Rental nomad in court: 3000 euros in rent are at stake!

Rental nomad in court: 3000 euros in rent are at stake!

In times when the housing market is tense, a current case in Fürstenfeldbruck is causing a stir: Ionel S. and his partner Florentina U. are being sued by their landlord. The reason? The couple from Gröbenzell hasn't paid rent for several months. On December 23rd, Ionel S. did not appear at the hearing at the district court, which made the situation even more difficult for the landlady. She is now demanding an impressive 3,000 euros monthly rent for a terraced house in which, according to the landlady, seven people currently live. Ionel S.'s lawyer was present, but refrained from commenting. All he said was that his client was looking for a new apartment “at high speed” and that there were difficulties in doing so because the situation in the Munich area was tense.

Ionel S. is not the first time in such a situation. According to the landlady, he and Florentina U. have also cheated other landlords in the past. A pensioner from Grünwald, Hans Probst, even demands 60,000 euros from them because of outstanding rent, while Wiesn landlady Katharines Wiemes also charges them 50,000 euros for a previous rent debt. This behavior sheds a bright light on the phenomenon of rental nomads, who repeatedly cause unrest in Germany.

Rental nomads: A growing problem

Rent nomads are tenants who move in without the intention of paying their rent. This practice can have devastating consequences for landlords, who often face significant financial losses and the expense of clearing out and renovations. Damage to apartments, sealed inventory and even dirty remains are not uncommon. Landlords report costs that can easily reach up to 25,000 euros, highlighting the need for preventative measures.

As a rule, rental nomads move from apartment to apartment after being terminated without notice, leaving behind damage and debts. A somewhat reassuring fact: According to estimates, there are different numbers of rental fraud cases in Germany every year - property owners' associations say there are around 10,000, while the Federal Ministry of Construction assumes 1,500 cases in the last 44 years. The problem is difficult to recognize because rental nomads often leave a very positive first impression.

Protective measures for landlords

However, landlords have options to protect themselves. In order to prevent rental nomads, it is recommended that prospective tenants obtain comprehensive self-disclosures, request credit reports from Schufa, and request references from the previous landlord. In addition, rental agreements should contain clear clauses that strictly regulate payment transactions. These are important steps to protect yourself from the financial risk of being a rental nomad.

However, if there is a payment arrears, landlords have the option to terminate the contract without notice if the rent is not paid in two consecutive months. But the same applies here: The termination must be properly made in writing and contain a deadline for eviction, which can significantly prolong the process. On average, an eviction notice takes up to six months, which costs additional nerves.

In the current case involving Ionel S. and Florentina U., a verdict is expected to be announced by the Fürstenfeldbruck district court on January 20th. Whether the landlady will be successful remains to be seen, but the high demands and previous experiences could determine the couple's fate.

The situation surrounding rental nomads is leading to a growing discussion about the need to better secure and regulate the rental market to protect both landlords and honest tenants.