No electricity and no hot water for two weeks

In Osnabrück, the 40 tenants of a house in a wealthy neighborhood for two weeks with no access to electricity and warm water. That house hold is parked, electricity, a report by the Federal network Agency, more and more often - most of the time, if payments are not received. The cause in Osnabrück, but is intended to be a "very, very rare damage" in the house. the Thomas Hahn, Osnabrück Thomas Hahn

After graduating high school, 1991 internship in the SZ-local editorial office of Starnberg. Civil service in the City hospital of Fürth as a nurse on the ward for Internal medicine. Studying theatre Sciences in Munich and Canterbury. 1995 internship in the SZ-sports editors. After that, work as a freelance Journalist, primarily for the SZ. Since 1. January 1999, SZ editor. For over 15 years for the sports Department in Munich, since 1. October 2014 as Northern Germany correspondent in Hamburg.

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The house in the Rehmstraße in Osnabrück desert, where there is a damage, no hot water and no electricity.

(photo by Thomas Hahn)

Small flakes of snow blow around the walls of Osnabrück desert. It is cold and cloudy. And also the inhabitants of the Rehmstraße 121 would now enjoy the comfort of their homes. But I can't. No Power. No hot water. Since two weeks already. For the 40 tenants of the house in the Winter is uncomfortable, as you can think of this ever would have in your neighbourhood-Idyllic. Why?

It is becoming more common that households the power is turned off. You could see a few weeks ago the draft of a Monitoring report by the Federal network Agency for electricity market was made. Accordingly, the electricity supplier of 2017, a total of 344 000 households in Germany, the service is denied, approximately 14 000 more than in 2016. Owner non-payments, tenants have little money - if there is no electricity and no hot water is flowing, this is very often the Symptom of social problems.

But the case in Osnabrück is quite different. In the desert, the upper middle class, with electricity bills normally, no problems lives. Even experienced Mietrechtler are surprised. "To the extent I have not yet experienced," says Carsten Wanzelius, managing Director of the osnabrück tenants Association.

broken pipe was apparently an overly optimistic diagnosis

About the details can just give any really information. Wanzelius not because his club is not officially involved. Individual tenants from the Rehmstraße have reported him already, but still none of the Affected member. And Michael bird wiesche, managing Director of the competent house management company ECD, could not say something, may it but. He refers to the "construction of apartment owners 'Association".

The apartments in the Rehmstraße spread over many owners. Bird wiesche has to implement what the Assembly decides. What is discussed in the owners meeting, he is not allowed to say publicly. Just as much as he let on: A "very, very rare damage" was the cause of the misery. The fire Department spoke only of a burst pipe, but that was apparently too optimistic diagnosis. Bird wiesche says that he had not experienced something still. The insurance checks. A second opinion was to be seen.

The Windows of the house are dark, and in some the curtains are pulled. Many tenants are somewhere else, they say. Others should be left in the cold. What to do? "The owner of the right bounces on tenant rights," says Wanzelius and is excited to see what the consequences of the case for the owner. The rental value spent basically Zero. "The total suitability for Use is with the temperatures." If electricity and hot water flowing again, there should be a sequel.