Legal protection lines are running out fast: Every tenth rent increase is illegal

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The wires are currently heating up at Axa-Arag legal protection insurance: around 500 tenants contacted them in the first three weeks of June. According to the insurer, this is about a hundred times higher than normal.

It’s always the same: it’s about the rent increases that have flooded many tenants’ homes this month. “We are being invaded right now. “We haven’t seen such a lively demand since the pandemic,” says Patrick Thaler (47), Head of Legal Services at Axa-Arag.

Tenants want to appeal the arrangement

This is because the reference interest rate, which was raised for the first time in 15 years, was increased from 1.25% to 1.5%. According to the rental law, this is one of the few reasons landlords can increase rents on existing contracts.

But few tenants frankly want to admit it. For this reason, you can seek advice from your legal expenses insurance company. But increases are generally legitimate, according to Axa-Arag.

Every tenth increase is illegal.

“In only about ten percent of cases processed so far, we have advised our clients to challenge the increase – and here it is mainly about inflation, not the reference interest rate,” Thaler says.

Phones also ring non-stop at Protekta legal protection insurance and Coop legal protection. According to the latter, he has already received 300 questions on the topic. The tenants association has a similar experience. “That’s why we’re currently dual staffed,” says Fabian Gloor, 37, a lawyer at the tenants’ association in German-speaking Switzerland.

Objection period expires

The main concern for them is rent increases. Anyone who calls the hotline will receive an answer as to whether the increases are justified. Helpline staff can also advise on how to proceed. Affected people can check rent increases themselves with the help of the association’s rent calculator.

According to experts, it is useful to take a closer look at the adjustments. Anyone who receives a raise has 30 days to appeal. After that, the rental arrangement is automatically considered accepted.

Source : Blick