Home unaffordable – how born-and-bred Berliner Katharina could barely afford her own neighbourhood any more
More and more native Berliners are now being forced to accept illegal, sky-high rents. That is what happened to 32-year-old Katharina in Kreuzberg. Once scruffy and unpopular, the district is now one of the most expensive corners of the city. Katharina had no choice: to stay in her Kreuzberg home close to her family, she agreed to pay €609 net cold rent (excluding service charges) for 38 square metres. Here she tells how she reduced her rent by almost 40 per cent, or €233, with CONNY:
What was it like for you, as a born-and-bred Berliner, to look for a flat?
It felt pretty crazy. I have lived in Kreuzberg 61 my whole life, I grew up on Mittenwalder Strasse. When I was a child it was an area that was seen as rather run-down and was cheap. Today the very same flats get a fresh coat of paint and a nice new floor and are re-let at astronomical prices.
How did the flat hunt go?
I searched seriously for six months, mainly on immoscout. I wanted a small flat, and there weren't that many of those. I viewed five flats, and there were around a hundred people at each viewing. Because my salary isn't too bad, I ended up getting one of them. 36 square metres in the rear building for €600 net cold rent. I moved in at the end of 2018.
Did it absolutely have to be Kreuzberg and a flat of your own?
Straight after school I had moved into a shared flat in Kreuzberg. After ten years of flat-sharing I really wanted to live on my own for once, but also stay close to my family and friends.
Had you already grudgingly accepted the rent, or did you plan from the outset to do something about it?
I thought I unfortunately just had to accept it. In a way I even felt lucky, because an acquaintance of mine, still a working student and earning less, has been searching for so long and never even gets the chance to sign a tenancy agreement at all.
How did you come across CONNY?
I found a flyer in my letterbox, then had a look at the website and thought I'd give it a try.
Didn't you have any reservations about hiring CONNY?
I had no problem entering my details, but I thought it all sounded a bit too easy. When I got a call back, it became clear to me that there really are people behind CONNY who know what they are doing, and then I was pleasantly surprised.
How long did the process take?
It took two or three months. My property management company was supposedly or genuinely overwhelmed and the staff responsible were off sick, but then the message came from CONNY that I could now go to the property management company and sign my new tenancy agreement with the reduced rent.
What is your relationship with the property management company like now?
It is a very large property management company, and things are no worse than before. Recently my letterbox was broken into, and the property management had it repaired within a day.
Did the rent reduction turn out to be more or less than you had hoped for?
I got a reduction of around €230, and that was more than I had thought possible.
Did you think the fee was fair?
Yes, I think a lawyer – a specialist in tenancy law, whom I would first have had to find – would have been more expensive. For me it was important to have the whole thing handled as a service by someone competent.
What have you done with the rent you saved?
The money I save means more quality of life for me. Now I can afford nice furniture, further training and holidays. I don't have to sit at home after an eight-hour working day because my money won't stretch to a coffee with friends and I spend so much on my flat that I no longer feel like leaving it.
Many tenants today think: if only I had bought something 10 years ago. Did you ever think: if only I or my family had bought a flat back then, 10 or 20 years ago?
Yes, I have thought that, but I neither had the money for it back then, nor could I of course have guessed that rents in multicultural Kreuzberg would go through the roof like this. Prices have tripled, and next to nothing has been modernised in the buildings and flats. I am grateful that CONNY negotiated a reasonable price for my flat and I am always happy to recommend the site.