approach represents a significant financial burden for many of those affected. The district is pursuing the goal of using the available places more effectively and at the same time promoting the integration of people with the prospect of staying.

In accordance with the state reception law, the Oberhavel district is responsible for the temporary accommodation of refugees. There are currently a total of 2,335 places available in eleven facilities in the district. But of these, more than 600 are already occupied by people who are no longer entitled to accommodation. These people rely on the support of social workers to find a new apartment, but have to pay the fee until then, which further complicates the situation. Currently, the fees for the use of shared accommodation are very high due to the high costs, which is the case not only in the Oberhavel district, but also in other cities such as Cologne.

Fees in comparison

Current regulations in other cities could serve as an alarming example. In Cologne, for example, usage fees per person were recently increased to between 19.00 and 29.00 euros per square meter. A family of five can therefore pay up to 1,302 euros per month, which in total is significantly higher than the prices for regular rental agreements, as the information from frnrw.de underlines.

• Beispielhafte Gebühren in Deutschland:
• Hörstel: Gebühren pro Person 386,70 €
• Wadersloh: Pauschale von 330,00 €
• Köln: Maximalgebühr bis zu 1.302 € für fünf Personen
• Bochum: 215,00 € pro Nutzer

Some of the fees are often perceived as being above average because they have higher costs than many regular apartments, which is what hamburg.de draws attention to. This is because when calculating shared accommodation fees, all applicable costs such as security services and social care must be taken into account.

Cost reduction strategies

The Oberhavel district pursues a clear goal: instead of building new accommodation, the existing capacities should be used optimally. The aim is to promote the integration of refugees and at the same time reduce the number of places that are no longer needed. A lower fee of 275 euros will apply to those whose asylum procedures have not yet been completed, as well as to certain groups of late repatriates.

The fees for use of the facilities are not only used to cover costs, but are also adjusted every three years to reflect current circumstances. The current calculation assumes average monthly costs of 579.64 euros per place, which makes the extent of the financial burden clear. These decisions are part of a long-term plan to improve housing conditions for refugees in the district and beyond.