More than 11,000 households in Germany have reported suspected excessive rents to public authorities through the Left party’s “rent gouging app” since its launch in November 2024. The parliamentary group said the figures were based on an evaluation covering the app’s use in 39 cities; Bremen is being added to the program.
The app was accessed more than 333,000 times during the two-year period. In 215,941 cases, or almost two-thirds of all checks, it classified the rent entered by users as excessive. Many tenants did not forward their cases to the authorities, which the Left party believes may be linked to fears of losing their homes.
Among the 11,157 reports submitted to authorities, the rents were on average 66 percent above the relevant comparison values, according to the parliamentary group. Its calculations indicate that the affected households would need average monthly reductions of more than 250 euros.
Berlin recorded the highest use of the app. Tenants entered their details 123,698 times, leading to 5,083 reports to the authorities. In the Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg district alone, the Left party said fines totaling 81,600 euros had been imposed, of which 27,500 euros had actually been paid.
Berlin has around 1.75 million rental homes. Most leases are older, and the city’s rent index puts the average price at 7.75 euros per square meter. The most difficult conditions affect people looking for a home, as new construction and vacant housing are scarce.
Under Germany’s Economic Offences Act, charging more than 20 percent above the local comparative rent can constitute an administrative offence if the landlord exploits the shortage of available housing. Rents more than 50 percent above the relevant level can, under certain conditions established by case law, constitute a criminal offence.
Frankfurt am Main has taken the toughest action, according to the figures cited by the Left party. The city’s housing office has conducted more than 1,000 proceedings since 2020 and secured repayments totaling 330,330 euros. Most recently, a shared flat received a rent repayment of about 26,700 euros.
The Left party also said the app had encouraged several cities to introduce their own rent-calculation tools. Caren Lay, a member of parliament, argued that municipalities need stronger support from the federal government to tackle unlawful rent increases, saying that excessive rents had generated millions of euros for landlords.
Sources: Der Spiegel.