Germans up in arms over insane rent hikes

Tens of thousands of people are poised to join marches against Mietwahnsinn, or "rental insanity", in Germany on Saturday. Housing rental prices have risen sharply in the country in recent years. [AFP]

Michaela Franz initially thought she was spared sharp rent hikes when her new property owner scrapped plans to renovate the Berlin building she has lived in for a decade.

In fact, something worse was brewing. A few days later, she received a letter notifying her that her rental contract had been terminated and that she would have to move out by the end of May.