Satellite dish installation laws and regulations - Germany

I just found an article summary on the new satellite dish installation laws for Bavaria. Here is a (poor) translation:

-- Avery

See also the related topic: House rules about installing a satellite dish

According to the German constitution all foreigners are entitled to a satellite dish if they are not able to receive at least two channels on cable or terrestrial in their native language.

I think you may still have to get some sort of permission to install any dish over 80cm though.

Basically, if you have signed an apartment rental contract that states you will not install a dish antenna on the building then you must abide by that contract.

Remember, YOU signed it. You should not sign something that you do not understand. By signing it, you may have waived your rights to receive information in your own language or culture.

This is from a German court. Click the link, but it is in German: Keine Genehmigung für Satellitenschüssel auf dem Balkon

...or this: Satelliten-TV für Mieter:„Geht nicht, gibt’s nicht":

I can't rembember exactly where I read it but if the apartment rental contract contradicts community law, the article which contadicts community law is invalid because it shouldn't have been included in the first place regardless as to wether you have signed it or not.

Fill in this form and you should get the gospel answer within a few days: EU citizens rights - general enquiries form

I had the same problem when I was living in an Army Quarter. I stuck to my guns despite the fact that the Owner was trying to apply pressure and the Army was ordering me to take the dish down. The dish was mounted on a pole on the balcony and did not interfere with the structure of the building in any way.

Whilst signing a rental contract you don't understand or agree with or haven't read is a foolish thing to do signing it does not "waive your rights".

You can write what you like into a contract and that contract can be signed but if you (the signatory - in this case the tenant) find out later that something in that contract you have signed is contrary to the law of the land then then law wins.

You do indeed have a right to receive broadcasts in your language that reflect your culture as there is a law protecting that right.

If we all listened to contract advice such as that which I have quoted from a previous poster then we would all be living in fear of small print with no protection from unscrupulous landlords by the law - it would just be a fee-for-all and you could just write what you wanted into contracts!

Why don't you just put the dish on a stand on your balcony (assuming you can see South East)? Your landlord cannot dictate what objects are on your balcony. They only kick up a fuss when you attach it to the outside of the building. Run one of those flat cables thru the window and you're sorted.

Astra also have some useful information (in German) about satellite viewing and the law in Germany:

Rechtslage und Parabolantenne

Ciao
JG

Be careful if you live in a listed building or in a very old traditional style of building from the 1500's. It is in the German law that I can NOT install anything onto this building, foreigner or not.

Somewhat belated, but I recently read somewhere (probably Focus, but I'm not sure), that there has been a new decision which has expanded this right from foreigners to all residents, including Germans, on the basis of the right to information, which is written into the constitution.

The point about small antennas (120cm could be a problem) on the balcony, effectively hardly visible and not affecting the building structure was also mentioned as being significant.

I have heard, that as a foreign national living in Germany, I am entitled to have a satellite dish so that I can watch news etc in my native tongue. Does anybody know anything more about this? More specifically, is there actually some law or act stating this?

Topics merged by admin

No laws permitting it per se but plenty of legal decisions based on the the rights of the citizen in Germany to receive information from his culture, home or language.

European Commission > Press releases > Use of Satellite Dishes

I had a related situation in Hamburg two years ago.

The Landlord can't object to you installing a dish, however he has some say in where you put it and he'll probably insist that it's professionaly installed. If on the roof, the last thing anyone wants is it blowing off and striking someone. For the same reason, you'll probably need to make sure your home insurance will cover any damage it may cause. You may also be required to leave a deposit to make sure that it can be removed and returned to it's original state when you leave.

He'll probably make you put it on the roof, but if he doesn't let you, then point out the law to him and tell him that if there's no decision within two weeks you will install it on the wall. If he later tries to take you to court he'll get nothing, you were forced to install it on the wall as he was being unreasonable.

We got ours eventually installed on the roof for €350, it's a lot I know, but it's well worth it. The landlord wasn't too happy about it, but soon changed his thinking when we put it on the wall. Four days later we received a letter telling us to take it down, to which we replied, only when an alternative solution is offered.

If you have a south facing balcony that would be your best bet, other than that it's going to be the roof.

See also the following post by YorkshireLad6. He knows his stuff and can be trusted to be accurate:

There is no "legal right" for a foreigner to have a satellite dish