Bottrop Local Court, 23/09/2024, Ref.: 12 C 44/24
Case 12 C 44/24 of the Bottrop Local Court deals with the eviction and surrender of a rented flat due to termination without notice. In this article, we shed light on the legal background, the key facts of the case and the relevant legal principles.
Case Background
The plaintiffs, owners of a house in Bottrop, had rented a flat to the defendant and his now deceased wife. The rental agreement was concluded on 26 August 1981 and contained a lifelong right of residence for the defendant. The monthly basic rent was 245.00 euros.
In 2023, the plaintiffs took over the house and demanded to be evicted due to various incidents. They stated that the defendant had significantly disturbed the peace of the house on several occasions, including by threatening their daughter, who is also a tenant in the house.
Termination without notice
The plaintiffs gave the defendant notice of termination without notice on 20 February 2024. As the main reason, they cited a threat in which the defendant allegedly threatened the plaintiffs' daughter with the words "I'll shoot you". In addition, the dismissal was renewed on 23 May 2024 after a further incident in which the defendant allegedly physically attacked and choked the daughter.
The plaintiffs felt compelled to take legal action because the situation had become intolerable for them and they were worried about their daughter's safety.
Arguments of the parties
Plaintiff's side
The plaintiffs claimed that the defendant's behaviour was a lasting disturbance to the peace of the house and made it unreasonable to continue the tenancy. They argued that the threat constituted a serious breach of contract that justified immediate termination of the tenancy. They argued that it was no longer possible to live together under these circumstances.
Defendant side
The defendant, on the other hand, claimed that he had only reacted to threats from the plaintiff. He stated that he had only told the plaintiff that he would use his alarm gun if he tried to gain unauthorised access to the flat again. The defendant argued that his behaviour was provoked by the plaintiff's threats and that he only wanted to protect his property and privacy.
The court decision
Bottrop Local Court ruled in favour of the plaintiffs and ordered the defendant to vacate and hand over the flat. The decisive factors were:
- Legal basis: The court based its decision on the provisions of the German Civil Code (BGB), in particular Section 543 (1) BGB, which permits termination without notice for good cause.
- Persistent disturbance of the peace of the house: The court considered it proven that the defendant had permanently disturbed the peace of the house.
- Threat as a criminal offence: Pursuant to Section 241 (1) of the German Criminal Code (StGB), the threat made constitutes a criminal offence.
- Missing warning: Due to the seriousness of the incident, a prior warning was not necessary.
The court was convinced that the statements of the plaintiffs and the witness were credible and that the threat to the defendant constituted a serious breach of contract.
Consequences of the judgement
The defendant was ordered to vacate the flat and hand it over to the plaintiffs. The defendant shall bear the costs of the proceedings. To avert enforcement, the defendant must provide security of 2,940.00 euros. This means considerable financial consequences for the defendant.
Legal categorisation
The judgement shows that landlords can successfully enforce termination without notice in certain cases if serious breaches of the peace can be proven. § Section 543 (1) BGB provides a clear basis for landlords to achieve an immediate termination of the tenancy in the event of danger to life and limb.
Lessons learnt from the case
- Documentation is crucial: Landlords should carefully document all offences in order to provide reliable evidence in court.
- Pay attention to security deposits: Tenants should be aware of the financial consequences of an eviction action.
- Act quickly in the event of a threat: Landlords should not hesitate to take legal action if there are serious threats.
Conclusion
The case 12 C 44/24 illustrates the scope of threats in tenancy relationships and the legal options available to landlords. The decision by Bottrop Local Court sets an important precedent for similar cases and shows that the protection of domestic peace is a top priority.
Source: Bottrop Local Court
Important Note: The content of this article has been prepared to the best of our knowledge and belief. However, due to the complexity and constant changes in the subject matter, liability and guarantees are excluded.Important Note: The content of this article has been prepared to the best of our knowledge. However, due to the complexity and constant changes in the legal field, we exclude liability and warranties.
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