FDP on housing

The FDP wants to boost housing construction with better tax depreciation, fewer requirements and faster permits. New government rules that make building more expensive would be halted immediately. The goal is more affordable housing.

The FDP wants more homes to be built. Building should become faster and cheaper. Many building rules should go. Offices should handle requests faster. If the office does not answer in time, the request counts as approved.

The special depreciation from the Wachstumschancengesetz (Growth Opportunities Act) would continue without restrictions. Building requirements would be cut to minimum standards for building energy, fire and health protection and structural safety; the simplified "Gebäudetyp E" building class serves as the model, including for state building codes. Environmental assessments the FDP considers superfluous would be dropped, and designating new building land would be made easier. Uniform nationwide standards are meant to promote serial construction. Planning would be fully digital, with building information modeling (BIM) as the standard.

The FDP does not want to extend the Mietpreisbremse (rent brake) and rejects a nationwide rent cap. In its view, the regulation deters investors and private landlords and so worsens the housing shortage.

The rent brake limits rents in new leases. The FDP wants this rule to end. It also wants no rent cap for all of Germany. The FDP says companies build more homes with fewer rules.

The rules on utility and service charges would be simplified so that renting out property stays attractive for private individuals. The caps that limit rent increases after energy-efficiency renovations would be loosened. The FDP argues that tenants also benefit through lower utility costs. Overall, the party wants to scale back rental market regulation to encourage new construction.

The FDP regards Wohngeld (housing benefit) as the right tool to help people with low earnings. It wants to coordinate it better with Bürgergeld (citizen's income) and other benefits so that additional work pays off more.

Housing benefit helps people with low pay cover their rent. The FDP thinks this benefit is right. It wants to match it better with other aid. People who work more should end up with more money.

The platform criticizes that the interplay of housing benefit, citizen's income and other benefits often makes work unattractive, especially full-time work. This system would be recalibrated. Support is meant to reach those whose income is not enough despite working.

The FDP wants to exempt the purchase of a first owner-occupied home from real estate transfer tax up to 500,000 euros. The allowance would rise by 100,000 euros per child. The aim is to help more people become homeowners.

People pay a tax when they buy a home. The FDP wants to drop this tax for the first home you live in. This applies up to a price of 500,000 euros. Each child adds 100,000 euros.

The allowance would apply to individuals who buy their first home and live in it themselves. Families would get an extra 100,000 euros of allowance per child. In addition, money from company pension plans could be used to buy a home. The platform cites Switzerland as the model.