Felicitas Sommer featured in recent Deutschlandfunk Nova Article: "Rent Cap"

Mietpreisbremse – nur, wenn du Stress machst

Felicitas Sommer, affiliated researcher at SODA, was recently interviewed by Rahel Klein on Deutschlandfunk Nova’s Unboxing News. The episode, titled “Mietpreisbremse – nur, wenn du Stress machst” (“Rent cap – only if you make a fuss”), aired on May 30, 2025. It reviewed the rent cap law, now extended until 2029, and presented findings from the Munich Rent Survey (LMU & TUM, GreenDIA).

Sommer’s research shows 13–38 % of Munich tenants could invoke the cap—but only 2 % succeeded. To apply it, tenants must first confirm their city is covered, then use the local rent index to calculate the average comparative rent, and check if their cold rent exceeds it by over 10 %. Few know these steps, and the procedure is complex. Many who try face hostility or threats from landlords.

Link to the full article in German: Click here