After a period of over 20 years, the Ring Deutscher Makler Landesverband Berlin und Brandenburg e.V. (RDM) can now extend its membership across the entire federal territory. A corresponding judgment by the Berlin Regional Court in the legal dispute with the Immobilienverband Deutschland (IVD) is now legally binding. This decision lifts the previous restrictions that resulted from the merger of the VDM and RDM associations to form the IVD in 2005.
The lifting of these restrictions now allows the RDM Landesverband Berlin und Brandenburg e.V. to acquire brokers and property managers from all German federal states as members. This represents a significant change in the association's structure and activities.
Nationwide representation of professional interests
Markus Gruhn, the chairman of the RDM Landesverband Berlin und Brandenburg e.V., commented on this matter, emphasising the renewed ability to operate nationwide without restriction and represent brokers and property managers from all regions of Germany. He highlighted that real estate professionals across the entire federal territory will now have access to an RDM association that actively represents their professional interests.
The current legal situation allows brokers and property managers from all over Germany to become members of the RDM without delay. This grants them access to a strong advocacy group whose influence extends beyond its original regional focus to cover the whole of Germany. This development has the potential to reorganise the association landscape in the German real estate market and strengthen the RDM's position.
Historical context of the decision
The legal dispute and the now legally binding judgment bring an end to a period of geographical restriction lasting over two decades for the RDM Landesverband Berlin und Brandenburg e.V. The limits originally set out in the association merger, which prohibited nationwide member recruitment, have thus been permanently lifted. This innovation is expected to influence the competitive dynamics within real estate associations.
