Tenant Terrorizes Neighbors in Hamburg: Authorities Powerless?
Hamburg, July 23 – For around 16 months, residents of an apartment building in the Hamburg-Mitte district have been reporting nocturnal shouting, threats, right-wing extremist slogans, and property damage by a neighbor. NDR investigations show why no single authority can solve the problem alone.
All neighbors who spoke with NDR wish to remain anonymous. The man’s nocturnal shouting is particularly distressing, with several residents describing how they barely get any sleep. They structure their daily routines around whether the man can be heard in the stairwell or on the balcony. One woman calls her father in the evenings to pick her up at the front door after walking her dog. Parents rarely let their children play in the inner courtyard.
The man repeatedly throws objects from his balcony. According to neighbors, trash, mirrors, furniture, and glass regularly land in the inner courtyard. Many residents have to pass under the balcony to leave the house.
Man is a Known Figure in the Neo-Nazi Scene
According to NDR investigations, the man is a long-known figure in Hamburg’s neo-Nazi scene. Residents report racist, anti-Semitic, and misogynistic remarks. NDR also has videos that allegedly show car tires being damaged. Police are investigating the 65-year-old on suspicion of property damage. The presumption of innocence applies.
More Than 100 Police Deployments
Police can intervene in cases of disturbing the peace or individual criminal acts. However, they cannot evict someone from their home or permanently remove them. The police informed NDR that there have been more than 100 deployments related to the house this year. In more than 80 cases, the reason for deployment was noted as “disturbing the peace,” and in more than a dozen cases, “hooliganism.”
The police are in regular contact with residents and continuously assess potential threats. In specific incidents, they can intervene and pursue possible criminal offenses. However, they cannot order a permanent removal from the apartment.
Why SAGA Cannot Evict Immediately
The residential complex belongs to the municipal housing association SAGA. The company confirms that it is aware of the complaints. However, as a landlord, it can only take action under tenancy law and depends on reliable documentation from neighbors and findings from investigative authorities.
In cases of disturbing the peace, incidents must first be recorded in disturbance logs. Typically, a warning follows. Only in the event of repeated violations are extraordinary termination and ultimately an eviction lawsuit possible. Legal deadlines must be observed. According to the affected residents, noise logs, videos, complaints, and a petition with names from the entire neighborhood have been submitted for months.
When Compulsory Measures are Possible
According to the social authority, adults are generally allowed to refuse assistance – even if their behavior significantly burdens their environment. Compulsory placement, for example, by the social-psychiatric service, is only permissible if there is an acute danger to oneself or others, this is professionally confirmed, and the danger cannot be averted by milder means. An independent court decides on this.
Court Orders Eviction
The leverage therefore lies in the tenancy law procedure. According to the Hamburg District Court, an eviction lawsuit has been ongoing since October 2025. In February 2026, the man was initially ordered to vacate and hand over the apartment by a default judgment. His lawyer filed an objection. After an oral hearing, the Hamburg District Court confirmed the eviction on July 10, 2026. In its judgment, the court describes that the nocturnal shouting was “audible several floors away” and woke neighbors. Furthermore, the disturbances documented in the noise logs were not disputed by the defendant.
Eviction Deadline Until the End of September
The judgment further states that the documented behavior is suitable “not only to massively disturb the night’s rest but also the domestic peace.” The court concludes that a doctor’s certificate of the defendant’s illness does not justify the repeated disturbances and threats. It also found that the documented disturbances continued until the end of the oral hearing. Due to his health situation, the Hamburg District Court finally granted the defendant an eviction period until September 30, 2026. The judgment is not yet legally binding. The defendant can appeal to the Hamburg Regional Court.
The case shows: Tenancy law procedures take time – and patience. According to the District Court’s judgment, which NDR has seen, SAGA repeatedly warned the tenant in the summer of 2025. Only after repeated warnings did the extraordinary termination and finally the eviction lawsuit follow in October. For the residents, the decision initially means: Although something has moved legally, nothing changes in their daily lives for the time being. And this has been the case for about 16 months now.
Source: https://www.ndr.de/nachrichten/hamburg/mieter-terrorisiert-nachbarn-in-hamburg-behoerden-machtlos,mieterterrorisiertnachbarn-100.html
