Hamburg – For Emilian Busch (19) and his five friends it almost meant the end: They were standing together on the balcony of a newly rented apartment when the balcony tilted forward by 90 degrees!
The six fell nine meters into the depths. Miraculously, everyone survived.
What can you do to ensure your balcony safety?
How can I be sure that such an accident won’t happen on my balcony? The press office of the Senate Department for Urban Development in Berlin advises tenants to first inspect their balconies themselves. Is there visible damage such as cracks or rust on the steel beams? For wooden balconies: How dilapidated does the wood look? If you feel unsafe, tenants should ask the property manager or owner to renovate or replace the balcony.
What to do if the landlord does not respond to the concerns?
If the landlord does not respond, tenants can contact the local building inspectorate. They will send an assessor. A building expert or structural engineer can professionally assess the load-bearing capacity of the balcony. If defects are actually found, the landlord must pay a fine.
An official review can be carried out for your own balcony Important: There must be evidence that something is wrong.
Be careful with Wilhelminian style houses!
Facade of a Wilhelminian style house in Berlin-Prenzlauer Berg.
Foto: picture alliance / Caro
Many social housing projects in Germany were built in the Wilhelminian years between 1860 and 1920. At that time, no structural proof was required for balconies. And it was the time of the industrial revolution when construction began with reinforced concrete. This material must be replaced after around 100 years in any case, otherwise the steel will rust.
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At the unfortunate apartment building in Hamburg However, it is neither a social housing unit nor a Wilhelminian-era building. And the balconies are less than ten years old. The reason why the balcony collapsed is now being investigated.
