A good and secure home - Degewo

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will be less than the old one – all other factors such as location,
furnishing, and state of modernisation being equal.
• An individual solution will be sought for tenants who are
unable, for financial or other social reasons, to bear a given
rent increase.
• Following a rent increase for a tenant household to which
social criteria apply, the net cold rent (“Nettokaltmiete”)
should not exceed 30 percent of the household’s net income,
provided the number of household members is appropriate
for the flat size and the household’s income is
within the limits defined by the Federal Republic of Germany
for receiving a certificate of eligibility to public
housing (“Wohnberechtigungsschein”). Appropriate flat
sizes and the calculation of net household income are defined
in this brochure from page 10 onward.
• If a tenant household receives social security benefits and
its flat size is appropriate (see appropriate flat size table
from page 10 onward), rent increases will be limited to ensure
that the new rent does not exceed the maximum
government-provided rent benefits.
• Hardship provisions for pregnant women and single parents
who are dependent on their social environment, for
senior citizens, for handicapped people, for caregivers and
for sick or bereaved people ensure that other private hardships
besides income issues can be taken into consideration
in determining the extent of rent increases.
• These individual solutions are also effective for those cases
of social housing in which rent increases are due to the
scheduled reduction of public funding.