The utility bills will soon be fluttering into the home for the first households.
This should definitely be checked carefully.
An overview of what needs to be considered.
Munich – The service charge bill is likely to become a cost shock for many in 2023.
After all, the prices for a number of consumers have almost doubled over the past year.
It is all the more important to carefully check the documents sent by the landlord.
According to a study by the Rhineland-Palatinate consumer advice center, two thirds of all heating bills are incorrect or at least in need of clarification.
Check the heating bill: Here's how
It is therefore clear: Consumers should take a very close look at this point in the utility bill.
An overview of what you need to look out for when calculating heating costs:
Billing period
: The billing period should be exactly one year and follow the billing from the previous year.
Prepayments
: The heating costs are usually already included in the ancillary costs for the rent.
Accordingly, you always make a corresponding advance payment.
Be sure to check that the correct amount is stated here on the statement.
Especially if your upfront payment has been adjusted over the year due to high energy prices.
Energy costs
: The landlord is allowed to pass on the costs of buying oil, gas or district heating to the tenants.
Just like the additional heating costs, which include the chimney sweep or maintenance costs.
However, the landlord must bear any repair costs himself.
Residual inventory
: If you live in a house that is heated with oil or LPG, you should definitely check the remaining inventory on your statement.
As the consumer center explains, a remaining stock of zero liters is often simply given here.
However, it is extremely unlikely that oil or gas supplies will be at zero at the end of a heating season.
Prices for energy sources that are not connected to
the grid: When using heating oil, pellets or liquid gas, the “first in – first out” principle also applies.
Landlords who have received an expensive and a cheap heating fuel delivery in one year, for example, must not simply form an average value.
The cheaper delivery must therefore be calculated first.
Distribution key:
The distribution key is specified in the rental agreement.
It determines how the heating costs are distributed among the individual residential units.
This may only be changed after a corresponding announcement by the landlord and then only at the beginning of a new billing period.
If you find any discrepancies or inconsistencies in your heating bill, you can seek advice from an expert at the consumer advice center.
Ancillary cost settlement: The landlord may apportion these costs
But not only the heating costs should be checked in the annual statement.
After all, there are a total of 17 different ancillary costs that landlords can pass on to their tenants.
According to
ImmoScout24, these are:
property tax
water supply costs
waste water costs
heating costs
Charges for hot water supply
Costs for connected heating and hot water supply systems
Elevator cost
Expenses for street cleaning and garbage disposal
building cleaning
Garden maintenance costs
lighting
chimney cleaning
Liability and property insurance
Janitorial costs
TV reception
laundry room
Other costs, if they are mentioned in the rental agreement (e.g. regular cleaning of the gutter)
Tenants should therefore check exactly which items are listed in the utility bill.
Because: "Sometimes landlords try to settle things that are basically not apportionable," says Chris Möller, Managing Director of the ancillary cost check portal Mineko to the
Handelsblatt
.
Items such as repairs to the building or private insurance from the landlord against loss of rent are usually not transferrable.
(ph)
List of rubrics: © dpa
