When they hear that an architect is coming to look over their apartment building, the residents of this East Berlin building get all panicky, because they believe the landlord intends to kick them out and replace them with people able to pay higher rents. They form a tenants' association, electing Cosima to sort things out, and try to appeal to the landlord's better nature. What she discovers is that the building managers are unaware that the real owner is a drunken bum named Klaus who has been so out of touch that he is unaware that his father (the previous owner) is dead. She and all the tenants set out on a campaign to sober Klaus up and get him to take an interest not only in his life, but in this all-important building. In this comedy, this is just what happens.