Reasonable costs

When determining what constitutes an appropriate living space size, the following values from the living space usage regulations are authoritative in North Rhine-Westphalia:

In addition to size, the cost of housing is also an important factor in assessing the adequacy of housing.

The local municipal authority responsible—in this case, the City of Hagen—determines what constitutes reasonable costs. These reasonable costs are specified in the local guidelines for SGB II.

The costs are determined based on a coherent framework or the housing allowance table (with a surcharge). These are subject to ongoing updates and adjustments. Currently, the following rent values (gross rent excluding utilities = base rent plus utilities, excluding heating costs) are considered reasonable.