Malente: Huge property tax increase hits tenants and owners hard!

Malente: Huge property tax increase hits tenants and owners hard!

In the picturesque communityMalenteIt will be significantly more expensive for many homeowners and tenants. The property tax reform was originally intended to keep citizens' financial burdens at a constant level. However, more and more municipalities seem to be taking advantage of the opportunity to increase their revenue through new calculations. In Malente, an average cost increase of an impressive 29 percent can be expected.

The financial situation in the municipality of Malente is alarming. The first budget draft for 2025 shows a shortfall of around 3.4 million euros. This development is forcing the local government to rethink property taxes, especially since revenues are no longer sufficient to cover ever-increasing expenses. In order to alleviate the financial difficulties, property tax B will be increased significantly.

Malente's mayor advocates for additional revenue of 927,000 euros

Mayor Heiko Godow from the CDU called for a tax rate of 700 percent, which would generate additional income of around 927,000 euros. “Even 1,000 percent would be necessary to seriously address the financial problems,” said Godow. However, this number remains unrealistic because it cannot be enforced in society and the political landscape. Nevertheless, he emphasized that the opportunity to improve the income situation was urgently needed in order to obtain an approved budget and enable the construction of a new sports hall.

The urgency of these measures is underlined by the expiring deadlines for funding. If the comprehensive project, which is expected to cost 6.5 million euros, is not implemented by 2025, a grant of three million euros could be lost. These financial bottlenecks make the property tax increase unavoidable, even if it will represent a significant burden for many citizens.

Things are getting more expensive for homeowners and tenants in Malente

The impact of the property tax levied becomes concrete when you look at the tax burden for an average single-family home in Malente. This is currently 362 euros per year, but after the reform and the upcoming adjustments this amount will increase to up to 736 euros. In certain cases, the additional burden can be up to 374 euros, which for some owners means doubling the original tax burden.

It is clear that the reform, which provides for a more pronounced focus on the current value of properties, is not beneficial for all owners. While some homeowners could save up to 112 euros through the adjustments, others face an increase of up to 178 euros. With the current decision, the short to medium-term financial impact on households in Malente is enormous.

Local politicians are willing to adjust the assessment rates, but the discussion about the exact figures is far from over. Some representatives, such as Carmen Weber from the SPD, are calling for the decision to be postponed until clearer and more reliable data is available. The proposal to reduce the assessment rate to 600 percent was nevertheless accepted by a majority and could increase tax revenue by around 527,000 euros, but would not completely cover the shortfall.

For homeowners and tenants in Malente it is clear: the financial burden will increase, and the uncertainties in the political design of the property tax reform are anything but reassuring.

Further information on these developments is available at www.ln-online.de to find.