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Germany: Errors found in half of rental operating cost statements
The German Tenants' Association (Deutscher Mieterbund) estimates that approximately half of all operating cost statements provided by landlords are incorrect. Tenants are advised to carefully review these documents to avoid unnecessary financial burdens and prevent increases in monthly advance payments.
Legal expert Dennis Rehfeld notes that landlords are required to deliver operating cost statements no later than twelve months after the end of the relevant billing period. If a statement is delivered after this deadline, tenants may not be obligated to pay any additional costs, provided the delay was not caused by factors outside the landlord's control.
Furthermore, certain costs, such as chimney inspections and smoke detector testing, must be explicitly and separately itemized in the statement. Failure to do so can serve as grounds for a formal objection to the document.
Entities
Arbeitsgemeinschaft Mietrecht und Immobilien im Deutschen Anwaltverein · Dennis Rehfeld · Deutscher Mieterbund
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Costs for chimney inspections and smoke detector testing must be listed separately in the statement to avoid formal objections. www.saarbruecker-zeitung.de
- [● 6 SOURCES] The German Tenants' Association estimates that about half of all operating cost statements are incorrect. www.fehmarn24.de · www.halternerzeitung.de · www.marler-zeitung.de · www.op-online.de · www.stimberg-zeitung.de · +1 more
- [● 6 SOURCES] If the billing deadline is exceeded, the tenant is not required to make any additional payments, provided the landlord is not at fault for the delay. www.fehmarn24.de · www.halternerzeitung.de · www.marler-zeitung.de · www.op-online.de · www.stimberg-zeitung.de · +1 more
- [● 6 SOURCES] Landlords must deliver the operating cost statement to the tenant no later than twelve months after the end of the billing period. www.fehmarn24.de · www.halternerzeitung.de · www.marler-zeitung.de · www.op-online.de · www.stimberg-zeitung.de · +1 more