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Sassnitz plans to increase garage rent by over 1566 percent – tenants protest!
Sassnitz is planning massive garage rent increases of 1566%. Protests by tenants against the adjustment of the rental agreements are imminent.
Sassnitz plans to increase garage rent by over 1566 percent – tenants protest!
In Sassnitz on the beautiful island of Rügen, garage owners are facing a massive challenge: the city administration is planning a drastic increase in garage rents by an impressive 1,566 percent. The tenants currently pay around 30 euros annually, but from January 1, 2024 the price could rise to a whopping 500 euros. This is reported by the Baltic Sea newspaper.
Monika Pust and many other affected garage owners, who often did it themselves, are anything but enthusiastic about this price increase. The city of Sassnitz terminated the lease agreements with around 1,200 users in the summer simply to standardize the legal framework for rentals. However, a working group that was then supposed to work on developing a compromise was unable to find an amicable solution.
What is the background to this decision?
The termination of the existing garage contracts became necessary in order to adapt the agreements to the applicable legal regulations. The City of Sassnitz emphasizes that the new contracts should be transparent and clear. The new rental agreements appear as part of a comprehensive restructuring, which also aims to clearly regulate property tax and operating costs in accordance with current regulations.
In this context, it is not surprising that the city is trying to improve its finances. The municipal supervisory authority demands that rents be adjusted to the market value, which was determined through comparisons with other municipalities. While the average rent in Sassnitz is around 33 euros per year, the cheapest garages on Rügen in Glowe and Dranske have an annual rent of 60 euros, while a private garage in Sassnitz reaches the top prices at 960 euros per year.
Reactions and protests from garage owners
The planned rent increase has sparked protests among garage tenants. Hundreds of them, especially self-builders, find the price adjustment unfair and point out that many of them built and maintained their garages themselves. However, a suggestion from garage users to introduce a differentiated pricing system was rejected by the city administration.
Instead, the city plans to charge a monthly net rental price of 35 euros plus sales tax and duties from January 2024. City officials will decide on the new leases on November 20th. If no agreement is reached or the new contracts are not signed, the rental agreement will automatically end on December 31, 2025 and the garages must be handed over cleared.
Sustainability through legal requirements
The background to this restructuring is complex. Given the financial challenges that many municipalities face today, leasing municipal properties is an important aspect. According to the Herfurtner law firm Such measures are not only intended to generate income, but above all to ensure the use and maintenance of areas
The new regulation is based on the Civil Code and stipulates that lease agreements must be clear and legally secure. These legal frameworks are intended to avoid conflicts. In this case, it is clear that the city is striving for a transparent and fair solution, but is encountering resistance in its implementation.