The city of Lüdenscheid refuses help: the slope continues to slide

The city of Lüdenscheid refuses help: the slope continues to slide

A homeowner in Lüdenscheid, Ingo Mewes, has been faced with a problem since the flood event in summer 2021: a slope on his property is continuously slipping, potentially endangering his home. The house, built in 1932, was renovated after the flood and is in excellent condition. Mewes noticed the slope movements after the flood and has since tried to take measures to stabilize the property.

After Mewes discovered that the sliding slope was partly owned by the city, he sought support from the city of Lüdenscheid. Despite efforts and discussions with the city administration, which insisted that the security measures were the responsibility of the homeowner, no solution could be found. Mewes' proposals to share the costs of securing the slope or to purchase the section of the slope from the city were rejected.

The city of Lüdenscheid emphasized that, in accordance with the North Rhine-Westphalia Neighborhood Rights Act, securing the slope lies on the homeowner's property. Other houses in the neighborhood already have retaining walls. The city examined the possibility of selling the urban portion of the hillside to Mewes, but decided that this area needed to be kept clear for future road expansion.

Ingo Mewes feels let down by the city and expresses the wish for more humanity in the situation. The financial and physical effort that would be required to secure the property alone is currently not feasible for him. Despite the frustrating stalemate in problem resolution, Mewes remains hopeful that a mutually acceptable solution can be found to protect his home and property.