In 2023, tenants in Germany had to pay an average of 2.51 euros per square metre per month in service charges. This is shown by the latest service charge index published by the German Tenants’ Association (DMB). Average service charges therefore rose by 10 per cent compared with the previous year, with heating and hot-water costs alone rising by 18 per cent. If all possible service charges are added together at their respective individual rates, this so-called second rent can amount to as much as 3.46 euros per square metre per month.
These are the findings of the latest service charge index, which the German Tenants’ Association is publishing today based on nationwide billing data for 2023. If all categories of service charge applied, an average of 3,361.20 euros had to be paid for an 80-square-metre flat for the 2023 accounting year.
Heating and hot water in 2023
Heating and hot-water costs averaged 1.26 euros per square metre per month in the 2023 accounting year, peaking at 2.15 euros per square metre per month. The level of costs is determined primarily by the home’s energy performance and by substantial price differences both between heating oil, gas and district heating and between individual gas and district heating suppliers. CO2 costs, which in most cases are borne predominantly by tenants, make fossil energy more expensive still.
Composition of service charges
In addition to heating and hot-water costs, tenants pay an average of 30 cents per square metre per month for the caretaker. Property and liability insurance accounts for 28 cents and the water supply, including wastewater, for 26 cents. The lift costs 20 cents; the remainder is divided among aerial/cable services (12 cents), chimney cleaning (3 cents), lighting (6 cents), refuse collection (14 cents) and property tax (17 cents).
“High energy prices and unregulated district heating prices are having their full effect on this year’s heating bills. Our figures demonstrate this impressively: compared with 2022, tenants must pay an average of around 18 per cent more for heating and hot water alone. Overall ancillary costs have risen by around 10 per cent. This is disastrous for all tenants. Their basic rents are rising year after year, while ancillary costs are also continuing to climb, even at double-digit rates. It is high time for change. Alongside fair regulation of rents, we finally need transparent legislation on ancillary costs. We call on legislators to act at last,” demands Lukas Siebenkotten, President of the German Tenants’ Association.