The following cover letter is an example of the modernization announcement sent to you. The customized data has been removed. You can have the sample letter translated into several languages here. However, for a translation of your individual cover letter, please contact a translator.
Modernizations at Sewanstrasse 124-130: We are creating living spaces with a future
* This page has been translated via Google's Cloud Translation API. HOWOGE does not edit the content.
We improve your quality of life! Your house will be renovated!
Good day,
In our letter dated January 23, 2025 (notification of repair work), we already informed you that the top layer of plaster on the facade of your apartment building will be completely renewed. As a result, we will be modernizing the building, which includes your apartment, starting in May of this year. This will primarily improve your quality of life in the long term. The following measures will be carried out:
at the residential building:
- Facade work (1. *)
- Roof (2.)
- Other (3.)
*A detailed description of the measures and the planned construction times can be found in Appendix 1.
We thank you for your understanding and will do our best to minimize any inconvenience.
1. Information on the construction period
Construction work is expected to begin on May 4, 2026 and is expected to end on October 31, 2026 .
If the planned construction dates are postponed (see Appendix 3), we will announce this in a timely manner. Naturally, no construction work will take place on public holidays within the specified periods.
2. Do you require support during the construction period?
If you have any questions or require assistance due to your age or a physical disability, please feel free to contact us:
- by telephone: 030 / 54 64 30 00
- by email: kundenzentrum@howoge.de
3. Investment costs and modernization levy
We expect to invest a total of €2,559,412.88 in the construction project.
The costs for all maintenance work will be covered by us, HOWOGE. We will only pass on the costs for modernization measures to your total rent, in accordance with legal regulations and the requirements of the Berlin Senate.
| Total cost of this measure: | Amount |
| of which total repair share: | Amount |
| of which the total modernization share is: | Amount |
| Monthly modernization levy absolutely before capping: | Amount |
| Monthly modernization levy per m² before capping: | Amount |
| Cap amount per m²: | Amount |
| Monthly modernization levy per m²: | Amount |
| Your estimated monthly modernization levy: | Amount |
Please note that this breakdown is based on estimated costs. Once the construction work is completed, we will be able to inform you of the actual costs incurred and your resulting monthly charge as part of the modernization statement. At the same time, we expect the planned measures to reduce your heating and hot water costs, assuming your usage patterns remain unchanged.
For this reason, we ask you to refrain from asking about the specific amount of the levy until the modernization bill is issued.
Legal information regarding the modernization project can be found in Appendix 5.
4. Affordability guarantee, hardship clause and special right of termination:
With the cooperation agreement "Affordable Rents, New Housing Construction, and Social Housing Provision," we guarantee that your rent will remain affordable. This means that the net rent (excluding utilities) may not exceed 27% of your household income, provided you meet the requirements for a housing entitlement certificate (WBS) and the living space is within the specified limits (Article 2, Section 3, Paragraph 4 of the Berlin Housing Act). If your rent is higher, you can apply for a rent reduction to reflect this percentage of your income. Further information can be found at: http://www.howoge.de/leistbarkeitsversprechen
or contact kundenzentrum@howoge.de.
We would like to inform you today that you may be entitled to housing benefit due to the present modernization announcement.
Please note that, in accordance with § 555d para. 2, 3, 4 of the German Civil Code (BGB), you must inform us in writing of all reasons that constitute a hardship for you due to the modernization work by the end of the month following receipt of this announcement.
Furthermore, you have a special right of termination: You can terminate the lease agreement at the end of the second month following receipt of this notice (§ 555e para. 1 BGB). The termination notice must be given by the end of the month following receipt of the modernization notice.
5. Further information for you:
More detailed information on the measures and legal notices can be found in:
- Annex 1: Description of construction measures
- Annex 2: Cost splitting and modernization levy
- Annex 3: Legal Notices
Best regards
Your HOWOGE housing company mbH
Annex 1: Description of the construction measures
Facade work, construction period: May 4, 2026 to September 30, 2026
It's on
The facade was clad with a thermal insulation composite system consisting of plastered mineral wool insulation boards and showed significant plaster damage. The tile covering, present in some areas, was loose and threatened to fall off.
The damaged plaster and loose tiles in the area outside the balconies were completely removed in 2025.
The insulation was not removed and remains on the facade.
The insulation performance of the existing insulation layers no longer meets modern standards. The insulation is 8 cm thick and has a thermal transmittance of 0.40 W/(m²K).
The paint on the insulated base of the building is faded and dirty.
The concrete and plaster surfaces of the canopy structure are heavily weathered and in need of renovation.
Construction measures and consequences
We will now additionally insulate the exterior surfaces of the external thermal insulation composite system (ETICS) of the facade, from the top of the plinth to the roof, with further 12 cm thick mineral wool insulation panels of thermal conductivity class 035, in accordance with the requirements of the German Building Energy Act (GEG) 2020, thus improving the energy efficiency of the existing ETICS. The insulation layers have a thermal transmittance of 0.17 W/(m²K).
The balconies are excluded from this. Only the top layer of plaster will be renewed there.
Furthermore, we will replace the existing window sills with new ones that have the required larger projection or depth.
All connection joints will be renewed and replacement nesting sites created in accordance with the ornithological report. The existing lightning protection system will be professionally dismantled and reinstalled.
The concrete and plaster surfaces of the canopy structure will be repaired. Roof drainage will be achieved through infiltration into newly created swales in the green spaces.
To carry out the aforementioned measures, the facade will remain fully scaffolded. Furthermore, we kindly request that you completely clear your balcony for the duration of the work between May 1, 2026 and September 30, 2026. Use of the balcony will not be possible during this period.
Added value (before-and-after comparison)
The insulation measures will lead to energy savings, which, depending on your individual heating and ventilation habits, will also have a positive impact on consumption and operating costs. According to the planning office's calculations, the final energy demand in your house will be reduced from the current 860,563 kWh/year by 87,543 kWh/year to 773,020 kWh/year. This saving entitles us to include the costs for upgrading the external thermal insulation composite system and the resulting follow-up work in the service charge. We consider the remaining costs as maintenance.
Measures that sustainably reduce final energy consumption are considered modernizations according to § 555b paragraph 1 of the German Civil Code (BGB).
Roof work construction period: May 4, 2026 to October 31, 2026
It's on
The roof seal and the connections to the roof edge and the built-in components were leaking in some areas, allowing water to penetrate.
The waterproofing was partially renewed or repaired in 2025.
The connecting components of the roof edge and the roof edge flashing are sometimes damaged and must be renewed due to the insulation work on the facade.
Construction measures and consequences
In our letter dated January 23, 2025 (announcement of repair work), we already announced the following measures to you:
- Repair of the roof waterproofing of the main roof in sections.
- Renewal of existing built-in components, such as roof drains, roof hatches, skylights and stack vents
- Retrofitting of safety-relevant equipment, e.g. anchor points, rope systems and markings
- Renewal of the rainwater pipes in the knee wall.
- Repair of the roof sealing of the house entrance canopies, including renewal of the downpipes of the porch roofs
Due to the insulation measures on the facade, it is also necessary to professionally renew the connection between the facade and the roof.
Added value (before-and-after comparison)
The subsequent work on the roof will reduce our final energy consumption as planned. Accordingly, we will include the resulting additional costs in the cost allocation calculation. We consider the remaining costs as maintenance expenses.
Measures that sustainably reduce final energy consumption are considered modernizations according to § 555b paragraph 1 of the German Civil Code (BGB).
Other information: Construction period: May 4, 2026 to October 31, 2026
It's on
The building's stairwells contained original steel basement access doors. These no longer met current standards and were replaced in 2025.
In some places, the pipes in the basement were not properly sealed. The repairs are not yet complete.
Old garbage chutes were still located in the stairwells of Sewanstrasse 126 and 128. They were decommissioned in 2025.
Construction measures and consequences
In our letter dated January 23, 2025 (announcement of repair work), we already announced the following measures to you:
- Replacement of the basement access doors in the stairwells with new fire doors
- fire protection sealing or cladding of the pipes in the basement
- Decommissioning of the garbage chutes in the two stairwells with existing garbage chutes (Sewanstrasse 126 and 128)
The costs of these measures will be fully accounted for as repairs.
Annex 2: Cost splitting and modernization levy
Calculation basis:
| Total living area: | Value m² | Your living space: | Value m² |
|---|
| trade | Total costs including ancillary construction costs in € | Maintenance costs in € | Modernization costs in € | Modernization surcharge in €/m² |
| 1. Facade work | Amount | Amount | Amount | Amount |
| 2. Roof work | Amount | Amount | Amount | Amount |
| 1. other | Amount | Amount | Amount | Amount |
| sum | Amount | Amount | Amount | Amount |
To keep your rent burden as low as possible, we will limit the modernization surcharge to a maximum of €2.00/m² of living space within six years, based on the applicable cooperation agreement between the Berlin Senate and the state-owned housing companies. Since the aforementioned modernization surcharge is lower than €2.00/m², it will not be capped. The modernization surcharge as stated on page 2 of this letter, point 3, applies: This amount will be charged monthly for your apartment.
Annex 3: Legal information regarding the upcoming modernization
Pursuant to Sections 555a, 555b, and 555d Paragraph 1 of the German Civil Code (BGB), you are obligated to tolerate maintenance and modernization measures. We therefore request that you declare your acceptance of the announced measures (Appendix 1) and provide your consent to the transfer of personal data (Appendix 2).
Please feel free to use the contact methods described above.
As you have gathered from our previous explanations, some of the measures implemented qualify as modernization, as they improve the rental property and save on heating energy and water – in accordance with Section 555b, Nos. 1 to 7 of the German Civil Code (BGB). Pursuant to Sections 559 et seq. of the German Civil Code (BGB) and the regulations in the Berlin Housing Supply Act (WoVG Bln) or the applicable cooperation agreement between the Berlin Senate and the municipal housing companies, we are entitled to distribute the resulting modernization costs among the individual apartments in a reasonable proportion.
According to legal regulations, we can increase the annual rent by 8% of the incurred costs, § 559 para. 1 of the German Civil Code (BGB). To keep your rent burden as low as possible, we will limit the modernization surcharge to a maximum of €2.00/m² of living space within six years, based on the applicable cooperation agreement between the Berlin Senate and the state-owned housing companies. The exact calculation basis and the resulting rent increase will be taken into account at the time of billing.
Since this is an energy-efficient renovation, we would like to politely point out that the legislator has excluded the right to a rent reduction for a period of three months with § 536 (para. 1a) BGB.