There is no heating: Göttingen's high-rise building is in danger of becoming uninhabitable

There is no heating: Göttingen's high-rise building is in danger of becoming uninhabitable

There is currently cold weather in Göttingen, which is not only noticeable outdoors. The heating in a high-rise complex is not working and the affected residents are very worried. Lawyer Sven Adam, who represents several tenants, has already taken legal action to declare the building uninhabitable. He is suing the administrative court to get the city of Göttingen to accommodate the families in emergency accommodation. Among those affected is a 36-year-old single mother who lives with her four children in a two-room apartment on the fifth floor. The cold makes the family's everyday life a challenge.

The heating problem is not new: the heating has not been turned on since the end of the heating season in March. Adam suspects that the heating is intentionally not turned on to save money. However, the property management did not comment on these serious allegations when asked. Trust in the administration also seems to be shaken, as the city of Göttingen has already carried out repeated inspections in the building to check for structural defects and vermin infestation.

Legal steps and real estate issues

The majority owner of the residential complex is now bankrupt, which further complicates the situation. Adam demands that the city take the building into receivership to meet the needs of the tenants. Many residents receive social benefits, while rent prices are among the highest in Göttingen. The city then emphasized that the heat supply should be ensured until the end of the heating season. However, declaring uninhabitability involves high hurdles. It can only be issued for individual apartments.

Amid this situation, there are also controversial reports of outstanding rent payments from welfare recipients being rejected by the city. The city suspects that the property management is using these reports to legitimize the non-functioning heating. Göttingen's mayor Petra Broistedt has already sharply criticized the actions of the owners and property management and made it clear that the affected families must be helped as quickly as possible.

Everyday problems and the way to a solution

The question remains what will happen next for the affected tenants and whether the legal steps taken by lawyer Adam can lead to a quick solution. The tenants are in a difficult situation and are urgently waiting for an improvement in their living situation. This problem is being criticized in the streets of Göttingen and makes it clear how important a functioning infrastructure and responsible management are in the housing industry.

The current discussion about property management and tenant protection shows once again that politicians are required to intervene quickly and effectively in such crisis situations. It remains to be hoped that those affected will soon be able to find a warm home in their apartments again.

For more information on this topic and to follow the progress of the lawsuit, please visit the coverage of n-tv.