Find your answer here!

We're here for you – even in difficult times. Do you need advice about your rent arrears, or are you facing the loss of your apartment? Do you need help because you can no longer manage your daily life on your own? Are you looking for support services or suitable counseling centers? Then contact us!

Consultations are free and confidential. We look forward to hearing from you.
You can find the consultation hours and contact options for our social counseling service here .

It's generally possible to install photovoltaic systems on balconies. However, there are important safety and permit requirements you must consider before planning your balcony power plant. You can find all the information you need in our guide .

Is something in your home broken and needs repair or replacement? Our technical customer service team can handle technical emergencies, even outside of normal business hours—for example, a burst pipe, heating outage, or power outage. You can find the right contacts here .

Internet, cable, and telephone services must be ordered separately. There are a variety of offers for all of these services, which you can research online.

The house rules are part of the rental agreement. You can also find them here.

Yes, with our HOWOGE green electricity . Photovoltaic systems on our roofs convert sunlight into electricity. This saves you money and helps our climate at the same time. We offer short contract terms of just 12 months and short notice periods of just one month.

HOWOGE is currently investigating how to expand fiber optic cable to the homes (FTTH) in its existing properties. In fact, many properties are already connected to a fiber optic network (FTTB), and they can already utilize high bandwidths via their existing cable networks. This means that a high data volume can be transmitted over your internet connection in a certain amount of time.

Of course, tenants will be informed as soon as it is clear how and when the fiber optic cable will be installed.

Depending on your concern, various contacts are available. You can find information about contact options here .

Is something in your home broken and needs repair or replacement? Our technical customer service team can handle technical emergencies, even outside of normal business hours—for example, a burst pipe, heating outage, or power outage.

We strive to respond to all tenant inquiries promptly. If you haven't heard from us after two weeks, please feel free to contact us again. However, please note that depending on the circumstances and the need for clarification via third parties, a longer processing time may be necessary.

Our caretakers ensure that the building and neighborhood remain as beautiful as they are and are always available to listen to your concerns. You can find out more about our caretakers' duties and availability here .

Graffiti, vandalism, trouble in the building – the mobile caretaker service or a security guard ensures safety, order, and cleanliness in the neighborhood in the evenings and at night. They check whether doors and windows are locked, whether strangers are in the houses, whether there is trash lying around, whether lights are broken, or whether entrances and driveways are blocked. And if someone in the neighborhood is celebrating too loudly, HOWOGE employees are also on hand to ask that the house rules be observed.

The mobile caretaker service supports the emergency caretakers, who are the contact persons for emergencies and similar matters outside of business hours.

The operating times of the mobile caretaker service teams are:

Mon – Thurs: 6 pm – 4 am,
Fri – Sun: 7 pm – 5 am.

You can find the teams' telephone numbers in the information boxes at your building entrance or here on the website.

Depending on your concern, various contacts are available. You can find information about contact options here .

Tenant councils are elected by tenants in residential areas with more than 300 residential units. The members are independent, non-partisan, and volunteer, accessible to all tenants, and are re-elected every five years. All HOWOGE tenants can apply and serve on tenant councils.

The goal is to foster a positive relationship between tenants and HOWOGE, while representing tenants' interests and improving the housing situation and environment. The Tenants' Advisory Board works closely with the Tenants' Council to represent tenants' interests in a coordinated manner.

You can find more information here .

The Tenants' Council is elected by all HOWOGE tenants. It is independent, non-partisan, and operates on a voluntary basis. The members of the Tenants' Council represent the interests of the tenants and represent them to HOWOGE. They advise the company's management on new construction, modernization, renovation, neighborhood development, and community facilities. They appoint one voting member and one guest to the HOWOGE Supervisory Board and help shape the overall strategic planning and long-term development of the housing company.

They cooperate with existing tenant advisory councils and participate in regional networks.

Further information about the Tenants’ Council can be found here .

Apartments in Berlin are very popular, and living space is often scarce. We are pleased with the high level of tenant satisfaction among our tenants, which means our housing supply is sometimes somewhat limited. However, with our new construction and renovation projects, we are constantly working to create new, livable living space.

Whether you're looking for an office, retail space, a medical practice, a warehouse, or other commercial space, you'll find a solution for your professional plans here . You can choose between existing and new-build options.

No, unfortunately we do not offer any guest apartments.

Yes, for example, our new building project " StudentHouse Plänterwald on Eichbuschallee " offers 280 fully furnished single apartments with a kitchen, shelves, bed, table, and internet access. Available student apartments are listed in our apartment search .

Our customer service center staff will be happy to work with you to develop customized solutions for independent and age-appropriate living for seniors. Simply contact your local customer service center or service point .

Are you looking for an apartment in Berlin? You can find all our current apartment listings here . Also check out our listings in our prospective tenant app .

Depending on the content of the rental agreement, the total monthly rent you have to pay consists of
Net rent
+ cold operating costs prepayment
+ Advance payment for heating and hot water costs.

The net rent is the basic rent for the premises. Operating costs are the ongoing costs incurred through the use of the building and land. Each year, the actual costs incurred in the previous year are billed. You can find out exactly what costs you have to bear and the allocation key for these costs in your rental agreement or your operating cost statement.

No, the notification must be made in writing for documentation purposes and for your own security. Please send us a message by email to kundenzentrum@howoge.de or by mail, stating your rental agreement number and your request.

For tenants experiencing social or financial difficulties, we offer social counseling services over the phone and on-site. In a confidential consultation, our trained staff will work with you to consider how to save costs and reduce rent arrears, advise you on support options, and assist with applications for social benefits. Further information, office hours, and contact points can be found here .

Receiving a reminder for a missed rent payment isn't necessarily a cause for concern. You simply need to immediately pay the specified amount (plus a penalty fee for repeated reminders) into the appropriate account. Feel free to contact us. We'll find a solution together. However, if you continue to fail to pay the reminder amount, this could, in the worst case, lead to immediate termination of your tenancy and, ultimately, eviction proceedings.

If this scenario occurs, you can also contact the Social Housing Assistance (specialist office for housing emergencies) at your local social welfare office. In many cases, evictions can be prevented with the assistance of these offices. Many independent social welfare organizations also offer assistance in cases of impending or actual loss of housing. HOWOGE also offers social counseling and provides further information on this topic on its website .

The _CO2 Cost Allocation Act ( _CO2 KostAufG) has been in effect since January 2023. It stipulates that landlords must contribute to the costs. The law is intended not only to relieve tenants' burdens but also to provide an incentive for landlords to invest in energy-efficient renovations of residential buildings.

If you feel that your heating is staying cold or not heating your home sufficiently, you can find out by answering a few questions in our advice section on heating and ventilation whether there is a heating failure, a defect or another issue.

There are many ways to save on heating costs. To contribute to Germany's savings target, HOWOGE has slightly reduced heating output in all buildings. This also saves money. You can find even more tips on how to reduce your heating costs in our expert video on the HOWOGE website.

We're currently working on a solution that will make consumption data from various service providers available to each tenant in one app. This will give you, as the tenant, the option to receive all correspondence digitally.

Since 2021, landlords have been required to provide their tenants with an overview of their consumption data throughout the year, even monthly. This is a standardized list of the average consumption of all tenants in the same housing category. This allows you to better monitor your energy consumption and provides assistance in saving energy. The monthly consumption information includes remotely readable, wireless hot water meters and heat cost allocators.

You will receive the following information with your invoice:

• Cover letter with a summary of the individual results and instructions for payment
• if applicable, information about an adjustment of your future advance payments
• Billing period and time of creation
• Period of use
• Summary of total costs
• Specification and explanation of the allocation key
• Calculation of the individual share
• Deduction of advance payments set for the billing period
• Explanation of the operating and heating/hot water cost billing
• Declaration of household-related services according to EStG § 35a

According to Section 556 Paragraph 3 of the German Civil Code (BGB), the statement must be prepared and sent to the tenant no later than one year after the billing period. At HOWOGE, the billing period usually covers the calendar year (January 1 to December 31).

This deadline also applies if you move in or out during the billing year.

Once a year, you will receive an operating and heating/hot water cost statement from us, in which the actual additional costs incurred are detailed by cost item and offset against your prepayments set for the billing period.

The billing period always covers the entire year being billed. This is usually January 1 to December 31.

The term "occupancy period" refers to the period of time during which you rented the apartment. The term therefore refers to the contractual period during which an apartment was rented.
It is irrelevant to what extent you as a tenant actually spent time in the apartment.

If you move in or out during the current billing period, the costs will only be billed pro rata. This may cause the billing period and the usage period to differ.

When billing operating costs, several buildings or stairways can be combined into a single economic unit. An economic unit can be formed if the buildings are managed uniformly, or if the buildings are located in close proximity, have the same facilities, and demonstrate an unavoidable technical need for cross-building billing for individual operating costs (e.g., heating costs). The total amounts incurred are then allocated proportionately to the individual tenants.

In addition to the economic unit, there is the billing unit. The billing unit is usually smaller than an economic unit and refers, for example, to a group of tenants within the economic unit. Billing units are determined by affiliation with specific utility units (e.g., properties or garbage disposal sites).

The distribution of operating and heating/hot water costs is stipulated in the rental agreement. To ensure the greatest possible fairness, different distribution systems are used depending on the type of cost and the use of the rental space.

Non-consumption-based operating costs are primarily billed based on living space (Section 556a, Paragraph 1 of the German Civil Code). Distribution based on the number of rental units is another possible allocation key for non-consumption-based operating costs.

Consumption-based operating costs (cold water), as well as consumption-based heating and hot water costs, are distributed proportionally based on consumption and proportionally based on area (Section 6, Paragraph 2 of the Heating Cost Ordinance). However, this requires that the entire economic unit is fully equipped with the appropriate recording devices. If this is not the case, the costs are distributed based on area due to the lack of comprehensive consumption recording.

According to the legal definition in Section 1 of the Operating Costs Ordinance (BetrKV), operating costs are the costs that the owner incurs on an ongoing basis through ownership of the property or through the intended use of the building, its outbuildings, facilities, equipment, and the property. Administrative costs, as well as maintenance and repair costs, are explicitly excluded. Operating costs are divided into so-called "hot" and "cold" operating costs.

"Cold operating costs" are all operating costs according to Section 2, numbers 1 to 3 and 7 to 17 of the Operating Costs Ordinance (BetrKV), excluding heating and hot water costs. "Hot operating costs" according to Section 2, numbers 4 to 6 of the BetrKV are all heating and hot water costs and related costs (e.g., equipment rental for consumption recording, heating system maintenance, etc.).

The landlord is entitled to pass these running costs on to the tenants if a corresponding allocation agreement is included in the rental agreement.

In certain cases, our tenants can influence the amount of operating costs.

Consistent and proper waste separation reduces the costs of residual waste collection. This avoids additional costs for waste container removal. Further information on waste separation can be found here .

Storing and subsequently removing bulky waste also incurs costs. So make sure you dispose of old furniture or other inventory you no longer need at a recycling center. Disposal is free in most cases. You can find more information here .

When purchasing new electrical appliances, such as dishwashers and washing machines, look for a high efficiency class to reduce water consumption.

There are many ways to save on heating costs. To contribute to Germany's savings target, HOWOGE has slightly reduced the heating output in all buildings. This also saves money. You can find even more tips on how to reduce your heating costs in our expert video on the HOWOGE website.

No, the costs will not be billed twice.

The costs for pure water consumption are billed via the operating cost item "Water costs (m³)". However, the costs for heating cold water are calculated within the hot water bill.

_CO2 costs are a tax that increases the price of climate-damaging fuels. The law applies only to fuel-fired heating systems and district heating connections (e.g., gas heating, oil heating, coal heating, district heating). Electric heating systems, such as heat pumps or night storage heaters, are not covered by the _CO2 Costs Tax Act.

We strongly advise against the use of radiators and fan heaters in apartments, as this overloads the power grid and could ultimately lead to a total power failure in the entire house.

Tip: Instead, use cost- and energy-saving household remedies such as blankets, warm clothing or hot water bottles.

HOWOGE does NOT regulate the water temperature downwards, as the same flow temperature must be maintained due to the risk of legionella.
Therefore, in order not to endanger our health, the temperature for hot water remains unchanged.

Tip: Of course, you can also save energy and therefore costs on hot water by, for example, showering less frequently or for a shorter time.

Attention: You should draw hot water from the tap every 72 hours to prevent Legionella infestation.

More information on Legionella can be found at www.howoge.de/trinkwasser

Most of our apartments are equipped with wireless metering devices, so your consumption data is automatically transmitted to a data collector via wireless technology. This doesn't require an on-site visit to take meter readings.
In these cases, no meter reading report is created. Heat cost allocators are equipped with a memory function. You can read the consumption values for the previous period for an entire year and check them directly on the device. The heat cost allocator's display constantly alternates between the current year and the previous year.

If your apartment isn't equipped with wireless metering devices, the metering service provider will schedule a manual meter reading. The notice will be posted in the entrance area of your building. If you can't make the scheduled appointment, you'll usually be given another free appointment. If you miss both scheduled appointments and a meter reading appointment doesn't take place, your consumption will be estimated for your heating and water bill.

No, the notification must be made in writing for documentation purposes and for your own security. Please send us a message by email to kundenzentrum@howoge.de or by mail, stating your rental agreement number and your request.

A blanket comparison of billing results is not meaningful. The results of the utility and heating/hot water billing depend on various factors. For example, individual consumption, the size of the apartment, the length of use (e.g., moving in or out during the billing period), and the prepayments determined for the billing period all have a significant impact on the billing result.

In principle, you have time within the payment deadline specified in the invoice to review and settle any additional payments you may have to make. If there are any uncertainties, you can pay with reservation and object in writing.

In principle, the additional payment from the operating and heating/hot water bill is due within the payment period specified in the billing letter. If you file a justified objection within the statutory period, a distinction must be made between objections to the formal accuracy or objections to the substantive/material accuracy.

If there is an objection to the formal correctness (e.g. incorrect billing period, missing information on the allocation key, etc.), HOWOGE will suspend the due date until the objection has been processed.

If your concerns relate to content-related or material issues (calculation and/or typographical errors), the additional payment is due within the notified payment period. In such cases, we recommend that our tenants initially pay the requested additional payment subject to the accuracy of the invoice. It's best to note this reservation in the purpose of your transfer and inform HOWOGE of the payment subject to reservation along with your written objection.

If you experience financial difficulties due to the new advance payment, our customer service and social management teams are available to advise you. Please contact us immediately at kundenzentrum@howoge.de with the reference "Heating Cost Advice" or write to us.

Have you thought about it?
You may also be entitled to a rent subsidy in the form of housing benefit (note: this does not apply if you receive social assistance, unemployment benefit II, or BAföG). Please check your basic eligibility atwww.kurzelinks.de/wohngeldrechner . If you are eligible, contact your local Berlin housing office/housing benefit office. You will need a rental breakdown certificate to submit for eligibility verification. You can request the rental breakdown certificate here .
Assistance with the application process is available from numerous advisory centers, such as Caritas, the Social Welfare Association, tenant associations, or even the housing benefit authority itself. Don't hesitate to contact them and take advantage of these support services.

If you receive benefits from a public body, please submit your bill to them immediately so that your benefits can be adjusted accordingly and your rent payment is guaranteed on time.

Typically, the amount of advance payments is determined at the beginning of the tenancy agreement and then, if necessary, adjusted as part of a completed utility and heating/hot water cost statement. HOWOGE, as the landlord, may increase advance payments for future periods without the tenant's consent. However, this may only be done within reasonable limits and with justification. Legitimate reasons include increased consumption compared to the previous year, as well as price increases or tariff changes by utility companies or service providers. You can also find an explanation for adjusting advance payments in your utility and heating/hot water cost statement.

The recalculation of advance payments will be based on the actual costs incurred for your rental unit plus expected changes and price increases.

The adjusted advance payments should ultimately cover costs for the following billing periods.
If you would like to increase your advance payments as a precautionary measure to reduce the risk of additional payments in future bills, you can easily submit your application here .

If you have detailed questions or objections regarding specific operating costs, please send them to us by email to kundenzentrum@howoge.de or by mail. For general questions about your operating and heating/hot water cost bill, please contact the Operating Cost Management department of HOWOGE Wohnungsbausgellschaft mbH, which you can reach by phone via your local customer service center. You can find out which customer service center is responsible for you here or you can find the information in your billing letter.

Since 2023, the Carbon Dioxide Cost Allocation Act has regulated the allocation of CO2 costs resulting from a building's heating energy consumption. These costs are allocated as part of the utility bill.

Details on the allocation of the tenant and landlord share can be found in your bill under the heading "CO2 tax: Classification of the residential building".

As HOWOGE, we are legally obligated to provide our tenants with monthly consumption information. Within our housing portfolio, we work with various meter reading service providers.
The most cost-effective option for you as a tenant is the standardized, postal delivery of this information to all households.

Furthermore, due to the sharp increase in energy costs, it is particularly important to us that every tenant has immediate access to their monthly consumption data without any potential digital hurdles.

Since emissions of climate-damaging _CO2 gas (carbon dioxide) must be significantly reduced in Germany in the coming years, the federal government has adopted a climate package. This package stipulates that fossil fuels such as oil, gas, and district heating, which emit large amounts of _CO2 , will become more expensive through a _CO2 price. This is because increasing _CO2 concentrations cause more heat to be retained than necessary, causing the Earth's temperature to rise. _CO2 accounts for over 50% of the human-caused greenhouse effect.

The sealed windows in your home prevent air exchange. If the windows are permanently closed in the fall and winter, the warm, moisture-saturated air remains in the home. The warm, humid indoor air then settles on the colder window glass as condensation. The result is foggy windows.
Therefore, you should ventilate at least twice a day during the heating season, preferably in the morning and evening. If possible, open all windows and doors wide for at least 10 to 15 minutes each time to ensure a significant exchange of air throughout the entire apartment. So-called "shock ventilation" by briefly opening individual windows or ventilating through tilted windows is not sufficient. In addition, please take a cloth and wipe the windows dry in the morning. Otherwise, mold can quickly form on the window joints or even on the wallpaper.

A consistent reduction in the average room temperature by 1 degree Celsius can result in savings of up to 6 percent.

For comparability, the usual units are given in kWh. This is the legal requirement.

On January 1, 2023, the law regulating the allocation of _CO2 levy costs between landlords and tenants – the Carbon Dioxide Cost Allocation Act ( _CO2 KostAufG) – came into force. It is staggered across 10 levels: Depending on the building's emissions level, tenants pay a share of between 5 and 100 percent (for highly efficient buildings) of the _CO2 pricing for their apartment, while the landlord pays the remainder.

Mold can be identified by black, white, yellow, or green spots in the home. Mold thrives particularly well in cold and damp conditions. Near open windows, in cold rooms, or on exterior walls, the air cools, causing condensation and mold growth. In large concentrations, mold can cause respiratory illnesses, allergies, and infections. It should be removed from bedrooms, especially.

You can prevent mold by balancing heating and ventilation.

Please read our information on heating costs .

The allocation will be made for the first time with the billing of operating and heating costs for 2023 (only billing periods beginning on or after January 1, 2023), i.e. during the course of 2024. _CO2 costs incurred through fuel consumption and billed before January 1, 2023 will not be taken into account.

The rule of thumb is: the cooler the room temperature, the more often you need to ventilate. And the colder it is outside, the shorter the ventilation times need to be. In the morning, you should completely exchange the air in your home. It is best to open at least one window in each room until any fogged-up windows clear again. If possible, you should ventilate several times a day. However, if you are away all day, it is sufficient to completely exchange the air in the morning and evening. After cooking, showering, ironing, mopping the floor, or drying laundry, you should ventilate briefly – that is, open the windows and close the doors. This is the quickest way to get the moist air outside. During the heating season, you should avoid constantly ventilating by leaving the windows tilted, as open or tilted windows result in greater heat loss than targeted short bursts of ventilation.
You can find these and other tips in our videos .

We can only calculate the costs after the end of the billing year, when the annual bills from the suppliers are available. Furthermore, the disclosure of costs in the monthly consumption information is not required by law.

In 2021, this price was 25 euros per ton of _CO2 . The _CO2 price will increase steadily until 2025, although the planned increase on January 1, 2023, has been postponed by one year due to the energy crisis.

01/01/2021 €25.00/ton _CO2

01/01/2022 €30.00/ton _CO2

01.01.2023 30.00 €/tonne CO ₂ , as increase suspended

01/01/2024 €45.00/ton _CO2

01/01/2025 €55.00/ton _CO2

01/01/2026 €55.00-65.00/ton _CO2

Starting in 2027, a European emissions trading system will be introduced for _CO2 emissions from transport and building heating. This means that there will no longer be a fixed _CO2 price, but rather a price determined by the market.

Please first inquire as to when this situation began. We are currently experiencing a very high volume of inquiries, so processing your request will take some time. Therefore, we would like to ask you to help yourself first by simply placing a blanket over the drafty area. Please ensure that neighbors keep their front doors closed, so less cold air enters the hallway and ultimately the apartments.

With the amendment to the Heating Cost Ordinance, Germany is implementing the provisions of the EU Energy Efficiency Directive regarding consumption recording and billing, as well as the use of interoperable devices and systems, into German law. Tenants should receive greater consumption transparency, be able to better understand their own energy consumption, and thus receive assistance in saving energy.

The _CO2 costs, for all billing periods beginning January 1, 2023, will be shared proportionally between landlords and tenants according to a tiered model. The percentage distribution is based on the annual _CO2 emissions of the rented building in kilograms per square meter of living space. The higher the _CO2 emissions of the respective building, the greater the share of costs we as the landlord must bear. In short: If the building itself produces little _CO2 , then the landlord's share is smaller and yours as the tenant is larger. And vice versa: If the building produces a lot of _CO2 , then the landlord bears the majority of the costs.

In non-residential buildings, a 50:50 split applies until 2025.
A 10-stage model applies to residential or mixed-use buildings (see figure)

Landlords receive the necessary information for the building's classification annually as part of the annual bill from the heating supplier. Based on these values, the billing company commissioned by the landlord can determine the building's carbon dioxide emissions ( _CO2 emissions kg/m²) as part of the annual heating bill and thus determine the cost allocation between landlord and tenant.

The consumption information provided during the year will generally also include values that correspond to the consumption of average tenants in the same apartment category, either standardized or determined through comparative tests. Please note that these values are compiled by the responsible metering service provider and are intended as a guide only.

Exceptions are listed buildings. In some cases, this may mean that walls cannot be insulated, meaning the landlord cannot improve a building's energy performance. In such cases, the landlord's share of the costs is halved or eliminated entirely.

Due to the legal obligation, no exceptions are permitted and HOWOGE, as landlord, must fulfill its obligation to provide the rent.

If tenants supply their own heating or hot water, the landlord must reimburse them for the corresponding portion of the carbon dioxide costs. Tenants must proactively request this from the landlord in writing.

In cases where tenants supply themselves with heat and hot water, for example, heat from a gas central heating system and purchase the gas directly from the provider, they are responsible for applying the tiered model themselves in accordance with Section 5 Paragraph 3. In these cases, tenants do not calculate the specific carbon dioxide emissions of the building, but those of the apartment. The annual carbon dioxide emissions are divided by the living space of the apartment. In these cases, tenants further apply the specific carbon dioxide emissions of the apartment to the tiered model (see table above) and thus determine the relevant allocation ratio. The carbon dioxide emissions of the apartment are to be used as the basis in the cases referred to in Paragraph 3, because neither the landlord nor the tenant have the opportunity to know the carbon dioxide emissions of the entire building.

Special feature: If a tenant uses fuels not exclusively in systems for generating heat for heating or for heating and hot water, but also to operate their own appliances for other purposes (e.g., a gas stove), their reimbursement claim is reduced by five percent. The Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection (BMWK) has released a calculator for sharing _CO2 costs between tenants and landlords. Click here to access the federal government's calculator.

According to Section 7 Paragraph 2 of the Heating Costs Ordinance, the costs arising from the monthly notification of consumption values are part of the apportionable operating costs of the central heating system and are billed via the annual heating/hot water cost statement.

According to the Heating Cost Ordinance, HOWOGE is legally obliged to provide you with monthly consumption information if remotely readable, radio-enabled hot water meters and heat cost allocators are available.

Graffiti, vandalism, trouble in the building – the mobile caretaker service or a security guard ensures safety, order, and cleanliness in our core properties in the evenings and at night. They check whether doors and windows are locked, whether strangers are in the buildings, whether there is trash lying around, whether lights are broken, or whether entrances and driveways are blocked. And if someone in the neighborhood is celebrating too loudly, HOWOGE employees are also on hand to ask that the house rules be observed.

The mobile caretaker service supports the emergency caretakers, who are the contact persons for emergencies and similar matters outside of business hours.

The operating times of the mobile caretaker service teams are:

Mon – Thurs: 6 pm – 4 am,
Fri – Sun: 7 pm – 5 am.

You can reach them by phone at 030 5464 1300.

We're here for you – even in difficult times. Do you need advice about your rent arrears, or are you facing the loss of your apartment? Do you need help because you can no longer manage your daily life on your own? Are you looking for support services or suitable counseling centers? Then contact us!

Consultations are free and confidential. We look forward to hearing from you.
You can find the consultation hours and contact options for our social counseling service here .

At HOWOGE, we don't just see ourselves as a landlord who provides housing. Rather, we strive to develop vibrant neighborhoods where people are there for one another and help one another. That's why we offer numerous additional services to support you in your daily life. For example, our social counseling and mobile caretakers.

It's generally possible to install photovoltaic systems on balconies. However, there are important safety and permit requirements you must consider before planning your balcony power plant. You can find all the information you need in our guide .

We understand your dissatisfaction. We recommend checking out the bandwidth offerings from cable network operators. They already offer very high bandwidths, meaning they offer very high data volumes.

If you have any questions or suggestions, please send an email to the following contact address: mobile@howoge.de

If you have any questions or suggestions, please send an email to the following contact address: mobile@howoge.de

Along with Telekom and Vodafone, broadband cable provider PYUR is also switching to individual usage contracts. This will take effect as of June 1, 2024. The affected tenants will, of course, be informed separately and in a timely manner by HOWOGE.

So far, only a few single-user contracts have been activated with the cable network operator Vodafone. However, starting July 8, 2024, all tenants will be able to sign single-user contracts. You can still use cable TV free of charge during a grace period of approximately four weeks.

The switchover will take effect on July 1, 2024 (for Vodafone) or June 1, 2024 (for PYUR). If the respective tenant does not conclude an individual user contract with the provider by then, the cable TV service will be automatically disconnected.

Note: According to current knowledge, there will be a transition period of several weeks for providers, so that TV reception will not be switched off immediately on July 1, 2024.

The switchover will take place automatically after you have concluded an individual user contract with your provider. You don't need to do anything else and you don't even need to be at home.

We recommend signing a cable TV contract promptly. Otherwise, your cable TV connection will be shut down on July 1, or June 1, 2024.

Note: According to current knowledge, there will be a transition period of several weeks for providers, so that TV reception will not be switched off immediately on July 1, 2024.

There's nothing else to do. If you don't sign a cable TV contract, you won't receive any cable TV.

No, your individual contract must start on July 1, 2024, or June 1, 2024. Billing for operating costs or supplementary TV coverage will automatically end on June 30, 2024, or May 31, 2024 (depending on the provider). This eliminates double billing.

After the switchover, the costs for TV cable fees will be eliminated from the operating costs or deducted from the rent – depending on the rental agreement. If you have concluded an individual user agreement with the respective provider in a timely manner, everything will remain technically as usual. You don't have to be at home on the switchover date. You don't need new receivers, and there's no need to perform a channel scan or make any other changes to the settings or cabling. After booking an individual user agreement, you will continue to receive your cable TV as usual starting July 1, 2024.

This change only affects tenants who currently pay for their TV connection through their utility costs or whose rent includes a "supplementary TV service" item. They must now conclude a separate cable TV contract by July 1, 2024, or June 1, 2024. All other tenants who have not yet been contacted already have a so-called individual user contract. If you have not received a letter from HOWOGE regarding cable TV, you do not need to do anything.

You must actively sign a separate cable TV contract with the provider responsible for the building you live in. You will then be served directly by this provider and will pay the applicable usage fees to this provider starting July 1st or June 1st (depending on the provider). You can find out which provider is responsible for your building on the notice board at your building's entrance.

Please note:

PYUR 's individual user contracts are already available and can be concluded.

The German Bundestag amended the Telecommunications Act (TKG) on December 1, 2021. Among other things, it changes the rules for providing cable TV connections in apartments. If you, as a tenant, have received a letter from HOWOGE regarding this, the costs for your cable TV connection were previously automatically billed with your utility bill. With the entry into force of the new law on July 1, 2024, this billing via the annual utility bill will no longer be permitted. Therefore, you will need to conclude your own direct cable TV contract (a so-called individual user contract) with your responsible operator. You can find the operator responsible for the respective property in the noticeboard of your building. Depending on the provider, the 2024 utility bill will therefore only include and bill costs for the period January 1 to June 30, 2024, or January 1 to May 31, 2024.

Tenants who have a supplementary TV service are exempt from this. Since this only affects individual tenants in the buildings, there will be no notice posted about this. However, the provider and contact details will be listed in your letter.

Due to a change in the law, fees for a TV cable connection may no longer be billed through utility costs as of July 1, 2024.

We have directly informed affected tenants of this change with a personal letter and asked them to conclude individual contracts with the provider responsible for their respective areas. In most HOWOGE apartments, tenants already have cable TV through a direct contract with the provider. For these tenants, everything remains as it is! Therefore, the majority of HOWOGE tenants have not received a letter from HOWOGE.

Internet, cable, and telephone services must be ordered separately. There are a variety of offers for all of these services, which you can research online.

Unfortunately, we are currently unable to issue approvals, as we plan to have a uniform fiber optic network throughout our buildings. Individual approvals would result in a confusing array of installations that would be unmanageable. Therefore, we are implementing a systematic approach. We plan to equip all of our buildings with a largely uniform system – please be patient, and we will inform you in due course.

The most important information on sustainable mobility can be found on the HOWOGE website .

The most important information about charging infrastructure can be found on the HOWOGE website .

Yes, with our HOWOGE green electricity . Photovoltaic systems on our roofs convert sunlight into electricity. This saves you money and helps our climate at the same time. We offer short contract terms of just 12 months and short notice periods of just one month.

HOWOGE is currently planning the expansion of a future fiber optic network and is preparing its implementation.

All planned mobility projects can be found in the overview on the HOWOGE mobility page .

Do you have questions about our projects, would you like to share your own suggestion, or would you like a way to share your criticism? Feel free to contact us by email: mobile@howoge.de

You can find an overview of all existing mobility projects on the HOWOGE mobility page .

"HOWOGE has not fundamentally prohibited the installation of fiber optic connections to the buildings. We are currently examining how the supply should be implemented across all our properties in the future and who offers the best conditions for our tenants."

You can find an overview of all existing mobility projects on the HOWOGE mobility page .

HOWOGE also aims to position itself for the future in the area of mobility. We see it as our mission to plan sustainably and proactively. To reduce CO2 emissions while simultaneously creating a city with short distances, HOWOGE is testing various new mobility projects in several residential neighborhoods.

HOWOGE is currently investigating how to expand fiber optic cable to the homes (FTTH) in its existing properties. In fact, many properties are already connected to a fiber optic network (FTTB), and they can already utilize high bandwidths via their existing cable networks. This means that a high data volume can be transmitted over your internet connection in a certain amount of time.

Of course, tenants will be informed as soon as it is clear how and when the fiber optic cable will be installed.

HOWOGE also aims to position itself for the future in the area of mobility. We see it as our mission to plan sustainably and proactively. To reduce CO2 emissions while simultaneously creating a city with short distances, HOWOGE is testing various new mobility projects in several residential neighborhoods.

Animals are loyal companions to humans. However, pets must be kept in an apartment in a species-appropriate manner and must not disturb other roommates. In addition, not every animal is suitable for living in an apartment. Hereyou will find all the important information about keeping pets.

Small pets must be kept in a species-appropriate manner and in such a way that they do not cause any nuisance. Other residents must not be disturbed by the animals. Any dirt or contamination caused by the animals must be removed and disposed of immediately by their owners. Feeding wild animals is prohibited for hygiene reasons, as leftover food attracts rats and vermin.

Small animals such as ornamental fish, canaries or hamsters can always be kept in the apartment. If you want to keep a dog in the apartment, you must first obtain permission from HOWOGE. Please submit information about the breed of the animal, a photo, proof of tax and proof of insurance. For larger dogs, a certificate of good health from a veterinarian must generally be submitted. An informal application is sufficient for keeping cats. Keeping animals of a species or breed that is considered dangerous or that can be trained for fighting purposes is prohibited at HOWOGE. The same applies to exotic animals such as iguanas, poisonous snakes or scorpions.

Dogs must always be kept on a leash in stairwells and elevators. This also applies to green spaces and playgrounds that belong to the building community.

First of all, we ask you to have a friendly conversation with the person concerned. If this happens frequently and even a friendly conversation does not help, please contact us. We will then find a solution together with everyone involved. Please contact kundenzentrum@howoge.de, stating your rental agreement number, or write to us by post (PO Box 10 03 19, 57003 Siegen). You can find the telephone number of your responsible customer center or service point here.

If you want to make your balcony cat-safe, you must not drill into or stick anything onto the thermal insulation of the facade. Height-adjustable telescopic rods are available from specialist retailers and are a good way to hold cat nets.

Bed bugs are parasites from the flat bug family. They feed on blood, especially at night, and leave red, often very itchy bites on the skin. Many people believe that bed bug infestations are caused by hygiene issues. This is not true. Bed bugs usually enter homes from outside: in luggage and crates, or with used items such as furniture, mattresses, or clothing. In severe infestations, bed bugs spread to neighboring apartments.

Typical hiding places of bed bugs and their eggs:

• behind loose wallpaper or light switches
• in bookshelves, dressers, cupboards or clothing
• in sofas and other upholstered furniture
• in slatted frames or mattresses
• in floorboard cracks and behind skirting boards

• Bites: several small red dots on the skin close together (so-called bedbug trail), often very itchy
• Odor: penetrating-sweet scent like bitter almond, released when knocking on the mattress
• Droppings: small dark dots near typical hiding places
• Eggs: elongated and white, stick to the substrate. Bugs: between 4–6 millimeters in size, reddish-brown, and flat. When fully engorged, they can grow up to 9 millimeters in size and are dark red to black.

• Those who travel a lot for private or business reasons, host strangers, or purchase used items should be particularly careful.
• Check other people's hotel and guest rooms carefully for typical signs of infestation, especially feces.
• Unpack luggage in the bathtub to immediately detect fleeing bed bugs.
• Carefully check all secondhand items. Eggs can also be hidden in books or CD cases.

No one should be ashamed of having bed bugs or other pests in their home. Bed bugs can enter a home through suitcases, travel, used furniture, mattresses, or clothing. It's extremely important to report pests to HOWOGE immediately, even if you only discover a single one in your apartment. Extermination is free for HOWOGE tenants.
Bed bugs are a case for professional pest control. A single female can lay up to 300 eggs. Therefore, the following procedure is correct:

1. Please report any infestation to our Technical Customer Service as soon as possible. You can find the appropriate phone number at the bottom of this page by entering your address, or call the information panel in your building's entrance.
2. We'll schedule a meeting with your pest control team and discuss the most important aspects of the job in your home. You may need to move or dismantle furniture, take down pictures, seal cracks, or dispose of particularly infested items.
3. The pest controller will then apply the appropriate treatment. You can expect to visit your home two to four times.

The notice of termination must be in writing, personally signed, and mailed to HOWOGE at PO Box 10 03 19, 57003 Siegen. The notice of termination must be signed by all tenants listed in the rental agreement; otherwise, it is invalid. A fax, scan, or email is therefore not sufficient—even to meet the deadline. Authorized representatives with an original power of attorney may also sign the notice of termination.
It is important to provide the rental agreement number, address, telephone number, and names of the tenants, as well as any power of attorney, so that we can assign the apartment to the termination notice.

The statutory notice period is three months. The notice of termination must be received by HOWOGE no later than the third business day of a month, effective the end of the following month. For example, if you wish to terminate your tenancy at the end of December, we must receive the notice of termination no later than the third business day of October. For older tenancy agreements, the notice period specified in the contract must be observed.

Unfortunately, it is not possible to shorten the notice period. However, if we find a new tenant for your apartment who would like to move in earlier, this can be arranged.

If no new tenant has been found for your apartment yet, you can extend your notice period.

The landlord is responsible for finding a new tenant. Therefore, naming a potential new tenant is excluded.

You must register your electricity supply with an electricity supplier yourself. If you have gas central heating, this also applies to gas. You can find the relevant notice period in your contract with your provider.
Tenants who purchase HOWOGE green electricity are subject to a notice period of one month.
Please note your electricity meter reading or take a photo of it upon handover of the apartment. The meter reading will also be read by the landlord and recorded in the rental report.

To apply for a certificate of rent arrears, please contact your local customer service center. You can find the telephone number of your local customer service center or service point here or send us an email to kundenzentrum@howoge.de .

If you took over your apartment unrenovated, you can return it unrenovated as well. If this is the case, this will be documented in your handover report. Otherwise, the cosmetic repair clauses in your rental agreement and the agreements in your handover report apply.

Renovations/cosmetic repairs fully completed according to the MV and protocol, apartment is completely cleared and cleaned, all keys returned according to the handover protocol