New lease on reflection: autumn marks the beginning of the rent mirror interview series
In the University and Hanseatic City of Greifswald, a significant step has been taken towards increasing transparency and fairness in the local housing market. The city is developing a qualified rent index, aimed at protecting tenants from unreasonable increases and providing a realistic picture of the rental market.
The legal basis for this requirement is the Rent Index Reform Act, and the index will be based on data collected from randomly selected tenants and landlords in a survey conducted from September to October 2025. The survey will gather information about rental agreement data, year of construction, apartment size, equipment, and type of heating.
The participation of citizens, especially private landlords, is essential for the rent index to provide a realistic and reliable picture of local comparable rents. With high participation from all households contacted, a realistic picture of the rental market in Greifswald can be created. Anyone who receives a request for information about the rent index is legally obliged to provide it.
Non-participation or false statements in the survey constitute an administrative offense, and fines of up to €5,000 may be imposed. It's important to note that only with genuine and complete participation can the results of the qualified rent index be meaningful.
The email address for the Department of Geoinformation and Surveying, responsible for the rent index, is Mietspiegel@our website. If you have any questions about the rent index, you can reach them at 03834 8536-4173.
The qualified rent index will be legally binding in the future, aiming to increase transparency and fairness in the local housing market. The index will be published in March 2026. A broad data base is necessary for the results of the qualified rent index to be meaningful, and the survey's success relies heavily on the participation of private landlords.
By participating in the survey, private landlords can ensure that current rental practices, price levels, and market conditions from those directly renting out properties are accurately captured, which forms the basis for reliable local rent comparison values and housing market assessments. This data is crucial for maintaining an up-to-date rent index and thus reflects the actual rental situation more precisely.
In conclusion, the development of the qualified rent index in Greifswald marks an important step towards increasing transparency and fairness in the local housing market. The success of the index depends heavily on the participation of private landlords, and all households contacted are legally obliged to provide information about the rent index.
