The construction of five houses for a workers' housing cooperative has been delayed due to a shortage of workers. It is winter and it is foreseeable that the houses will be completed in the fall at the latest. However, this takes too long for the young electrician Gustav. He is frustrated and wants to finally live within his own four walls. So far, he and his wife Christl, a sales clerk, have been subletting from his parents-in-law. One day, he receives a visit from his Aunt Minne, who informs him that he has inherited an apartment building worth 12,000 marks from his deceased Aunt Erna. He rejoices, as a house is even better than an apartment and he no longer needs to be a member of the building cooperative. The house turns out to be a dilapidated old building with no furniture and no water or electricity. Christl refuses to move into the building and begs Gustav to turn down the inheritance.