House under monument protection: Claudia Ruth pays an extra 30,000 euros

House under monument protection: Claudia Ruth pays an extra 30,000 euros

Family struggles with authorities' madness over monument protection

The Ruth family from Hanau experienced an unexpected dispute with the lower monument protection authority, which not only enriched them with some experiences, but also made them 30,000 euros poorer. It all started with a roof renovation on her terraced house, which was suddenly stopped after the monument office intervened. It turned out that their house was subsequently listed and they had to use expensive plain tiles, which resulted in significant additional costs.

Claudia Ruth and her family were surprised by this development because they had no knowledge that their house was a listed building. The Lower Monument Protection Authority in Hanau viewed the terraced houses as a whole and emphasized the importance of the “beaver tail roof landscape”. Other homeowners in the area were also unaware of the heritage regulations and had used different roof tiles without any problems, leading to confusion.

Despite the additional financial outlay resulting from government requirements, the Ruth family had to continue construction to avoid further damage. Possible funding from the State Monuments Office was not considered due to time and bureaucratic hurdles. This placed additional strain on the family as they faced health challenges faced by her husband.

The story of the Ruth family is an example of the complexity and unpredictability of historic preservation regulations. Officials emphasized the need to preserve historic rooftop landscapes while property owners have a responsibility to educate themselves about permitting requirements. This case highlights the challenges associated with heritage preservation and how this can unexpectedly impact homeowners' living conditions.