Hygienic emergency: Tenants in Ziolkowskistrasse demand help!

Hygienic emergency: Tenants in Ziolkowskistrasse demand help!

Things are looking really bleak at Ziolkowskistraße 37 a/b: the tenants of the high-rise building have been struggling for months with blocked drains and unhygienic conditions, which are significantly affecting their quality of life. Despite repeated calls for help and political requests, the city administration remains at a loss. How Schwerin.News reports, the administration sees little opportunity to support the affected tenants.

The Left Party faction submitted a request to Mayor Dr. Rico Badenschier to find out what measures can be used to deal with acute problems in the rental housing sector. Dr. Daniel Trepsdorf from the Left reported unsustainable conditions since mid-June, but the property management company Gamma Immobilienverwaltung remains silent about tenants' complaints.

Health risks due to inadequate housing conditions

A real problem is clogged sewage pipes, which not only endanger hygiene in the affected apartments, but can also pose serious health risks. The health department carried out a hygiene inspection on March 4th, but did not identify any acute health risks. A certain all-clear, which, as you can imagine, is not very helpful for the tenants. Pest infestations were recorded in two affected apartments, which the authorities blamed on the residents' lack of hygiene.

Tenants living under such conditions are faced with the legal options of rent reduction and termination without notice if the health-threatening conditions continue. The law stipulates that rented rooms that pose a significant health risk offer the tenant the right to terminate without notice if he was not aware of the defects or if he remained unaware of them due to gross negligence (cf. Tenancy law encyclopedia ).

The role of the city administration and alternatives for tenants

As far as the city administration is concerned, there seems to be little freedom of action here. Mayor Badenschier announced that the city's influence on private owners was limited and that there was no central register of misconduct for landlords. This makes effective control and support almost impossible. Tenants are therefore forced to take the civil law route, which is not only time-consuming but also involves financial risks.

However, in times of need, the city of Schwerin offered support through cooperation with district management, job centers and social services. Tenants in particular who needed care were able to move into nursing homes, and alternative apartments were promised. But still, the majority of tenants are left to fend for themselves while they endure the boot camp of the problem.

The lack of a state housing protection law also prevents the municipality from acting quickly with private landlords. As the tenants' association states, such a law would be necessary to regulate the rights of tenants more clearly and to enable better enforcement in the event of problems. Not to mention the often health-damaging conditions that cause many tenants sleepless nights.

Overall, it is clear that in this misery it is not only the tenants who are suffering under the pressure of hygienic conditions, but those responsible are also required to finally find solutions to improve the situation. Health hazards in living spaces must be taken seriously. Strong tenancy law is essential here, not only to protect the rights of tenants, but also to create a basis for a healthy life. Loud Tenant angel Landlords have a clear duty to keep rental apartments in a healthy condition and should be required to do better.