Spandau Tenants Pressure Gewobag Over Cold Flats and Broken Footpaths

Ruben Norgall, 63, has lived on the Obstallee in Spandau for three and a half years. He relocated from Hamburg to Berlin specifically to find a disability-accessible flat — his back was damaged by years of heavy physical labour as a casual worker, during which he had to load 70-kilogram sacks onto railway wagons. Today, a failing heating system makes his condition worse. According to Norgall, the heating currently functions only up to the third floor, and the resulting cold causes him constant back pain. Last year brought similar difficulties: the heating was not switched on until mid-December and was already turned off again in February. Technicians have visited the building, but Norgall says little has changed — heat is still only reaching the lower floors. Alongside the heating problems, residents are also dealing with broken footpaths around the blocks. Together with fellow tenants, Norgall is now collecting signatures to press Gewobag, the housing company that manages the estate, into taking meaningful action. The signature drive reflects a growing sense among residents that they have been left without adequate support.