Housing benefit decision: calculate the deadline for objection or court action
The housing benefit office decides on your Wohngeld: grant, amount, refusal or repayment.
How to recognise the letter
- The sender is the housing benefit office of the city or district.
- It grants, refuses or reclaims housing benefit.
- At the end, the instructions on legal remedies: objection or court action.
Which deadline applies?
Objection or court action – as the letter's instructions say: one month after notification (§ 70 Abs. 1 VwGO bzw. § 74 Abs. 1 S. 2 VwGO). If the end falls on a Saturday, Sunday or public holiday, the deadline ends on the next working day (§ 31 Abs. 3 VwVfG / § 57 Abs. 2 VwGO i. V. m. § 222 Abs. 2 ZPO). The calculator on this page works out the exact day – step by step.
Whether objection first or straight to court depends on the federal state; the instructions on legal remedies apply.
What happens if you do nothing?
Once the deadline has passed, the decision becomes final.
Your options
- Send missing proof
- Object or go to court – as the instructions say
- If income or rent changed: make a new application
- Advice: social advice, tenants' association
Who can help?
Housing benefit office (ask), tenants' association, social advice
Frequently asked questions
Objection or court action?
That depends on the federal state. What the instructions say applies; the deadline is one month after notification either way.
How much time do I have?
One month after notification (§ 70 Abs. 1 VwGO bzw. § 74 Abs. 1 S. 2 VwGO). If the end falls on a Saturday, Sunday or public holiday, the deadline ends on the next working day (§ 31 Abs. 3 VwVfG / § 57 Abs. 2 VwGO i. V. m. § 222 Abs. 2 ZPO). The calculator above shows the exact day with every step.
Who can help me?
Housing benefit office (ask), tenants' association, social advice.
General information, not legal advice. Whether this decision is correct and what is right in your case is for an advice centre or a lawyer to say. Laws link to the official German text at gesetze-im-internet.de.