Why the Zurich Left wants no rental cover

Last week, it was so far: After months of struggle, the red has decided to red-green Berlin Senate, the draft law on the controversial rent cover. Accordingly, the Rent for 1.5 million homes are to be frozen for five years at the level of mid-2019. For new leases of the Senate, the upper has set limits of between 3.93 euros and 9.80 euros per square meter. Even rent rebates, there will be, if the landlord at least 20 percent more demands than the upper permit limit for the house. Landlords who do not adhere to the relevant upper limits, threatening a fine of up to 500'000 euros.

The rent cover is a response to the sharp rise in living costs in Berlin. The tenants ' Association sees a historic opportunity to secure affordable Rents for the broad mass of the population. The real estate industry fears a negative impact on the housing and on investment in the modernisation.

Hope on the people's initiative

politicians in Zurich, the development in Berlin, excited to follow. But anyone who believed otherwise living politically, a very active Zurich Left to take the steep pass from Berlin, sees itself as deceived. Other than its Berlin counterpart, the Zurich tenants Association in this matter is not to become active as speakers and AL-Councilman Walter fear says. He doubted that the Rent cap is the right way, in order to reduce the Rent. And: "It would be difficult, such a cover to introduce."

it is Important to adapt the investment rules of the pension funds would be for fear: "If we prescribe to the pension plans, you make the most of real estate investments, the market potential fully, we should not be surprised about absurd high Rents."

ask The Green that the city is selling no Land of their own, but only in the building emits.

In Switzerland, it is going to use in the fight against excessive Rents in the existing lever. Anxiety refers to such rent on the form is mandatory, and the challenge from the Beginning. For urgently needed, he also holds a disclosure of the real estate bill by the house owners. But most of all he relies on the instruments of urban, non-profit and cooperative housing. And the "More affordable housing", which on 9. February at the ballot box comes in. This requires that at least every tenth apartment, which is newly built, has to be non-profit.

On the housing Initiative, the hopes of Green-President Felix Moser, may be said to have a rent cover is also a little rest. In principle, the Greens demand that the city is selling no Land of their own, but only in the building emits. In addition, the city should acquire additional private Land to make it non-profit Housing developers to provide.

SP: Munich instead of Berlin

SP-President Marco Denoth rejects a rent cover according to the Berlin model also, "since it inhibits the development of the city, and in particular the socially responsible development". However, if other agents such as the housing Initiative, do not reach, could be Denoth, a rent cover of "the last consequence, in order to obtain a fair and affordable Rent in Zurich, and to reach".

in addition, the SP President holds "massive interventions in primary and ground rights" in Zurich, but for quite. Property needs to be devalued "" said he recently in the NZZ. Denoth float before the so-called preservation of the articles of Association areas, such as in Munich. The core elements of the approval requirement in the case of replacement buildings and conversions, mandatory authorisation in the case of conversion to condominium, right of first refusal in the city.

Only as a "last resort": Marco Denoth (SP). Photo: PD

Such a corrective influence on Rents in Zurich, is convinced Denoth had payments. Thus, the development of Neighbourhoods would not be suspended, but "in a social-friendly direction," directed. With the goal that the appreciation of the neighborhood residents the benefit of "and not the property owners, which are at a maximum rate of return and, therefore, the tenants with unaffordable apartments to distribute".

Finance chief Daniel Leupi (Grüne) has taken the Berlin rent cover solution "to the knowledge of, however, not pursued further", as he explained on request. It was not clear if the rent cover is legally enforceable, the other notes, the proportion of dwellings that are affected, comparatively small. Anyway, this intervention in the interests of the Owners in Zurich is likely to fall "on a very rocky political ground," says Leupi. And it is the legal basis, which would have to be regulated at the Federal level is missing. Also in the case of the conservation statutes, Leupi notes on the different legal situation. The Munich model have a very long lead time and based on a regulation at the Federal level from the year 1976.

The city of Zurich is pursuing, according to Leupi the strategy to increase together with housing cooperatives the proportion of social housing and to create affordable housing, and to maintain.

"Socialist mothballs"

no understanding of the state ceiling on Rent has the FDP. "Such ideas from the socialist mothballs we consider to be highly dangerous," says group chief Michael Schmid. The implementation would have not only for the housing market, but for the city of Zurich, a total of "ruinous effects".

"Highly hazardous" by: Michael Schmid (FDP). Photo: Sabina Bobst

Also, the SP demand for a "devaluation" of property should be the same for all city residents to an alarm signal. As a result, a vicious circle would be set "in gear", which refers to all people: a decline in the quality of the housing supply, the decline in tax revenues and pension Fund earnings, the loss of competitiveness of the city. Schmid: "The housing market in Zurich has been working and will continue to work if the Build and Renew permits instead of preventing."

home owners Association-Director Albert Leiser feared that a rent cover would stifle investment: "As a result of new construction and renovations to take off, affordable housing is even scarcer."

Created: 02.12.2019, 22:57 PM