From BZ/dpa
Is the bathroom dated, the carpet dirty or the drywall in the way? Then tenants shouldn’t just start pottering around in their rented apartment. Because that can get expensive.
If tenants want to make structural changes in their apartment, they should obtain the landlord’s consent – in writing.
Otherwise there can be a nasty surprise when you move out, the Munich Tenants’ Association reports.
“Anyone who modernizes without the landlord’s permission runs the risk of the landlord demanding that the construction work be reversed during the tenancy,” says Angela Lutz-Plank, Managing Director of the Munich Tenants’ Association.
This also applies to smaller construction projects, for example when wood paneling is attached, door leaves are shortened, security locks or door viewers are installed.
Anyone who enters into a so-called modernization agreement with their landlord should, in addition to the basic approval of the conversion, state that the changes may remain when they move out.
Otherwise, landlords can force their tenants to reverse the conversion or even restore the original condition. Then it could get expensive again.
If the landlord contributes financially to the conversion, he can demand a rent increase for the modernized bathroom or the new parquet. If he doesn’t do that, the rent shouldn’t go up either, according to the Munich Tenants’ Association.