Because of a mistake in a foreclosure auction in 2010, a family from Rangsdorf in Brandenburg is said to have their house demolished and the property vacated. As announced by the Brandenburg Ministry of Justice in Potsdam on Thursday, the Higher Regional Court in Brandenburg an der Havel ruled that the previous owner had not lost his property because of the error.
He had not been properly informed of the impending foreclosure. The family who built a home there are now expected to vacate the property within a year. However, the judgment is not yet final.
The ministry said the family may have claims against the country once the decision is final. A working group should analyze the verdict, the ministry is striving for an out-of-court settlement.
“The state is responsible for replacing the material damage caused by the error in the foreclosure sale,” said Justice Minister Susanne Hoffmann (CDU). She is confident that an “appropriate solution” will be found together with the family, “which will prevent further suffering”.
