Illegal holiday apartment Cologne

What actually is a Holiday Apartment Cologne ? Well, that is a very interesting question that also has a certain political character and has been raised quite often in the press and the media in the last few months.

Are there any illegal vacation rentals ??!

Classically, a vacation home is always or very often associated with vacation. Especially in the south or north of Germany there has always been and probably always will be holiday apartments. So these are furnished apartments in which people or whole families spend their vacation! Hui, sounds completely normal and very peaceful and stands in stark contrast to the coverage of the last few months in the press. There, the operators of holiday apartments were always insulted, labeled as criminals, because they operate "illegal" holiday homes ?! Oops, what and why is that so? We want to take a closer look at the history of the apartment!

There has always been a furnished rental!

The provision of furnished living space for residential purposes has always existed and probably always will. No matter how hard certain groups of people try to prevent this. So the Müller family is now going on vacation to Bavaria with two children and moving into a holiday apartment there. It is a furnished apartment that actually almost always has its own kitchenette, so that you can determine your entire daily routine yourself. So you live completely self-determined in this apartment for a certain period of time. In the apartments there were and are of course beds, a table, chairs, a television, a toilet, a shower and whatever else you need to be able to live in them. Actually just like at home!

A similar picture is of course also known in the north by the sea! Holiday homes and apartments that give people a place to live and relax . You have probably already noticed that the purpose of a holiday home is always living as such. There are no commercial activities or sales seminars taking place there, rather people live and sleep there. That was it! It was and always behaved in a similar way in many large cities with the so-called exhibition rooms, which were occupied by business people. These were not always complete apartments, but mostly only rooms that were used for sleeping. There was also often access to the shower and toilet. These exhibition rooms were of course mostly to be found in large cities where business people were looking for cheap accommodation for the night. So we see very quickly that there has always been rental of living space in Germany.

Why all the stress?

The number of providers of private, furnished living space has increased. Why not! Why, as a hard-working citizen, shouldn't one be entrepreneurially active? The only condition here should of course be: normal neighborhood law applies and the income generated (regardless of whether from daily, weekly or monthly rental) should be properly taxed. After all, everyone in Germany has to pay taxes. Ok, so far everything is clear? We cannot find anything objectionable about the activity of a furnished rental ! It continues! But now many cities are claiming the rental of furnished living space (no matter what you like to call it: Cologne holiday apartment or exhibition room Cologne or just private rooms) is illegal? Why? Renting out a holiday home does not automatically constitute a criminal act, does it? The general conditions of the rental must be examined here in order to understand such a blanket claim.

Who is the owner of the holiday home?

We'll start with the most important point: Who is actually the owner or owner of the apartment ? In Germany we do not live under a dictatorship and also in a free market economy. The state should not and must not interfere in the private affairs of its citizens. So much for the thesis! So I am now buying an apartment in Cologne and am now paying a decent chunk of real estate transfer tax for it, since the real estate transfer tax in North Rhine-Westphalia has increased from three percent in a short time and almost annually to over seven percent has been increased ! Respect, here the state can earn quite a lot from selling or buying an apartment. Then of course I also pay the annual property tax and you would think that the state or the city should be satisfied ?! But far from it! We shall come back to this point later.

So I buy an apartment and voluntarily forego a great vacation or a fancy motorcycle, which my neighbor has now indulged in. He smiles at me because I want to do something for my pension. Incidentally, he only lives to rent and has been moaning for weeks that a rent increase is pending! He should pay 50 euros more for the same apartment! That is of course unbelievable! I have just transferred a few thousand euros to the tax office (real estate transfer tax). I have great pity for my neighbor and say goodbye to him on his Mallorca vacation, by the way in a holiday apartment, because they are cheaper than the hotels! He's right!

So, I am now proud the owner of a new apartment and I am as happy as a snow king! My apartment! At least I thought ... There are cities that have issued a so-called Housing Protection Ordinance and they clearly tell me what to do with my apartment ?! I beg your pardon? Isn't that my apartment ?! No, deceived. I am not allowed to leave the apartment empty and only let it under certain conditions. Huh? Wait a minute, what was that called again in 12th grade at high school, in class (social sciences), when the state interfered so intensively in the private affairs of its citizens? Aaaach, it's been too long, I've forgotten. But I don't have a good feeling about it anymore.

This is my apartment!

If I would like to rent this apartment furnished, then a monkey dance will begin for me! I am not allowed to rent it out for a short time, as this is illegal and I am also damaging my dear neighbor who, by the way, is still at the mall and keeps his feet in the sun. But it is also very difficult for him, since the bad real estate owners keep increasing the rents. And if you also rent out the apartments furnished, then you also "rob" living space ?! Now I feel really bad!

So this apartment belongs to me and I make it habitable by furnishing it beautifully and thus enabling perfect, furnished living. hot!
If I rent the apartment furnished for a short or long period, then this is probably my right: because it's my apartment! The rental income is properly taxed and everyone is happy. You should think so, but unfortunately that's not how it is. It is certainly a different matter if you secretly rent an apartment (the landlord believes that the apartment is occupied by me on a monthly basis, and in fact it is sublet as Ferienwohnung Köln ) in order to capitalize on it beat. In our opinion, this is not correct, because the landlord is being fooled. However, if he agrees to this type of subletting, then that is certainly fine too. But only if the rental income is properly taxed. So far we cannot find any criminal energy or something forbidden, which justifies the term "illegal" vacation home.

Is there really no more living space?

Is it so dramatic that people have to sleep on the street because they can no longer find an apartment? If you read the newspapers, you have to accept this! Housing shortage in Berlin! Berlin is taking action against illegal vacation homes in order to get the housing shortage under control! Um, how was that again? I mean I would have read that the city of Berlin has more than 7,000 furnished apartments that it rents out itself. Hmm, supposedly there are about 12,000 illegal holiday apartments missing in Berlin so that people no longer have to sleep on the street? I don't understand it anymore ... The city has 3.5 million inhabitants (2012) and somehow everyone wants to go to the middle of Berlin and live there.

Ok, at some point the apartments will be gone, occupied, rented and you can't rent an apartment more than once! So, briefly on the Internet and lo and behold, here comes the official number: In (end) 2008 there was a housing stock of 1.89 million in Berlin! That doesn't even sound so bad anymore! If I assume that the city of Berlin and the responsible urban development department has built more apartments every year to keep up with the population growth, then there can be no problems at all! I read that the city of Berlin will have around 144,000 new residents in three years. So that's around 48,000 people every year. Respect!

The building authority approved only 22,365 apartments for construction in 2015! You quickly find out something is wrong here: that’s not enough ! But I can reassure you, because not only career-hungry young hipsters are moving to Berlin, but also families, couples and those who want to become it very quickly. So if only singles move to Berlin, then it won't work! However, there is one danger in the future: Berlin is tight! It just doesn't work anymore because all the free space will soon be built up! Only free building space for 155,000 apartments! Well, that's the way it is! If the parking lot in front of the supermarket is full, then there is no revolution. It's just a logical phenomenon: at some point the bucket is full! Then you just have to get a bit out of the city center of Berlin, because there are probably still empty prefabricated buildings. And maybe you want to target these singles too ?! They simply "occupy" an apartment that one could also live in as a couple ?! That will not do! Could also be illegal, that should be checked. Ok, a quick look at our initial problem: The "illegal" vacation homes account for 0.0063492063492063% of our housing emergency in Berlin. Now it sounds like we have the solution! Jupiieh! No, you quickly notice that something is wrong here and that people are shooting at sparrows with cannons.

The impression can arise that a scapegoat for this apartment situation is being sought and found in a simple way. Please answer the question yourself whether the questionable treatment of the landlords of furnished apartments (also known as holiday apartments) in Berlin is correct and will solve the problem. Perhaps the Senate in Berlin could simply "throw" its 7,000 furnished apartments back onto the housing market and the problem will certainly be solved. But we are also talking about a problem that is not a problem. The problem is the singles who simply block the available apartments with their selfish behavior and thus artificially reduce the housing market in Berlin!

Yes, now we have it! Finally! The solution is there! We just need in Berlin more togetherness and maybe also a state or municipal sponsored sweetheart to reduce this number of singles in Berlin. And also necessary: We are simply building a wall around the city so that foreigners can no longer move into the city. Especially the creative Americans, who flood the city with their numerous, creative and intelligent start-ups and then of course block and shorten the apartments, they only exacerbate the problem. No, it was all a joke and a pure hypothesis and not meant seriously. But maybe these sentences also cause a rethink in the minds of those responsible! Hopefully.

And do holiday apartments also make living space more expensive?

One often hears that the holiday apartments are to blame for the fact that the living space is so expensive. Sorry, but unfortunately we cannot see a causal connection here. As we have already stated in our explanations above, normal development and steady population access mean that a city is simply full at some point. And as we learned earlier in school, a shortage of goods often leads to an increase in the price of the corresponding item. Living in Berlin has meanwhile also developed into a trend. Everyone wants to go to Berlin, and everyone wants to go to Munich too!

So these are hot spots that attract thousands of people, including from abroad! So if a lot of people want to live there and maybe 10 people want to move into an apartment, then the landlord can of course gamble with the prize. If something is coveted, the price goes up too! For example, nobody will rehearse a riot in a Mercedes store when they want to buy a Mercedes. Either you pay the price or you just buy a much cheaper Dacia. Nobody will call the seller a crook or imply "illegal" activities. This is called the free market economy and major German politicians have ushered in this and were celebrated for it. Why is a normal development in the market now so demonized?

Cologne is growing too!

And of course a city as beautiful as Cologne grows every year. And of course more and more apartments have to be built here in order to slow down the rise in rents or purchase prices. We don't want a situation like in China, where people live in 10 square meters of boxes and pay 700 euros for them. Nobody wants to go there and it won't come to that, because we have a very good infrastructure and you don't necessarily have to live in the old town of Cologne! And if you really want to live there, then you shouldn't complain that it might be a bit more expensive there. You remember the example above with the Mercedes. Cologne is becoming more and more attractive and we are also glad that many people here carry their money into the city every year. Also from abroad! Because the trade fair in Cologne Deutz with its large international trade fairs attracts thousands of business people to the city every year. These bring a lot of money with them, from which all local business people benefit!

Money ends up not only with the city of Cologne in the form of taxes, but also with many restaurant operators, supermarkets, taxi drivers, ice cream parlors, prostitutes, the Cologne transport companies, pubs, bars and local retailers. As you can see, we all benefit when a lot of people are interested in the city, when many companies settle here and that is precisely why many people move to Cologne. Of course, this automatically means that the city and thus also the housing market is becoming more and more crowded and more and more people are interested in a single apartment. But for God's sake, it's not the fault of the landlords of furnished apartments!

Panorama Köln — Everyone wants to move to Cologne! Here you can see why!

Basic right to his property

We live and Germany and there is the Basic Law: free choice of occupation and so ... basic right to property ! And the Condominium Act: I can rent and lease my apartment (it's my property!) As I want! The housing protection statutes disregard these basic rights of a German citizen. That cannot happen in a constitutional state. Therefore, we absolutely welcome the fact that the city of Berlin must now answer to the court and hope that other cities will amend the statutes accordingly if it turns out that they were not drawn up correctly. I once learned at school like this: The Basic Law is paramount!

The laws that then follow in the lower rank must always adhere to the Basic Law and must not violate it. That cannot happen in a constitutional state. Just imagine you are buying an expensive car, maybe a beautiful oldtimer, and you only want to drive it in summer and take it easy. But you are not allowed to, because the city of Cologne has drawn up statutes that say: if you have a car, please drive it. But only in pairs, because otherwise there is no environmental protection ?! Huh ?! Yes, you always have to take someone with you now, otherwise you will have to pay a fine and if you are so nice and voluntarily report this abuse, then you will of course be exempted. You just have to pay a corresponding cathedral sponsorship fee. After all, everyone has to do something for Cologne Cathedral! How can that not be? Sure, of course! Real estate owners have to endure that too. Equal rights for everyone!

Unequal treatment in holiday homes

We'll see again to Berlin, where the rental of holiday apartments is making the biggest waves in the press. Landlords of holiday apartments should now pay up to EUR 100,000 if they want to comply with their basic rights! How is that possible? Could it be that Berlin will secretly split off again from the Federal Republic of Germany? Do they no longer know the Basic Law and the Condominium Act there? Free State of Berlin? If you look at the matter a little more closely, you will make a strange observation: The "misappropriation" in Berlin was provided with an inventory, which is a farce! You shouldn't use the living space in Berlin to rent a furnished apartment (regardless of whether you call it a holiday home or temporary living or a furnished apartment, these are all terms that are currently used in society and may be called completely different in a few years ) or open a doctor's practice there (Condominium Act: I can rent out my apartment and lease it to a doctor, for example). But now the acquis for renters of holiday apartments has simply ceased to exist and the "misappropriated" rooms for doctors' surgeries and offices may remain in place ?! Huh, how does that work? Either limit both incorrectly or neither, but now this distinction?

Ok, we come back to the proportion of holiday apartments in the housing stock: you remember? It was about 0.006 percent! A huge number! This gives the impression that it is actually not about the housing stock to be protected ?! Because then the medical practices would also have to lose their ownership ?! Wait a minute, let's think about it, if it is not about the housing stock as such, who or what could then be interested in making the rental of holiday apartments more difficult difficult, or even preventing it? Hmm, I can't figure it out… We'll start at the beginning: a city like Cologne, for example, is very attractive and a lot of people come to the cathedral city every year. They are tourists and business people and they usually stay for more than just a day, but may also have to spend a few nights in Cologne and then need a bed to sleep in! Yes, that's right, "the need" arises! So there is inevitably a market for overnight stays and if business people want to stay longer in the city of Cologne, then also for longer periods of living. Well, now let's look at the players for this market ... No, we stop here. Of course, these are all just speculations and each reader can now push them forward for himself. So you see, it's not quite as simple as it is always portrayed in the media.

Illegal holiday apartments in Cologne?

Are there any illegal holiday apartments in Cologne ? That sounds so criminal ?! Yes, can the actual possession of a furnished apartment in Cologne already constitute a criminal offense? !!! Watch out! Do not buy a furnished apartment in Cologne, because then you are automatically targeted by criminal investigations! Yes, you suddenly have to comment on what you are doing with the apartment, how long it may not be used and whether you might not even have to pay a cultural tax, since you offer accommodation! Please what? Yes, exactly: the bed tax is back and brings another dimension to this area, which I do not want to go into further, as there are still too many ambiguities here. Just one thing in advance: The bed tax has already existed in Cologne and was then declared null and void in a dispute in court. Everything gone and now back again, just with a different name.

But back to the illegal holiday apartment in Cologne. So what's the illegal thing about it? When you rent out, you get rent! You earn money. And in Germany you have to pay taxes for it. And that's just as well. Because our life has to be organized somehow, if you just think about the schools, streets and kindergartens in Cologne. Everything costs money and the state has to create a reasonable framework for our society. That has always been the case and it is a good thing! So if you regularly take rent by renting out a furnished apartment in Cologne, then of course you have to pay taxes for it. That is only right and whoever does not adhere to it is making himself a criminal offense and does not behave legally, not to say: illegal!

Aha, there is the term yes. So it is not the Cologne holiday apartment that is illegal, but the way in which you deal with your income. The term illegal holiday apartments in Cologne is therefore totally unclear in its statement and gives a wrong impression. Namely, that the rental of such an apartment as a holiday apartment (which the BGH expressly calls a Rental for residential purposes ) is not entirely legal. And that's wrong. So the media use wrong terminology all the time! So it is not the holiday home that is illegal, but tax evasion that can possibly happen if you do not pay tax on your regular rental income.

Grundrecht Koeln — Gelten in der Domstadt noch die Grundrechte?!

Apartment Cologne as a generic term

The terminology of "Cologne holiday apartment" has solidified in society (in other cities, of course, with different city names) and established as a useful type of accommodation. Many people appreciate the freedom and independence of such a holiday home, which is rounded off by an attractive price. It is particularly popular with young people to rent a holiday apartment in Cologne and have a long sleep there and have breakfast at 12 noon, when it is no longer possible in the hotel. Since a holiday apartment is actually always equipped with its own kitchen, you can of course have your own self-determined living and live without any problems. And of course you don't have to go to a restaurant and spend a lot of money for every dish you want to eat! You can easily make the pasta yourself in the kitchen of the Cologne holiday apartment and save money and can also comfortably drink a glass of wine with your wife: open end!

Single Küche — A kitchen is usually included in every apartment!

A holiday apartment in Cologne is nothing more than a furnished apartment with complete equipment that can be rented for residential purposes for a certain period of time. This is how we see it, but unfortunately scholars are arguing over and over again at this point. Unfortunately, actually completely wrong, because there are already two important judgments on this point that clearly underline our attitude to this topic! And I don't think anyone wants to face a judge from the BGH ?! Ultimately, this is a very high judicial authority in Germany and if this is spoken there, then the "small" cities in Germany should actually also adhere to it! It is now very easy to rent out one's own furnished apartment at once through portals such as:

Airbnb
9Flats
Wimdu

There are now a lot of apartments that private individuals sublet quickly and easily, and now regularly. Because once you've noticed how easy it is and how quickly you can earn money, then you don't stop so quickly. But what many forget is that this regular way of renting - in the sense of tax law - is definitely an entrepreneurial activity and therefore of course also has to be taxed! And if you don't do that, then it's illegal and puts an entire profession in a dark light, in which we don't even want to be!

Ideal for city trips

Especially if you want to go on a city trip as a couple or as a small family, because you might want to see Cologne Cathedral or simply want to immerse yourself in the well-known and popular Cologne life with all its ease and hospitality, then A holiday apartment in Cologne is absolutely perfect here! Because there you not only receive flat rates as a group or couple, but also get a feeling of Cologne life, because you can actually become a small part of it, even if only for a certain period of time. Meet nice neighbors and watch the goings-on in cafes, restaurants and supermarkets in Cologne. Life in Germany is becoming more and more expensive and families in particular look up again at the famous "pfennig", which actually doesn't exist anymore. As already mentioned, you will usually receive package deals in such holiday accommodation that the hotels in Cologne do not offer. That alone saves several hundred euros, depending on the length of stay. And if you then have to eat in the restaurant every day because you can't cook in the hotel, then such a short excursion can quickly turn into a weighty affair.

In addition to the savings, the often cited independence is of course a very important factor, especially when children are involved. Because sometimes children can override a perfectly planned daily routine very quickly and you can then react a little easier in an apartment. The comfort and the loving details in a holiday accommodation are also in the foreground: Maps, books, a great decoration and maybe even a DVD player convey a cozy and homely feeling, which of course should come first on vacation. If you feel good, then you can relax and relax! Appointments and stress for breakfast should be avoided so that your vacation in Cologne is a complete success!

Business people also appreciate the advantages of a holiday apartment

But the holiday apartments in Cologne are now not only popular with tourists, but also with business people, who are more and more regular customers in our holiday apartments for exactly the same reasons. A managing director of a medium-sized German company once said to me: "Of course I can also afford a good hotel room in Cologne, but why should I pay more money for the same service?" And that is probably exactly the reason why the hotels in Cologne now also have to carry out a self-analysis and orientate themselves to the market and especially to customer requirements.

Because last but not least, this customer is the king and decides on the basis of their guts where they would like to spend the night. Many factors flow into this decision and then the customer, the guest, the tenant or whatever you like to call them choose their favorites! Congratulations and welcome to a great and interesting city and we look forward to welcoming you as our guest ! We want to be a good and popular figurehead for the city and greet our guests with joy and gratitude. When the guest notices this, he feels welcome and of course feels right at home! Just think for a moment how you would rate a stay in Brazil during the Carnival? Laughing and friendly people to welcome you there! This is exactly why you have positive and satisfied feelings and will definitely find a stay there very interesting!

Köln Messe — Somehow everyone wants to go there! To the Koelnmesse!

Now back to the business people: Of course, they also want to work with their laptop from time to time, which is why it makes sense and is almost necessary that internet access can be made possible somewhere in the apartment. No business without the Internet , that's the way it is nowadays! And of course business guests also need a good shower and a bathroom with toilet. Of course, a lot of business travelers come back to the trade fair in Cologne Deutz from time to time. Numerous international trade fairs and events take place there regularly. The "place to be", so to speak! And that's why we are of course very happy that we can also offer you our holiday apartments or trade fair apartments at this location, depending on what you want to call them.

Basic equipment of such an apartment

The most important aspect when setting up such an apartment is: you have to be able to live there completely independently and independently. This is the basic requirement to enable beautiful living. We therefore want to briefly go into the most important furnishing elements in such an apartment. Of course, the apartments don't always have to be set up according to the same scheme. There is certainly a possibility of variation! So nothing is set in stone! And now it starts! We start with the actual living space in such a holiday apartment and assume that there is also a place to sleep in it because our apartment is not that big. There are no three rooms, only one room with shower and toilet, the hall area and then a living room. It is therefore a classic city apartment, which many also know under the term student apartment, as it is not that big.

The typical size of such an apartment is around 20-30 square meters and these accommodations are sometimes also called single apartments, although this does not mean the relationship status of a person. This living space must therefore contain a double bed so that a couple can sleep in it very comfortably. Depending on the size of the apartment, a sofa bed can also be placed there so that a third person could sleep there. In any case, the spatial layout and size of the apartment should be taken into account. Of course, there is no point in adding a sofa bed in a holiday apartment if it is only 20 square meters. This then becomes a little "impractical" and is absolutely impractical. No, you have to keep an eye on the suitability for everyday use and think carefully about which furniture you can put in the holiday accommodation. With a corresponding size and available space, however, the following should definitely be available:

double bed
Sofa bed, which is used when occupied by three people
Flat screen TV
Dresser
Wardrobe
beautiful decoration
Sufficient light: a floor lamp
Table and chairs

If you also have more space and ideas, you can of course put more furniture in the trade fair apartment. Regardless of whether it is for business or pleasure, you should always think of both groups of people and align your facility accordingly.

What should definitely not be missing is a small or large kitchen so that the tenants can also provide for themselves. In a small single apartment this is of course a single kitchen! A refrigerator, at least 2 hotplates and the sink. Perfect! Breakfast or lunch can be served there. The noodles are quickly cooked or the ravioli warmed up. Appropriately, of course, there is always a kettle and coffee maker in every apartment. So the day can come. For security reasons, we recommend not using a toaster. This represents a major security risk and that is why we do not have a toaster in any of the apartments! The risk of fire or the risk of heavy smoke development is simply too great. Either there is a large table in the apartment where the tenants can take their meals or there is a small high table right next to the kitchen area. Just take a look how it fits.

In addition to the coffee machine, the complete kitchen equipment should of course not be missing! Dishes, cutlery and pots and pans, so that you can also arrange your pasta or sausage. Simply all the things you need to cook in the kitchen.

So, cooked, slept and now off to the bathroom! An apartment should at least have a shower and toilet. Business people in particular do not necessarily want to share this personal area with other, strangers! This is why nowadays (perhaps in contrast to the past, where only private rooms with shared bathrooms were rented) are actually only rented for self-contained apartments and rooms. The standard has been raised tremendously, so that a private bathroom with a corresponding toilet is a matter of course. If you can top that with a beautiful luxury bathtub, you are king! And a few little things also belong in a bathroom, which round off this area and its use: