Cost Increase in Housing Due to Implementation of New Standards?
In a recent development, the German Institute for Standardization (DIN) has proposed a draft for a building safety standard aimed at owners and operators of residential buildings. However, the proposal has sparked controversy, especially in Baden-Württemberg, where the Minister of Housing, Nicole Razavi (CDU), has expressed concerns about the potential impact on housing costs.
Razavi has stated that she hopes the draft never becomes reality and has made it clear that Baden-Württemberg will not include these standards in its state building code or technical building regulations. Her concerns are shared by the Landesverband Haus & Grund Rhineland Westphalia, whose President, Konrad Adenauer, has urged DIN to take responsibility for affordable housing and consider which unnecessary standards can be removed to make building and living affordable again in Germany.
The draft, which is 40 pages long, covers a range of topics, including the securing of gutters, safety of balcony railings, fire extinguisher checks every two years, potential tripping hazards, house number visibility, and step height. The DIN has refuted allegations that these measures would make housing more expensive, stating that the standard compiles and specifies existing requirements, with no additional costs beyond fulfilling legal obligations expected.
However, Razavi believes that these measures would not increase safety but rather drive up costs and rents. She finds it unacceptable that DIN continues to propose new measures for residential building owners. Notably, criticism of the planned standard has not been explicitly documented in the provided search results, and no specific institutions criticizing this standard are mentioned.
In a stance opposing the proposed standard, Housing Minister Klara Geywitz (SPD) has stated, "There will be no building safety check." Geywitz aims to protect landlords from additional bureaucracy and tenants from new ancillary costs. As of now, no comments have been received on the draft so far, and it can still be publicly commented on until April 7.
The DIN's response to the allegations that the planned standard would make housing more expensive is that the standard is intended as a practical guide for owners and operators of residential buildings, aiming to ensure safety while minimizing costs. The institute invites all stakeholders to review the draft and provide their feedback before the deadline.
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