Dad turns down the heating (symbol photo) Photo: picture alliance
From BZ/epd
The German Tenants’ Association fears that at least the lower-income third of the German population will not be able to pay the rising energy costs.
People who are just above any state transfer benefit are particularly affected, said the President of the German Tenants’ Association, Lukas Siebenkotten, the Berlin “Tagesspiegel”.
Housing benefit reform demanded
In order to relieve tenants, the tenants’ association calls for a comprehensive reform of the housing benefit and better protection against dismissal. “You would have to significantly increase the income limits for people who can claim housing benefit,” said Siebenkotten. The President of the Tenants’ Association sees the limit at a household net income of 5000 euros per month.
In addition, an annual flat rate for heating costs and a climate component would have to be built into the housing benefit. This could, for example, absorb rent increases following energy-related refurbishment.
Siebenkotten demands that tenants who cannot pay the high energy costs should be protected from evictions and given a two-year deferral of debt. The SPD’s proposal, which only wants to introduce six-month protection against dismissal after receipt of the utility bill, does not go far enough. One must also protect tenants from terminations if they cannot make increased advance payments.