Renovation after moving out
When you move out, as a tenant you have to give the walls, doors and radiators a fresh coat of paint. The prerequisite is that the renovation obligations have been effectively transferred to you via the rental agreement and are due. If you don't have a corresponding clause in your rental agreement, you can be happy because you can leave the walls as they are when you move out.
These clauses regarding renovation when moving out are not permitted:
Does your apartment still smell like glue and paint from the last regular renovation? If your landlord still demands a final renovation before you move out, you can decline. Cosmetic repairs should only be carried out if they are necessary based on the appearance of the apartment.
A formal clause in the rental agreement that requires renovation when moving out, regardless of the last cosmetic repairs carried out, is invalid. A clause stipulating that the renovation work must be carried out according to a rigid time schedule is also invalid. In the event of a dispute, the decisive factor is whether the renovation is actually necessary.
And a pre-formulated regulation in the rental agreement is not permitted. A clause according to which cosmetic repairs must generally be carried out by a specialist company is invalid. However, case law requires professional execution. If you do it yourself, you should avoid negligence such as "runny noses", overlapping wallpaper or sloppy painting.
Questions of taste:
The color scheme of the apartment when moving out is also often a point of contention. You should only choose a modern artistic color scheme if you are not moving out soon. When you hand over the apartment, you cannot force your color taste on the landlord. According to the court, only an inconspicuous uniform coat of paint meets average taste.
What don't you have to do?
If a tenant has caused damage to the apartment through improper treatment, they must repair it. The landlord cannot demand items that are worn out through normal use. As a rule, you can decline if your landlord asks you to do the following when you move out:
* Sand and seal parquet floors
* Replace carpet laid by the landlord
* Renew the woodchip wallpaper that has only been painted over twice
* Renew silicone joints in the bathroom
* Paint windows and doors from the outside
* Renovate stairwells or common facilities.
Some rental agreements still contain phrases such as “the apartment must be returned in the contractual condition”, “in its original condition”, “in the same condition as when it was taken over”, “broomed” or “ready for occupancy”. All of these terms only mean one thing: the tenant does not have to renovate the apartment when moving out, but must return it clean, i.e. mopped and swept. Lucky you!
If you want to be on the safe side when it comes to all of these issues, allmaxx offers student legal protection insurance including rental legal protection.
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The renovation after moving out applies if the renovation obligations have been effectively transferred to you via the rental agreement.
