General

The German Sustainable Building Council (DGNB) points out that the funding opportunities for sustainable buildings have become much more extensive. Through the new federal funding for efficient buildings (BEG), sustainability in construction is no longer reduced to energy efficiency alone, it says. Benefit can builders or owners also through the associated introduction...

The majority of existing buildings are heated with gas (49.1 percent), followed by heating oil (25 percent), district heating (14.1 percent), other forms of heating (6.2 percent), and direct electric heating and electric heat pumps (2.6 percent each). These figures emerge from an evaluation by the German Association of Energy and Water Industries (BDEW). In order to achieve the climate targets, BDEW is calling for...

If gas establishments have to close due to the Corona pandemic, the tenants or leaseholders cannot reduce the rent or lease without further ado. The Higher Regional Court of Frankfurt am Main (OLG) recently rejected two claims for reductions in rent in this regard. In the first case, a tenant of a pub sued because she could not use it due to official restrictions during the Corona pandemic,...

The question of how residents can best tidy up their kitchens is addressed by the zuhausewohnen.de portal. In addition it supplies apart from an extensive guidance also Tipps, how they hold these after clearing up in order. When cleaning up, residents should first remove all utensils from the kitchen that do not belong in it. These include, for example, decorative items without function, batteries and...

Community living arrangements have both advantages and disadvantages. This is the result of the study "Families in Community Living Arrangements" conducted by the Karlsruhe University of Applied Sciences and the German Youth Institute (DJI). For example, 60 percent of respondents believe that this form of living makes it easier to combine family and career. In addition, the study shows that the form of housing also helps with changes in...

The Association of Private Building Owners (VPB) advises owners to winterize their homes. They should pay particular attention to the roof. Loose tiles could fall down during storms, and defective tiles with small cracks could cause the roof to leak. As a result, moisture can enter the house and mold can develop. With the maintenance of a pitched roof, owners should...

Tenants are prepared to make a greater contribution to climate protection within their own four walls. This is the finding of a study entitled "The role of tenants in climate protection in the housing sector" conducted by Prof. Dr. Andreas Pfnür, Head of the Real Estate Management Department at the Faculty of Law and Economics at Darmstadt University of Technology, and post-doctoral researcher Dr.-Ing... Nikolas Müller on behalf of...

The German Federal Supreme Court (BGH) does not recognize moonlighting as a building defect (BGH, ruling dated 28.5.2021, V ZR 24/20). In the case at hand, a buyer had purchased a property for 253,000 euros and later discovered that the building had defects in the sealing of the basement and the base of the house against moisture. In addition, she had noticed that work on the building had been carried out...

For all those who love the mountains, the zuhausewohnen.de portal has furnishing tips ready. For example, Alpine fans can create an appropriate look with a corner bench, a Bollero stove and a plank floor. Decorative items such as humps, cushions and a carpet can also emphasize the Alpine look. A so-called Hussen chair also provides a pleasant vacation or...

The retail investment market in Europe is becoming more attractive for opportunistic investors. This is the assumption of the real estate consulting company Savills. According to Savills, opportunistic investors, who take the highest risk in their real estate transactions but also have the greatest opportunities for returns, are particularly looking for retail properties. In the United Kingdom, he said, there are currently...