Cold water and no heating for seven weeks

Freezing Misery: Tenants in Erfurt's Spittelgartenstraße Endure Seven Weeks Without Heating or Hot Water

Erfurt - As winter approaches and temperatures plummet below freezing, tenants in Spittelgartenstraße are left shivering in the cold. The families living there have been without heating for seven weeks, and the water is colder than a polar bear's kiss.

Resident Sina Groß (36) shares her ordeal, "When I attempted to fill the bath for my children on September 24, the water was as icy as a glacier!" Sina, a nursery school teacher, lives with her husband Gerhard (55) and their two daughters, Madleen (5) and Michelle (17), on the second floor.

Recent Property Management Woes

It's been a string of problems with the property management company and the property owners as of late. The municipal utilities have warned of impending gas and electricity cutoffs. Now, the ancient central heating system in the basement has also gone awry.

The Landlord Turns a Deaf Ear

Despite countless calls to the property management, Sina and her family were consistently brushed off. After receiving the ultimatum that the property management would no longer be responsible for the building as of October 7, they reached out to the responsible Brandenburg real estate company.

Three heating engineers from Potsdam arrived on October 26, only to discover that the ancient appliance belonged in the scrap yard. They managed to get the heating working for six hours, only for something to burn the next day and leave an unsettling smell in the basement.

"We were promised a new heating system as soon as we had a quote from the company," says Sina, yet that day hasn't arrived.

Maddy's Sniffling Nose

As if the cold weren't enough, one of Sina's daughters, Maddy, has developed a cold. The chilly temperatures and lack of functioning heating are posing grave concerns for the family's health and well-being.

Finding a Way Out of The Freeze

The family's frustrations haven't dampened their spirits. They've bought a cheap hot water boiler and installed it in the kitchen. They must make do by washing in the shower with buckets, as the bathroom, living room, and the girls' bedrooms remain toasty with electric space heaters.

1. Spittelgartenstraße tenants braved the fangs of winter with no functioning heating, leaving them at the mercy of sub-zero temperatures.
2. For nearly two months, the frigid Erfurt residence has been living without central heating or hot water, subjecting them to a dent in their wallets due to skyrocketing electricity expenses.
3. With no landlord resolve in sight, inhabitants like Sina and her family must implement a multi-step plan to address the issue, upholding their rights and battling the bitter cold.

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Surviving the Winter Chill: A Tenant's Step-by-Step Plan

To combat the long-term issue faced by tenants in Erfurt's Spittelgartenstraße, tenants must employ a multifaceted strategy involving themselves and their landlords. Here's what you can do:

1. Preserve Evidence
2. Document Records: Keep a comprehensive account of when the problem was reported, follow-ups, and communications with your landlord or property management.
3. Photograph and Video Proof: Gather visual evidence of the broken heating and water systems.
4. Contact the Landlord
5. Formal Notice: Send a formal written notice to your landlord or property management, outlining the problem, its duration, and any attempts to resolve it.
6. Regular Follow-ups: If you don't receive a prompt response, engage in follow-up phone calls or written correspondence.
7. React to Local Authorities
8. Visit the Housing Office: Contact your local housing office (Wohnungsamt) for advice and potential mediation capabilities.
9. Inform Local Press: Keep the Thuringia regional news apprised of the issue, attracting attention and applying pressure on your landlord or property management.
10. Coalesce with the Tenants
11. Tenant Association: If there is a tenant association, collaborate with them to spearhead collective action.
12. Meet with the Landlord: Organize a meeting with your landlord or property management, presenting the collective concerns and demands for resolution.
13. Legal Recourse (if necessary)
14. Consult a Lawyer: If the issue persists and you fail to find a resolution, consult a lawyer who specializes in tenant rights. They can suggest possible legal actions like filing a case with the local consumer protection agency (Verbraucherschutzbehörde) or initiating a court trial.
15. Secure Temporary Solutions
16. Emergency Heating Sources: Investigate alternative heating sources like portable heaters or space heaters scavenged from your neighbor's garage.
17. Urgent Water Solutions: To manage cold water, use insulated water bottles or boil water for crucial needs.
18. Spread Awareness
19. Social Media Campaign: Engage in social media activism to raise awareness about the situation and gather support from the community.
20. Local Press Highlights: Continue sharing updates with the local press to maintain public attention and place pressure on your landlord or property management.

By adhering to these steps, tenants in Erfurt's Spittelgartenstraße can effectively confront the lingering issue of inoperative central heating and cold water, ensuring they maintain a warm and comfortable living environment and their tenant rights are upheld.