Smart home as a tenant – what is actually allowed
The topic of “smart home” has become more and more important in recent years, and every year at IFA, manufacturers present the latest products and innovations that homeowners can use to make their homes “smart”.
Only it is that most people in Germany are not homeowners but tenants. And here then quickly the question arises what is possible and, above all, allowed. Although the options are limited in most cases, but also as a tenant, you can make your home smart.
Smart home as a tenant – what is actually allowed
The topic of “smart home” has become more and more important in recent years, and every year at IFA, manufacturers present the latest products and innovations that homeowners can use to make their homes “smart”.
Only it is that most people in Germany are not homeowners but tenants. And here then quickly the question arises what is possible and, above all, allowed. Although the options are limited in most cases, but also as a tenant, you can make your home smart.
What you are allowed to do as a tenant
As a tenant, you have basically the right to do in your apartment and leave what you want unless you violate the house rules or contractual agreements.
That leaves you as a tenant a whole lot of room to make your Mietwohung “Smart”. So you may, for example, also home appliances and control devices (eg: light switch) installed in the apartment, and part of the rental property are integrated into your smart home.
These include, for example:
- Heating thermostats
- stove
- fridge
- Washing machine
- light switch
With all changes you make to devices that are part of the rental property, it is important to know that the landlord may require an excerpt to return everything to its original state. So be sure to make sure that all the changes you make here are also “residue-free” back. Because otherwise it could happen to you when moving out that the landlord either requires you to restore everything as it was at the beginning of the lease, or it is a company beautragt. In this case, it can then really go into the money.
In order to really play it safe you should talk to your landlord if the legal situation is unclear and ask for it (in writing).
The easiest way to make your apartment of course in the field of consumer electronics smart, since these are usually not part of the rental property. So you have a completely free hand, and you can let off steam.
Personal voice assistants are especially popular as control units for all smart home devices. They can be integrated easily and quickly. This technology is now absolutely on the rise, and with each new generation is getting better as the devices are capable of learning, and can perform more and more complex commands.
For example, you can use combined instructions such as “Kitchen light + coffee machine on + radio on” to start the day. The most popular language assistants in the market are currently Google Home and Amazon Echo. These have integrated an ever-increasing range of voice commands.
What you are allowed to do as a tenant
Personal voice assistants are especially popular as control units for all smart home devices. They can be integrated easily and quickly. This technology is now absolutely on the rise, and with each new generation is getting better as the devices are capable of learning, and can perform more and more complex commands.
For example, you can use combined instructions such as “Kitchen light + coffee machine on + radio on” to start the day. The most popular language assistants in the market are currently Google Home and Amazon Echo. These have integrated an ever-increasing range of voice commands.
Beware of structural changes
As you have seen, there are a number of ways for tenants to set up their “smart” home. The possibilities mentioned by us are only a small part of what is actually in the meantime in the market.
However, caution is always required for tenants if structural changes are made to the leased property. The official definition of what structural changes are can be found in the law on home ownership (applies to Germany) as follows:
Structural changes (§ 22 Abs. 1 WEG)
Structural changes within the meaning of the Housing Property Act are considered to be any permanent remodeling of the common property in its existing form that deviates from mere maintenance and repair as well as modernization, not only from buildings but also from undeveloped land. Structural changes always require the consent of all owners who are affected beyond the bounds of an orderly coexistence. In practice, with only a few exceptions, all homeowners are affected.
In plain language, this means that if, for example, walls were pried open to lay cables in it, then this is in any case a structural change that would only be able to be dismantled without leaving much residue. Again, the principle applies that if you are unsure, you should speak in any case with your landlord about your project, and get the written permission for it.
The same applies to a video peephole, where you can comfortably see from the sofa on the tablet or smartphone who is in front of the door. You should only use it if the gap of the old door spy is the same size so that you can restore it to its original state later. If so far no peephole was installed, it is again a structural change of the rental property in which you need the consent of the owner / landlord.
With a smart doorbell, it looks like you, as a tenant, often live in an apartment building, where the ringing is permanently installed at the bottom of the building. If you were the only one there to install your premium doorbell, then there would certainly be a debate in the house.
Apart from that, not only would the landlord spoil the bill, but also the property management / owner community. Because at this point your landlord has only limited power of determination, since it is community property.
As you have seen, there are a number of ways for you as a renter to implement your smart home, but also a few pitfalls to watch out for.
Important:
If you require the consent of your landlord, you should always make sure that the consent to structural changes described in detail in detail, and to sign. Because oral agreements are nothing but “sound and smoke” and have no weight in the event of a later legal dispute.
Beware of structural changes
As you have seen, there are a number of ways for tenants to set up their “smart” home. The possibilities mentioned by us are only a small part of what is actually in the meantime in the market.
However, caution is always required for tenants if structural changes are made to the leased property. The official definition of what structural changes are can be found in the law on home ownership (applies to Germany) as follows:
Structural changes (§ 22 Abs. 1 WEG)
Structural changes within the meaning of the Housing Property Act are considered to be any permanent remodeling of the common property in its existing form that deviates from mere maintenance and repair as well as modernization, not only from buildings but also from undeveloped land. Structural changes always require the consent of all owners who are affected beyond the bounds of an orderly coexistence. In practice, with only a few exceptions, all homeowners are affected.
In plain language, this means that if, for example, walls were pried open to lay cables in it, then this is in any case a structural change that would only be able to be dismantled without leaving much residue. Again, the principle applies that if you are unsure, you should speak in any case with your landlord about your project, and get the written permission for it.
The same applies to a video peephole, where you can comfortably see from the sofa on the tablet or smartphone who is in front of the door. You should only use it if the gap of the old door spy is the same size so that you can restore it to its original state later. If so far no peephole was installed, it is again a structural change of the rental property in which you need the consent of the owner / landlord.
With a smart doorbell, it looks like you, as a tenant, often live in an apartment building, where the ringing is permanently installed at the bottom of the building. If you were the only one there to install your premium doorbell, then there would certainly be a debate in the house.
Apart from that, not only would the landlord spoil the bill, but also the property management / owner community. Because at this point your landlord has only limited power of determination, since it is community property.
As you have seen, there are a number of ways for you as a renter to implement your smart home, but also a few pitfalls to watch out for.
Important:
If you require the consent of your landlord, you should always make sure that the consent to structural changes described in detail in detail, and to sign. Because oral agreements are nothing but “sound and smoke” and have no weight in the event of a later legal dispute.
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