Illegal apartments in Bad Kreuznach: City loses thousands of euros!

Illegal apartments in Bad Kreuznach: City loses thousands of euros!

Bad Kreuznach, Deutschland - More and more owners in Bad Kreuznach rent their real estate as holiday apartments or houses without officially registering them. The market for these offers is opaque, and it is estimated that the actual number of apartments is far above the 148 officially registered. Michael Vesper, Managing Director of the Local Tourism Society, reports on an increasing tendency for illegal rentals that are also financially burdened by the city.

Since not registered guests do not pay tourist tax, Bad Kreuznach loses considerable guest contributions. These are 3.50 euros per day and adults, which can lead to high sums, especially when booking for several people over longer periods. For example, with a rental for six people over ten days, the losses quickly add up to thousands. In order to counteract this development, the tourism company uses online platforms for the determination of non-registered landlords and conducts test bookings on platforms such as Airbnb.

legal framework and problem

The phenomenon of misuse is not just a local problem. The pressure on the housing market in many German cities is continuously increasing. A law that was introduced in 2006 regulates the misuse of living space. Among other things, it includes short -term rental to tourists that take place without permission. This clearly shows how important it is that landlords adhere to the legal requirements that prescribe approval for such uses.

The regulations vary depending on the federal state. In Mainz, for example, apartments may only be rented as a holiday apartment for a maximum of 12 weeks a year. The city actively pursues illegal providers and has already initiated 60 procedures for violations, with 21 violations of being discovered this year.

Financial and legal consequences

illegal landlords must expect high additional payments for the unpaid tourist tax, which can be several thousand euros. In addition to the financial losses, legal consequences also threaten: If the misuse of the misuse of misuse, fines of up to 50,000 euros can be imposed, and even significantly higher amounts in some regions.

The legislator's goal is to keep sufficient living space available on reasonable conditions and to limit short -term rental concepts that are funded by platforms such as Airbnb. This problem not only affects Bad Kreuznach, but also other cities that have to deal with illegal rental in order to counteract the lack of housing.