Mith view of the energy crisis and rising gas prices, a Frankfurt apartment owner has turned off the gas and thus also the hot water for his tenants. In court, however, he failed in his attempt to defend himself against the city of Frankfurt, which had intervened and obliged him to restore the gas supply. The corresponding urgent application against the city’s decree was rejected (Az. 8 L 1907/22.F), the Frankfurt Administrative Court announced on Friday.
The apartment owner had therefore interrupted the gas supply for his tenants on June 30th. He justified this with supply bottlenecks and price increases for gas because of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, he also wanted to protect his tenants from rising costs. He thinks it is reasonable for the tenants to heat the water in the kitchen and to heat it with electric fan heaters.
Hot water as a minimum standard
An elderly resident in need of care then contacted the city of Frankfurt, which asked the landlord to restore the hot water supply within a week. The landlord took legal action against this order, but was unable to assert himself before the Frankfurt Administrative Court. The court held, among other things, that the supply of hot water is one of the minimum standards for decent living.
An appeal against the decision of the Administrative Court can be lodged with the Hessian Administrative Court within two weeks of delivery. According to the administrative court, the district court in Frankfurt has already issued an injunction against the landlord to protect the tenants.
