If you want to renovate your home, you should plan this undertaking carefully. Depending on the nature of the renovation work, daily life in the home will be affected at least temporarily. Landlords are obliged to carry out certain renovation works, while tenants need permission if they want to renovate themselves. Property owners are also prohibited from doing anything that conflicts with building code or historic preservation laws. Read more about what constitutes housing renovation and what to consider from the owner, tenant and landlord side here.
The difference between renovation and refurbishment
The terms renovation and restoration are often used interchangeably. This leads to confusion because they are quite different:
- The renovation provides a visual improvement, fixes minor defects, but does not limit the function of the respective items. Renovations are those measures that are often referred to as "cosmetic repairs" in rental agreements. They are for refreshment and include such things as wallpapering and painting.
- Rehabilitation, on the other hand, repairs damage and eliminates defects through repair. Through them, first of all, the original quality of the apartment is restored. However, legally, the rehabilitation includes modernization measures to increase the quality of the property. This is the case, for example, with the energetic reorganization.
Renovate apartment: These works are possible
Renovation work in an apartment can vary greatly depending on its age and degree of wear and tear:
- Eliminating mold in your home
- Repairing a leaking roof
- Patching cracks in exterior plaster
- Elimination of efflorescence in the masonry
- Repairs including renovation after water damage or fire
- Drying out a damp basement
- Repair defective electrical installation
- Replacing defective pipes
- Replacement of non-functional technical and sanitary elements in the bathroom
- Replacement of defective kitchen components (also in the rented apartment, if the kitchen is co-rented)
More measures are being added as part of the energy retrofit:
- new insulation of the facade, the roof and if necessary. of the cellar
- Renewal of the heating system
- Replacing windows with modern models that have double or triple glazing and heat-insulating frames
- installation of a photovoltaic system
Here's what property owners need to consider when renovating their homes
As an owner, you should be allowed to carry out any measures you think are right within your four walls, shouldn't you?? Unfortunately, it is not quite as simple as that: in any case, you must ensure that the measures comply with the state building code and take into account the provisions of the Building Energy Act (GEG). In case of doubt, contact the building inspectorate of your municipality and obtain a permit for the planned work.
Things also get complicated in the case of listed buildings: Here there are very strict regulations that you must adhere to. Above all, the exterior of the house must be preserved – the installation of modern windows, for example, is allowed only if they resemble the old ones. Alternatively, there is a possibility to equip the original windows with double glazing. Be sure to consult with those in charge of historic preservation: You shouldn't even start planning without permission.
If you want to have an apartment renovated that is located in a house with many other condominiums, additional rules apply: Renovation measures cannot always be limited exclusively to your own four walls – sometimes they also affect the common property. You cannot make the decision to renovate on your own: you must inform the other owners and obtain their permission.
Housing renovation: rights and obligations of tenants and landlords
In connection with refurbishment work, there are a number of things to bear in mind for both tenants and landlords: For example, it is important under what circumstances the lease is signed. If a tenant inspects an apartment and perceives damage, he should insist that it be fixed before signing the lease. Otherwise, he has no right to repair the damage when he moves in.
Rights and duties of landlords
By law, the landlord is obliged to maintain the rental property in the condition stipulated in the contract. This means that as soon as damage occurs that restricts functionality, the landlord is obliged to renovate. However, this only applies if the tenant has not caused this damage himself. A frequent point of contention is mold: It must be clarified whether it has arisen due to defects in the building fabric or due to incorrect ventilation behavior on the part of the tenants.
If there is a defect that the landlord is obligated to remedy, the tenant must inform him of it. If the landlord fails to act on the issue despite repeated requests, the tenant may hire workmen himself and send the bill to the landlord. However, this often leads to legal disputes, so open communication is important: Tenants can offer to take on the job of hiring the workmen themselves, announcing that they will send the landlord the bill. This approach is less likely to cause opposition than one without comment.
Tenants should keep one thing in mind: If they hire someone themselves, they can send the bills for the handyman and for the materials to the landlord. However, this does not apply if they repair the damage themselves in their own work! Therefore, in case of doubt, it is always better to hire professional companies, otherwise hours of work remain unpaid.
Good to know: Tenants have a say. When the landlord has renovation work carried out, this is often accompanied by visual changes: walls often need a new coat of paint, new wallpaper or new tiles after the electrical installation or pipes have been replaced. Here landlords must take into account the tastes of tenants, as long as their wishes do not drive up the costs.
Tenants may be able to rehabilitate themselves
If the tenants want to take renovation measures that are not absolutely necessary, they should ask the landlord for permission. Since these measures are often not quite cheap, they can get concessions from the landlord: For example, the landlord may waive his right to increase the rent.
Before tenants renovate their apartment, they should take a look at the lease: It is often stipulated here that the apartment is to be handed over in its original condition when the tenant moves out. If this clause is included, the landlord is allowed to demand the removal of all alterations. This means additional costs for the tenant.
It is therefore very important that tenants and landlords carefully discuss all measures and clarify some things from the outset:
- What is planned, what is allowed?
- Does the tenant have to hire tradesmen or is he allowed to do the work himself?
- Does the landlord make any concessions for the renovation work that the tenant undertakes?
- Does the tenant have to reverse all changes when moving out?
These points should be laid down in the contract to avoid any legal disputes. Tenants should under no circumstances renovate the apartment without the express permission of the landlord, otherwise the tenancy agreement may be terminated.
Caution: After moving out, the tenant no longer has any claims for compensation against the landlord for the work he has done!
Renovating a rented apartment: Costs can vary greatly
Depending on which measures are carried out in the apartment renovation, the costs vary greatly. A few examples:
- The renewal of the electrical installation can range from 60 to 80 euros per square meter.
- Exchanging a distributor costs around 330 euros.
- The renewal of the FI switch costs about 250 euros.
- You can estimate the replacement of pipes for water and wastewater as well as heating systems at around 120 euros per square meter.
- New radiators cost about 300 euros each, and new thermostats about 25 to 30 euros per radiator.
- If the entire heating system is renewed right away, the costs range from 5 depending on the system and size.000 and 18.000 euros.
- Windows that replace old ones during energy retrofits cost around 500 to 800 euros each.
- Drying and preparing a wall after water damage can cost about 1.500 to 2.500 Euro cost.
- For the insulation of the roof you calculate depending on the insulation variant between 100 and 180 euros per square meter.
- Insulation of the facade, depending on the type of insulation, is from 30 to 200 euros per square meter.
Measures for energy renovation are supported by the KfW Bank, for example: If the work meets certain standards and you apply for funding in advance, you can receive a low-interest loan or a grant.
Is a rent reduction allowed during renovation?
In some cases, renovations severely impact your home life. Accordingly, tenants often want to enforce a rent reduction in these circumstances. However, this is not always possible: for example, in the case of energy renovation, the rent reduction for tenants is excluded for 3 months. However, this only applies if the apartment is still habitable.
If the tenant can't live in their four walls for the period of the apartment renovation, a rent reduction of up to 100 percent is possible. This also applies to the energetic renovation. If, on the other hand, only the bathroom is temporarily unusable, a rent reduction of up to 20 percent is legal in the case of a non-energy renovation. The ultimately permissible amount of rent reduction, however, always depends on the individual case.
If the tenant incurs additional costs due to the renovation, he can contact the landlord for reimbursement. This applies, for example, if he has to spend one or more nights in a hotel. In principle, landlords are obliged to give tenants early notice if they want to renovate the apartment, so that they can come to terms with it. However, in emergencies – acute damage that needs to be fixed quickly – this is not necessary and sometimes not even possible.
Conclusion: Renovate apartment by arrangement
Through housing renovation, you repair damage and thus restore the usual quality of your living environment. Alternatively, you can have measures carried out that will increase the quality. In a condominium, for the measure, you must take care to satisfy the building inspectorate, the monument protection authority and any other owners, and comply with the GEG. Landlords are required to maintain the quality of the rental property through renovations. Tenants must therefore report damage. With the landlord's permission, they may also renovate their apartment themselves. The cost of refurbishment depends on the scope of the planned measures. For energy renovations you can apply for subsidies in advance.