FAQ of the municipal housing association in Friedrichshafen

The rent is made up of the basic rent and the advance payment for operating costs. The costs for electricity, and in some cases also for water and fuels such as oil or gas, must be paid separately to the relevant energy supplier.

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Do not wait until a rent arrears arises or increases. Please don't hesitate to get in touch if you start experiencing financial difficulties. This is the only way we can find a solution together that is fair to both sides.

The deposit for our rental properties is three months' cold rent.

The deposit is generally payable in three monthly instalments, which are usually debited from your account at the start of the rental period and in the two following months.

In principle, the deposit is invested in a savings book with a statutory notice period, which is held in the tenant's name. If agreed accordingly, the deposit can also be deposited in a separate SWG account - naturally at the usual interest rate for savings accounts. In this case, the deposit is secured by a guarantee from the City of Friedrichshafen.

As a rule, the deposit will be transferred to the bank account on file with us within two weeks of acceptance of the flat. Delays may occur if damages still need to be repaired or outstanding debts settled. However, settlement and repayment will be made within six months of the end of the tenancy at the latest.

Here, too, it is possible to conclude a needs-based solution with you, e.g. an instalment agreement. Simply get in touch with us.

In principle, all tenants receive their flat keys when the flat is handed over. If you have lost a key or need another one, please contact us directly. As our residential complexes are generally equipped with a central locking system for security reasons, replacement keys can only be ordered through us. If you lose your key, we will issue it to you against reimbursement of costs.

Cosmetic repairs are maintenance work carried out by the tenant in their own rented premises. This usually includes the regular painting of ceilings, walls, windows, doors, radiators and pipes. Whether and when cosmetic repairs are required depends on the condition of the flat and current case law.

Yes, structural alterations of any kind may only be made with the landlord's prior written consent. No costs may be incurred by the landlord. The tenant is liable for any resulting damage - even without proof of fault. When the tenant moves out, the flat must be restored to its original condition, unless otherwise stipulated in the authorisation.

Notice of termination must always be given in writing and signed by all tenants in the contract. The notice period can be found in your tenancy agreement. For residential tenancies, a notice period of three months to the end of the month generally applies.

In principle, yes. However, we also check the complete application documents for proposed new tenants, as we do for every new tenancy. If the new tenant is accepted, the flat will still be inspected. The previous tenant must rectify any defects found and carry out any necessary cosmetic repairs.

When moving out, the flat must be handed over in a condition in which it can be let again. This means: Defects as well as installations or alterations must be removed and - depending on the condition - any necessary cosmetic repairs must be carried out.

Please submit an application for housing benefit to the City of Friedrichshafen within one week - at the town hall or online at www.friedrichshafen.de/wohngeld.

Important: Send us a copy of your application. With our fair rent model, we ensure that no household has to spend more than 30% of its family income (including housing benefit) on rent, provided that conditions such as an appropriate flat size are met.

Anyone whose income is not sufficient to cover the rent can apply for housing benefit. Households that already receive social benefits such as citizen's allowance, BAföG or basic old-age benefits are excluded, as are households with high assets.

The income limits depend on the size of the household. In Friedrichshafen, they are currently:

• 1 person: approx. € 1,500 net/month
• 4 persons: approx. €3,370 net/month (excluding child benefit)

Examples:

Pensioner with € 1,259 pension and € 500 basic rent → € 252 housing benefit possible
Family with € 2,386 income and € 1,000 basic rent → € 804 housing benefit possible

Get in touch with us. We will check whether your flat can be included in a public subsidy programme (social rental flats for households with a housing entitlement certificate). If possible, we will reduce the rent - depending on the size and the statutory maximum floor area limits.

In this case, we can grant you a social bonus. This means that we waive the rent increase or limit it so that your rent does not exceed 30% of your household income.

We offer you a smaller, cheaper flat once via our flat exchange programme. If you decide to move, we will suspend the rent increase for up to six months and defer the amount.
In cases of hardship, we also grant an area bonus: Single parents or people with care needs can claim up to 15 m² more.

As an existing SWG tenant, you can use our free relocation service if:

• you are a long-standing tenant over 60 years of age,
• a physical impairment makes it almost impossible for you to move independently,
• you are prepared to reduce the number of rooms by at least two (e.g. from 4 to 2 rooms).

Yes - with the SWG climate bonus. This saves you rent and energy costs if you can prove that you use 12.5 - 25 % less hot water and heating costs than the average in the building. The savings amount to 5 - 10 cents per m² of living space, up to a maximum of €150 per year. The bonus is paid out via the utility bill in the following year.

Loud music is often the cause of arguments between neighbours. Room volume does not mean that no noise may penetrate to the outside. Listening to music should of course be possible - but in such a way that only normal domestic noises are audible in the neighbouring flat.
As soon as music is clearly and disturbingly audible in the neighbouring flats, the room volume is exceeded.

A satellite dish changes the external appearance of the building considerably and can also damage the fabric of the building. For this reason, most of our flats are equipped with cable television, which already includes numerous programmes.
For international tenants, additional programme packages can be fed into cable television on request and for a fee - without any structural alterations.