My Landlord is threatening me with an eviction and termination of rent contract.

Question

Hello wefugees,

Today I got a warning letter from my landlord through his lawyer threatening to terminate my rental agreement or contract because my neighbours lied and complained to him that am too loud or making nose in my apartment. I happen to be the only black, Africa Person in the whole building. The rest are all white. This October will make it one year I rented the apartment. I was given a 2 years rental contract , am hardly at home as I work almost everyday except Sundays. I do two shift morning and night. The Neibour’s monitor and follow me as if am a wanted criminal or something. They complain about everything I do. They don’t want to hear any food step from my apartment as from 10pm to 8am the following morning. I can’t take my shower or do anything until 8am in the morning. I must not wash or do laundry from 10pm to 8am. I can’t listen to music or wash TV without them complaining and calling the landlord immediately. The landlord doesn’t want to hear or consider how I feel about all this at all. He believes them immediately and always call me to be quiet. He threatened to do this and now he has finally done it. The lawyers are even asking me to pay the legal fee of 350€ for my landlord. I have never experience such a thing like this in my entire life. Am stressed and depress over this. I have never missed any payment of my rent not even for a minute since I moved in. All my bills I take care of them.

Please I need a legal advice on what I should do now.

Does anyone experience things like this? How did you handle it?

Regards

Colins

Comments

@colins i have seen similar post like yours though I don't know what advice i should tell you but you should know that from 10pm is quiet time in Deutschland, no loud music or noise from washing machine from 10pm.. its law in Deutschland (Nachtruhe) ... some tenenats complain to landlord also because of footsteps, when its too loud . Though they should know that you are foreigner and its not a must, you have to be like them but you can still adapt in a way to be less quiet when going through the staircase . Moreovee , one thing you need to know , many of this people are racciiists , many don't like black , some don't just want to share same house with black. Try not to be depressed , go to caritas , I think they can help you or mieterschutzbund, he can't just throw you out, atleast he or she will give you time to **** for another apartment. Next apartment, try to reduce volume of music , footsteps noise should be reduce , and using washing machine from 10pm should stop... u can do your launder on Sunday since you are free on sunday ..

Answer 1

Hi @colins

I’m sorry to read of your situation. You write ‘threatening to terminate my rental agreement’. So at this point, I understand that you have not been given a cancellation (Kündigung) of the rental contract but a threat to do so.

There are no clear rules throughout Germany on the times you have to be quiet in your home (Ruhezeiten). They vary depending on federal state, town and sometimes the individual building. If your building has specific rules, then it must be in the Hausordnung (like general rules for everyone in the building) or in your rent contact. Otherwise, the rules will be the ones local to your area. Maybe you can research ‘Ruhezeiten’ and your area to know exactly? To me 8 a.m. seems quite late to be expected to keep quiet, it is usually until 6 or 7 a.m. at the latest. After 10 p.m. is standard practice. Does the lawyer make reference to specific rules regarding the 8 a.m. time?

On what basis are you being asked to pay your landlord’s legal fee? If you wish to have expert advice on this, you can **** for a free legal advice service in your area. For example, in Berlin each district has a special advisory service for tenants:

https://***-stadtentwicklung-berlin-de.translate.goog/wohnen/mieterberatungen.shtml?_x_tr_sl=de&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=wapp

You also have the option to become a member of a tenant’s association. These organisations can offer legal advice and assistance with everything to do with your rent contract. You pay a membership fee to join of around 100€ a year (this varies depending on the specific organisation) and then they help you with any issues you have.

Here you can search for one in your area:

https://***-mieterbund-de.translate.goog/beratung/mieterverein-vor-ort.html?_x_tr_sl=de&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=wapp

You can also seek out a lawyer for tenancy law (Mietrecht) but this is likely to cost more. Depending on your income, you may be entitled to free legal advice (Beratungshilfe).

As you also write of being discriminated against, you can contact the Federal Anti-Discrimination Agency for advice. They help in English and for free. They can also help you find an anti-discrimination office local to you:

https://***.antidiskriminierungsstelle.de/EN/we-offer-advice-to-you/we-offer-advice-to-you-node.html

Best,

Éanna

Answer 2

Hallo the fact that you laundry after 10pm is a big NO. Again be careful they might even call police on you. Don’t stress all will be well.