Struggling Family Teetering on Brink of Homelessness Following Job Centre's Cut in Payments
In a recent turn of events, Sahra M., a single mother of three, has successfully averted eviction from her home in Berlin. The eviction notice, issued by Deutsche Wohnen, was due to payment arrears caused by Sahra's job centre. However, on Friday, Deutsche Wohnen withdrew the eviction notice, marking a relief for Sahra and her family.
The situation unfolded when Sahra, who lost her partner suddenly last year, found herself responsible for her family's housing expenses. The job centre had been paying Sahra's rent directly since June 2025, a responsibility Sahra was unaware of, as the payments were being transferred directly to the landlord.
Helena Steinhaus, an advocate from the association Sanktionsfrei, criticized Deutsche Wohnen for initiating both summary terminations without considering Sahra's personal situation. Steinhaus has now proposed a different agreement: if there are no payment arrears for six months, Deutsche Wohnen should waive the eviction claim resulting from the two eviction notices.
This incident has sparked a conversation about eviction processes for tenants on welfare in Berlin. To prevent and reform such eviction processes, ensuring fair treatment and minimizing unnecessary hardship, the following approaches are key:
- Strong tenant protection laws: These laws limit eviction grounds and require due process to protect vulnerable tenants, such as those receiving welfare benefits.
- Access to legal aid and counseling for tenants: This reduces the risk of arbitrary or unfair eviction by helping tenants understand and enforce their rights during eviction proceedings.
- Alternative dispute resolution mechanisms: These mechanisms, like mediation, can find solutions that avoid eviction, such as payment plans or temporary rent reductions.
- Social support and housing assistance programs: These programs offer emergency funding or alternative accommodation to tenants on welfare who face eviction, thus preventing homelessness and reducing hardship.
- Reform of tenancy laws: This could include caps on rent increases or special protections for welfare recipients to avoid forced displacement.
- Project-based housing vouchers or subsidies: These can provide stable, affordable housing for vulnerable groups, reducing the risk of eviction.
Although Berlin-specific reforms are not directly addressed in the search results, lessons from other jurisdictions indicate that effective reform combines legal tenant protections, supportive social policies, and access to housing subsidies.
Upon learning of the impending eviction, the job centre immediately initiated supportive measures, contacting the social housing assistance and the landlord. The payment backlogs for Sahra M. were likely due to multiple small bureaucratic decisions. The job centre spokesperson referred to the four-eyes principle in performance processing to prevent similar cases in the future.
Deutsche Wohnen aims to avoid evictions and approaches tenants early to discuss solutions. The Berlin Jobcenters have stated that the rent arrears were fully settled and transferred to the landlord in April. The rent for October 2024 was temporarily suspended, and rent payments resumed from April 2025, settling the arrears for Sahra M.
This case serves as a reminder of the importance of fair housing policies and the need for stronger tenant protections and social support services in Berlin. As the city continues to navigate these issues, it is crucial to prioritise the well-being of its most vulnerable residents.
- In light of Sahra M.'s case, it's crucial to advocate for science-based solutions that promote workplace-wellness and health-and-wellness initiatives for single parents, such as flexible working hours, mental-health support, and fitness-and-exercise programs, to help them manage their responsibilities more effectively and reduce the risk of financial stress related to job loss.
- The city council, in its efforts to ensure fair housing and promote health-and-wellness, should consider implementing policies that address the unique challenges faced by single parents on welfare, such as providing access to subsidies for fitness-and-exercise resources and mental-health services, thus supporting their overall well-being and ability to maintain stable housing.
- As part of a comprehensive approach to improve health-and-wellness and minimize evictions in Berlin, it's essential to invest in mental-health programs for job centre staff, ensuring they are better equipped to handle sensitive cases like Sahra M.'s and offer appropriate support and resources to prevent similar situations in the future.
