My nice landlady

Well last week was a bit of a nightmare for me and I'm looking for some advice (and jokes about old hags if that's what it comes to).

So.. History

I came to München on a transfer from London with my Company in February. I stayed in a hotel for about 2 months as I was unsure about staying and my company wanted a get out clause. So I'm staying, my company are happy, and so is my Austrian girlfriend (studying in Linz). So trial period over I look for an apartment and fine a nice one. I meet the landlady and she seems ok. She's Hungarian and speaks no English... and i speak about as much German as a potato. However, we get through it and I sign the deal on Friday 7th April and move straight in. Boxes come from England, i get signs for the door and things (I put my Girlfriends name on them as well as a romantic gesture). then I ask my girlfriend to call the landlady and ask why the kitchen is in peices (she promised it would be fixed). Well my girlfriend is nice, but they didn't get along well on the phone..

The problem...

On the tuesday the landlady turns up to fix the kitchen with a nice man... she hands me a letter saying basically "You're girlfriend moved in with you, so move out by the end of the month as you've broken the contract. So.. lots of "Mein Freundin wohnst in Linz und nicht hier" or sometihng like that. She ignore it and says she doesn't care... so I'm pissed off and frankly rather sad.

*Skips part about crying and having a breakdown due to stress and moves onto the next day*

We look for another flat, and then I think "No way, I have rights" and I start looking for a lawyer (thanks to a link on here I find one pretty quick) I arranged a meeting on the Thursday morning and he says she's just trying it on without rights or proof, and says I can stay as she has no rights to throw me out. So we agree that she will get a letter from him to clear up the situation. So the letter is going out today to her...

So, after living in my apartment for less than two weeks I've already set a lawyer on my landlady... Did I do the right thing, and do you think she'll come back with her lawyer and start more problems. I just want the easy life, but I'm not going to go on bended knee for her and beg.

Opinions ? did I waste the €500+ Euro's that the nice lawyer is charging me for the pleasure or representing me in this matter ?

Lots of stress right now... that and I can't find a good mechanic to fix my car that speaks english. Most mechanics look at my car and go "Oh it's a supercharged Corrado... can't touch that"

Anyway, off topic... sorry I tend to ramble. but it's fine. somebody once told me rambling is good for your health. Although he might have been talking about some other rambling Who knows...

Strange - most people come here to report a problem and ask for advice, often to find that the advice is to contact a professional. You've had the problem, got the professional advice, and now come here for assurance it was the right thing to do (which, of course it was).

You won't have made a friend of your landlady, but does she need to be a friend?

The major downside of all of this is that if you put a foot oh, so slightly wrong, she'll be back on your back.

Take other advice to be found here and join a Mietverein and get legal insurance. They are unlikely to help you here, but MAY help in the future (if the events are cosidered unrelated)

YL6

Yeah I know I'm all ass about face on this one...

I'm just having doubts about my course of action incase suddenly she gets nasty and I have to break out the bug spray on her. She's one of these people that are nice as a person can be until you complain or they don't like something. then they turn into Jabba the hut and start plans for world domination. Ok maybe a little harsh but it's true in her case.

I was looking at the legal insurance angle, but thought that it was either legal insurance or joining the Mietverein. Any benefit in them both (versus the additional cost)

Any good places to get the legal insurance from ? seeing as i have limited German skills.

Sorry to hear your bad experience, renting can be rough here but otherwise you will love the place. Welcome to Munich

Thanks bluedave... so far other than this it's been great. I'm not going to let something like that put me off. I'm tougher than that

The Meitverein will help you with your rental/ property problems where as legal Insurance will help you get the better of some of lifes wankers... With the exception of me! of course!

What aer the chances of me joining the Meitverein without having or being able to speak any German ? and is there advise going to be useful to a non-german speaker.

Before the comments come flying in... yes I'm currently learning German and don't expect people to speak English as a right. It's just my situation right now. just thought I'd say it before somebody else does

And you started off soooo well

Well, if it would not cost me anything, I would move out. The landlady is definitely going to be a fucking bitch later as well and I am not sure if I would want to deal with that on a regular basis.

This forum defo needs some sort of spell checker. It would stop threads going off at a tangent. Of course it might become a lot less interesting then!
edit: I can't help thinking xargon is right, if you can find somewhere else without it costing you, then do it!

Contact persilbran, he'll take care of your landlady fer sure! He is a profi you know.

Wow, you are great. We need more of the kind of person who comes to the forum and says "gosh, I think I'll post here and ask everyone what to do...OH WAIT...WHAT IS THIS FUNNY LITTLE SEARCH BOX AT THE TOP OF THE PAGE?? Hey, everything I need is here!"

Really, quite honestly from the bottom of my heart, I thank you. Good job. (not even being sarcastic here)

All of the advice is spot on - if you want to fight the Germans (and apparently Hungarians) at their own game, get yourself some legal insurance asap and join the Mieterverein. You don't have to speak German.

You can have both, but that's probably over the top, as legal insurance surpasses the offerings of a Mietverein. The Mietverein is basically a formal, non-profit-making club of people who contribute skills and knowlege to help each other, an use their subscription fees to finance legal assistance, where necessary. Legal insurance simply pays for legal support if you need it. It often covers more than just apartment rental issues such as contract issues, suing someone, defending a traffic offence, etc. Legal insurance is MUCH more expensive. The people at the Mietverein are less likely to speak English than most lawyers, but you often strike lucky...

I reckon your landlady fancies you, was hoping for a monthly grope as part of the "rent" and now finds you have a girlfriend so there's no chance of that, thus wants to get rid of you.

Of course, I've been wrong before.

Often.

Respect. Nice way to drop the hammer - as a matter of fact, I think its Hammer Time!



I would advise any foreigner, especially those that don't speak the language to invest in the legal insurance. It could cover your ass in many cases, not just your wohnung woes.

You live and learn. Hope it turns out okay for you but good on you for standing up for your rights.

I have had enough landlady problems to last me a lifetime, without poking my nose, or any other part of my anatomy, into anyone else's landladies.

Wow I expected a "google you freak" style answer, but you were quick *checks stop watch*

I tried searching on "I got a letter telling me to move out after 4 days in my apartment as my landlady is a bitch" but for some reason I got zero results. Everybody has there own story, and opinions are like... no I'm no even gonna finish that cliche line. Still thanks for the comments... I think

That's the problem with written sarcasm... it's just not quite the same. I didn't mean that sarcastically BTW, although who knows

-----

Anyway... back on track.

Looks Like I'll have to wait for the nice insurance guy to give me a quote for Legal Cover. It's always the ones that seem nice that turn into nutters. Except the ones that look like nutters to begin with obviously. Still could be worse I suppose, OhFFS could be right and some fat Hungarian woman could be trying her best to climb onto my Hoch bett right now. Ah man that's not a nice thought...

Thanks for the comments everybody.

You know, I think this really calls for an addition to the TT awards should they ever occur.

Best (or Worst) Wohnung Post. I guess Persilibran would win it hands down for the sheer soap opera drama but I'd give a nod to Andrew and his 50 cent showers. That is of course, unless it turns out that Catch22's landlady is smoking hot and only started this drama as part of an elaborate plan to get rid of the girlfriend and into his pants.

Hmm, guess maybe I shouldn't have posted this then

I fully agree: good for you for sticking up for your rights. Newly arrived, don't speak a word of the language - the landlady obviously thought you'd be a pushover. Respect for proving her wrong.

@catch_twotwo
Do you really want to stay in this place? It's only been 2 weeks and already she's (Landlady) is causing problems.. I'd start looking to get into a new place as soon as you can getout.. Something tells me it's only going to get worse.

I really thought about moving and if she doesn't accept this with the grace she should (after all she should loose graciously) then I'll start looking. To be honest this was my thought when I went to the lawyer. The aim was to get her to pay costs and expenses for the move as she was in breach of contract and not me. The only reason I changed the plan was the lawyer described the German rental system to me in detail and made me realise staying would be fine as well. Also I'm sure it will piss her off that I'm staying and my sadistic side loves that...

However, I can't see what else she can do. She doesn't live in the building, or even close. So has no reason to get in my face. She can't make me leave without reason, and can't provide proof. So the issue is a mute point. I've already paid my lawyer for all correspndences in this case. I only have to pay costs if something goes to court and I loose. So I'm covered... I hope

If worst comes to the worst at least I have 3 months notice (contract law) to find a new apartment instead of the 3 weeks she gave me. It's hard enough finding a place in München given time to look plus I'm really fussy and spent 8 hours making this high bed that won't come out unless I dismantle it... and I'm far too lazy for that.

Yeah sorry catch_twotwo - my lame attempt at sarcasm really didn't come through well. But, the point of it was that I wish you well and that I am impressed that you didn't ask your question without having first searched the forum. Good luck with the evil landlady!

See.. Some people are capable of thinking for themselves, instead of just asking/searching here.. @C22.. Good 4U
Yup, would deff. video/picture every single inch of the place, and make her sign a " Ubernahme/Ubergabe Protokol"
which lists all the defects in the place, before you move in. It's usually a standard thing in Germany..

Maybe you should make certain to photograph every little scratch or discolorment as she may try and charge you when you move out, but otherwise I would stay.

Well I'm already in... but she took photo's of the place with a digital camera before I moved in.

I've also got a few close up shots of some damage though. Guess she might loose her pictures if they favour me

Hey Catch_twotwo, welcome to Munich and Perlach.
Sorry to hear about your apartment troubles, I have been really lucky as my landlord & lady are great even though they live in the same block, they never bother us... even when a few mates came over from UK and we were partying (loudly) til 4am at the beginning of the year. Felt really bad about that but not a single complaint.
I'm living and working in Perlach too and my boyfriend speaks fluent German, given that he's, um, German. If you keep having car or landlady problems and need some help let me know, we can sort out a beer and problem solving session I'm sure and he can make calls for you etc. Keep your chin up and all that stuff.

probably depends if you want your girlfriend to move in at some point or not

What depends?

Your landlord or landlady is not legally allowed to stop your partner from moving in with you, and is also not allowed to raise the rent simply for moving in. Might be another case if you represented yourself as a single person when applying for the flat, or at least one without a partner living with them, but situations change and landlords can't stop that.

I believe they can only increase the NabenKosten to cover the xtra person, and they can't up it any amount they like, its a fixed, legally controlled limit based on the size of the house and the current Nk costs (Oil,Water,Power, etc.)

if he can be bothered putting up with loads of hassle - seems the ll and gf don't get on too well.

What constitutes NEbenkosten is controlled, but not how high they actually are. The NEbenkosten represent, as close as possible, the actual costs for variable consumables such as heating, cleaning and common services. These might increase with a second person, but not substantially (Surely two people consume less heat anyway?). There might also be grounds to increase the pre-payment charges for NEbenkosten, but again not by much. The NEbenkostenrechnung (roll-up of actual charges) at the end of the year should balance this out.

littlenell: Thanks for the support. Perlach seems an ok area, although a little rowdy near the PEP for my liking (which is a pity as I live near the PEP on Kafkastr.) As for the beer, well, anything with beer in it sounds fine to me

My Girlfriend is at University for at least the next 2 years... after this I doubt a 48sqm apartment would be enough for the both of us anyway. Plus the plans then might be very different... after all Austria is such a nice place as well. Who knows...

even closer to the hungarians though

@c22, my [soon-2-b-ex] sister-in-law is Hungarian, so if you want some choice Hungarian Phrases, when we hook up for a squash session you can learn them in anger!!! Mind u, my bro has since learnt a few more...

Hmm... sounds interesting. however I'm planning to adopt the smile and just ignore her attitude. I think that will annoy her much more than anything I say

ok, can't argue with that

@YL6
Thats what I was trying to say.. She can't increase NK say 200Euro per month just case 1 other person moes in..