On September 01st, the new rent index of the city of Bonn came into force. A slight increase in the m² prices compared to the last list from 2018 has been determined. Many competent people have thought about it, the city, representatives of the tenants' association, from Haus & Grund, scientifically supported by the Institut Wohnen und Umwelt (IWU) in Darmstadt. 10.000 apartments were selected at random, and their landlords and tenants were asked to fill out a 16-page questionnaire. 50 interviewers then fanned out to complete and verify the information.
An enormous effort, but unfortunately the whole action will only have a small impact on the real rental market in Bonn in the future, just as the rent index from 2018 has little influence on current rental prices. To say it in advance: The majority of landlords demand fair rental prices, but unfortunately there is an increasing tendency to use simple measures to achieve a multiple of the price indicated in the rent index. The magic word is "furnishing" and is also an absolute hit in combination with "temporary living". The legal situation is clear, according to a judgment of the LG Berlin, the surcharge on a furnished apartment may amount to 2% of the current value of the furniture. Example: the new furniture had a new value of € 3.000. With an average useful life of 10 years (3.000 x 2/100), € 60 per month can be added to the rental price; if the furniture has been in use for a long time, the surcharge is reduced by the factor of the remaining useful life. Incidentally, the judgment dates back to 2003, as the current data clearly demonstrates: In December, 725 apartments are being offered on the free rental market (Immoscout and Immowelt) in the Bonn city area, 45% of them as furnished, some in Combination with "Zeitwohnen", about 2 years ago in Bonn it was still 38% (in Berlin 66% of the offer is currently offered as furnished apartments). So almost half of the offers are de facto not available to the local rental market or are simply available at unaffordable conditions because the prices are well above the rent index. Our current favorite is a 17 m², fully furnished room in a shared apartment in the southern part of the city with the use of the terrace including all additional costs for an unbeatable € 49,70 per m².
Instead of thinking about rent brakes or rent caps based on the Berlin model, it would at least be a start to apply the rent index to furnished apartments as well. But we assume that the state government will remain silent on this issue in the next few years.
Bernd Viebach