Day 153: A Snow Clause for the Student
At her grandmother's kitchen table in Linz, Nika (A), a law student, helps Roswitha (B) draft a rental contract for the small flat in her garden, which Roswitha wants to let to a student.
How to study this lesson 3 steps
- Read the situation under the title. It says who is talking and how they know each other, which decides how politely they speak.
- Read the dialogue line by line with its translation, until every line makes sense. Point at (or tap) a German word to see what it means.
- Spend at least 30 minutes listening to native German, for example from the Resources page. It doesn't matter if you don't understand it yet.
Dialogue
Audio recordings are on the way. For now, each lesson is the dialogue with its English translation.
Keys: E hide English · ← → previous / next day · point at a word to see its meaning
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A
So, Miete, Kaution und Kündigungsfrist stehen drin, Oma. Fehlt dir noch irgendeine Klausel, bevor ich den Mietvertrag ausdrucke?
Right, the rent, the deposit and the notice period are in, Grandma. Is there any other clause you want before I print out the tenancy agreement?
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B
Der Schnee! Der Student muss den Gehsteig räumen, und das will ich schwarz auf weiß haben, denn wer schreibt, der bleibt.
The snow! The student has to clear the pavement, and I want that in black and white, because what's in writing stands.
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A
Da hast du sogar juristisch recht: Rutscht jemand aus, liegt die Haftung erst mal bei dir. Du schützt dich, indem du die Räumpflicht verbindlich auf den Mieter überträgst.
You're even right in legal terms: if someone slips, the liability lies with you to start with. You protect yourself by making the duty to clear the snow binding on the tenant.
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B
Vorsicht ist eben die Mutter der Porzellankiste. Und schreib hinein, dass der Gehsteig um sechs in der Früh schon geräumt sein muss.
Better safe than sorry, that's what I say. And put in that the pavement has to be cleared by six in the morning.
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A
Sechs Uhr steht ohnehin im Gesetz. Aber was ist, wenn er über Weihnachten heim nach Vorarlberg fährt und es genau dann einen halben Meter schneit?
Six o'clock is in the law anyway. But what if he goes home to Vorarlberg over Christmas and we get half a metre of snow right then?
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B
Dann muss er halt eine Vertretung organisieren, sonst schaufle ich selber, und er zahlt mir zwanzig Euro pro Einsatz.
Then he'll just have to find someone to stand in for him, or I'll shovel it myself and he pays me twenty euros a time.
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A
Du bist ja strenger als jede Hausverwaltung! Gut, ich sichere dich ab, indem ich eine Klausel zur Vertretung aufnehme.
You're stricter than any letting agent! All right, I'll cover you by adding a clause about a stand-in.
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B
Vertrauen ist gut, Kontrolle ist besser: Den Vertrag lese ich mir morgen in Ruhe durch, Frau Anwältin.
Trust is good, but checking is better: I'll read the contract through properly tomorrow, Madam Lawyer.
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