Pile wall debacle: Zweibrücken in the damage trap!

Pile wall debacle: Zweibrücken in the damage trap!

During the sheet piling on the bank of the Schwarzbach in Zweibrücken, several houses have been damaged. This work, which began in May 2021 on behalf of the city, caused considerable problems after their start because the underground lowered. This led to cracks in the walls and ground cuts, which finally led to a complaint by the property manager of the Schillerstraße 5 residential building against the city. At the end of 2024, the Zweibrücken district court decided that the city was obliged to pay compensation, which was partly attributed to improper construction work. The case is now a appeal to the Higher Regional Court (OLG) and the lawsuit of a neighboring owner, Schillerstraße 1, is also being processed, while the city could appeal to the judgment, as the Saarbrücker Zeitung reports.

Judge Peter Ehrmantraut has announced that an expert is commissioned to clarify the causes of the damage and the repair costs incurred. The plaintiff has already made an advance of 10,000 euros for the costs incurred. According to the apartment owner community (WEG) Schillerstraße 5, the damage amount is still unclear and was not discussed during the negotiation. A further eight lawsuits are currently being rested against the city until the OLG decides on the appeal of Schillerstrasse 5, so that the owners concerned have to live with uncertainties and financial losses.

lengthy legal disputes

The home owner community has asserted comprehensive claims against the city. It calls for compensation for the cracks in the walls, the stabilization of the building, raising the sunken courtyard and compensation for losses that have arisen since the last construction stop in March 2022. The administrator of the path, Wolfgang Schlachter, confirmed that the owners are without perspective and accommodation. These shortcomings and the resulting dispute are not only due to the inadequate preparation of the construction work, but also raise fundamental questions about building law, as the Herfurt office explains.

Within the building law, liability issues are crucial when it comes to defects in buildings. The construction contract regulates the responsibilities of the parties involved, including clients, contractors as well as architects and engineers. In the case of inadequate planning and poor execution, expensive legal disputes can threaten. In such cases, a building law lawyer plays an important role in taking legal action against the causes of defect and formulating claims for damages.

A key to a successful legal approach is the careful documentation of the defects found. Especially in the current situation around the sheet pile wall work in Zweibrücken it becomes clear how complex and lengthy the process can be to remedy and enforce claims for damages.