General

The owners' association Haus & Grund Deutschland has found in a study that rents have become more affordable for wage earners between 2015 and 2020. For the study, the owners' association compared, among other things, the increase in wages with the increases in existing rents and new contract rents. While wages increased on average during the survey period,...

Which architect has created the best high-quality, innovative and sustainable facade between 2020 and 2022? This will now be determined by the Fachverband Baustoffe und Bauteile für vorgehängte hinterlüftete Fassaden (FVHF). Interested architects can still apply until Friday, May 20, for the "German Facade Award 2022", which is endowed with 5,000 euros. For participation...

Trainees and students can also receive the heating allowance. This was recently decided by the cabinet. In an FAQ, the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) now describes the requirements they must meet to qualify. For example, trainees who have received vocational training assistance or training allowance and no longer live with their parents automatically receive the...

A tenant living in a terraced house may not simply drill holes in an exterior wall without asking his neighbor for permission in advance. This is the result of a ruling by the Federal Court of Justice (BGH) (AZ: V ZR 25/21). In the case at hand, the tenant (defendant) had drilled holes in an exterior wall for the installation of a power line for an electric awning. Initially, the...

The portal wmn.de of the Funke Media Group shows how minimalist living works. First of all, superfluous items should be sorted out. Not everything has to be disposed of, but the items can also be resold or given away. When choosing furniture, attention should be paid to simple colors, space for storage and clear lines and shapes. The walls should be designed for...

Real estate investors in Europe want to make their property portfolios more sustainable in the future. In Germany, 73 percent of the real estate investors surveyed plan to invest in the sustainable refurbishment of their portfolios, while in France the figure is 72 percent and in the UK 57 percent. In addition, it is also important to them that the properties have an appropriate sustainability certificate....

Anyone interested in "Public Building with Wood" can take part in several online events organized by the Agency for Renewable Resources (FNR) this year. The series of events kicks off on Thursday, March 24 (9:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.), with the topic "Building in Existing Contexts." The program includes presentations by architects, construction managers and lawyers such as...

The GdW Bundesverband deutscher Wohnungs- und Immobilienunternehmen (Federal Association of German Housing and Real Estate Companies) and the energy performance group Getec are offering a "heating check online" for housing companies. The aim of the heating check is to increase system efficiency, reduce energy consumption and cut CO2 emissions. The heating check comprises four steps. Step 1 involves an inspection of the system and the...

Under the title "These rules really apply", the portal "test.de" has summarized interesting facts about neighboring rights. Various topics such as "foreign greenery", "barbecues" and "optics" are highlighted. Reference is also made to various judgments that have been handed down by courts in this context. However, before a court deals with the...

The consumer advice center points out how those affected can best behave when cleaning as well as sorting out furnishings after a flood or inundation. Since fecal matter or heating oil may have entered the apartment as a result of the water, it advises those affected to protect themselves well. The apartment should not only be well ventilated during...