General

From January 2021, smoke alarms will be mandatory in German apartments and houses. Stiftung Warentest presents a total of 17 models and examines them according to different categories. In addition to the standard models, the so-called "stand-alone" detectors, three smoke alarms that can be networked via radio are also examined. Also included is a mini smoke detector with a diameter of just 4...

Due to the effects of the Corona crisis, the world of work has changed rapidly. Many employees have had to work from home from now on and face new challenges. In the study "New Working in Germany - How Working Modes, Home Offices and Office Concepts are Changing", it becomes clear that the change to new office concepts is also clearly felt after the crisis....

To prevent clogged pipes or pipe bursts, the pipe system should be checked and cleaned regularly. Special tools can be used to remove limescale deposits that stick to the pipes. Other particles, such as food residues or toilet paper, must also be removed to prevent blockages in the drains. In doing so, it is essential to...

When it comes to the topic of energy efficiency in buildings, the use and utilization of daylight plays an important role. Particularly in the area of non-residential buildings, especially in office buildings, abundant energy can be saved through a well thought-out design and planning of daylight sources. A prerequisite for this, however, is that the energy-efficient lighting concept is already...

According to the lease agreement, the tenant of a 60-square-meter top-floor apartment also has an underground parking space and a basement room of about six square meters. The tenant pays 43 euros per month for the parking space. The basement room is included in the apartment rent. At the beginning of the tenancy from February 1, 2012, the tenant used the basement room to store his...

It is not always necessary to knock off old wall tiles and lay new ones. Sometimes it is already worth painting with tile paint or tile varnish to give the bathroom, kitchen or floor tiles a new look. Basically, amateur craftsmen can choose between matte and glossy tile varnish. Even though glossy varnish is cheaper, it does not cover as well as matte...

According to the 2020 Vacancy Index published by real estate services provider CBRE and research and consulting institute empirica, the apartment vacancy rate in Germany was 2.8 percent at the end of 2019. This corresponds to around 603,000 apartments. The vacancy rate for multi-story apartments is particularly noticeable in growth regions. Thus, the market-active vacancy rate in the urban area and in the boom cities...

Accessibility has a very high priority in the field of housing in Germany. DIN 18025 states which regulations must be complied with in order for living space to be considered barrier-free. In order for people of advanced age or people with disabilities to be able to use the residential building as well as the living space fully and self-determined, barrier-free planning is the be-all and end-all. To...

According to a study by energy service provider Techem, 93 percent of the 2,000 households in apartment buildings surveyed are aware that proper heating and ventilation are crucial to heat consumption in the home. Everyday measures, such as daily shock ventilation, are used by 72 percent of the study participants. Before the heating is turned up,...

A homeowners' association (WEG) consisting of three parties stipulated in its declaration of division that the apartments may only be rented with the written consent of the other two WEG parties. When the owners of one unit wanted to rent their apartment to a family, the other owners of the community demanded to see the rental agreement. The...