The epidemic has led to economic recession. Will the rental market also be low? Friends who are renting in Germany may be disappointed: In the first half of 2020, rents in 61 major cities in Germany have continued to rise!

This conclusion comes from a survey by the real estate information website Immowelt. Experts studied the rents for apartments in 40 to 120 square meters in 80 major cities in Germany and compared them with the same period last year. The conclusion shows that not only have three-quarters of the cities' rents increased, but the rents in cities such as Offenbach and Reutlingen have even increased by more than 10%!

In addition, the average rent in Augsburg has also increased by 6%. According to Immowelt's explanation, these are all cities that are "close to large and high-priced economic centers", which means that they will be the living choices of many commuters. As for the big cities themselves, although the increase is not so high, the absolute number is also quite alarming:

• Cologne: 11.1 Euros per square meter (+5%)
• Frankfurt: 14.5 Euros per square meter (+4%)
• Hamburg: 12.2 euros per square meter (+3%)
• Stuttgart: 13.4 Euros per square meter (+3%)
• Munich: 18.8 euros per square meter (+2%)

Another unexpected change is that the rent of many university towns showed a downward trend in the first half of 2020, while it has been steadily increasing. Experts believe that one of the reasons for this may be that many universities have adopted the form of "cloud classrooms" this year, resulting in a reduction in the number of new students looking for accommodation in the local area.

• Erlangen: 10.7 euros per square meter (-2%)
• Ulm: 10 Euros per square meter (-3%)
• Heidelberg: 11.1 euros per square meter (-4%)
• Münster: 10 euros per square meter (-5%)
• Freiburg: 11.9 euros per square meter (-5%)

However, no matter whether the rent in the city is rising or falling, a group of tenants will not be able to escape the fate of being terminated by the landlord this fall-affected by the epidemic, the federal government had previously stipulated that the landlord should not urge the arrears of rent before June 30 this year. But this protection has now expired, and although the economic situation of the tenants' damage may not have been alleviated, the landlord still has the right to drive away the tenants who owe rent.

The most affected will be renters whose rent expenditure exceeds 30% of their income. The German Tenant Association is calling for an extension of the deadline for the above tenant protection policy: "Since the company's bankruptcy application can be suspended until September, why are tenants left alone? This is incomprehensible."