Houseboat crime: Landlord has to pay 1250 euros because of false suspicion!

Houseboat crime: Landlord has to pay 1250 euros because of false suspicion!

In a high-profile case of trespassing, a houseboat rental company from the Mecklenburg Lake District recently reported the matter to the police and received an expensive receipt. Loud Northern Courier The 55-year-old was found guilty by the district court in Waren and must now pay a fine of 1,250 euros, which is three times as much as the original penalty order of 450 euros.

The incident, which began in the summer of 2024, began with a dispute between the landlord and a vacationing couple. They wanted to rent a houseboat for 1,800 euros, but discovered that the large houseboat did not meet the required standards. Defects such as a broken thruster and missing boat certificates meant that holidaymakers canceled their planned boating holiday and looked for a hotel instead - but they did not get their money back.

Disputes and legal consequences

The landlord saw himself in an unfavorable light and ultimately filed a criminal complaint against the water police. He claimed police needed a search warrant to enter his boat. But the court ruled in favor of the police and found that they were in the right. The judge imposed a fine of 50 daily rates of 25 euros each, while the public prosecutor's office had demanded 50 daily rates of 60 euros each.

The situation sheds light on the practices of the landlord, who has been offering his boats for years via a classifieds portal but apparently does not pay taxes. It was also reported that its boats continued to be offered and rented during the summer of 2025. The allegations of poor maintenance and the lack of necessary documents could now prompt further scrutiny from other authorities.

Legal situation and possible consequences

The convicted landlord also expressed interest in a substitute detention for the fine, which he would preferably serve over Christmas. It remains to be seen whether the court will comply with this request, but what is certain is that the case will require a lot of work not only from private vacationers, but also from the responsible authorities.

As the circumstances show, the supposed fun of a boating holiday can quickly end in a series of legal disputes. Luckily, we won't be denied a vacation forever - rather, we have to be aware that, ideally, we should pay attention to the small print in the contract in good time so that the fun doesn't cost us dearly.