ROUTE
Utility Bill Check
Every second German utility statement contains errors β almost always in the landlord favour. How to check the annual bill and dispute it properly.
β Checked: 18/07/2026
The annual service charge statement arrives once a year and almost always ends with a demand for more money. Checking it is always worthwhile: errors are common and almost never in the tenantβs favour β from non-chargeable items to an incorrect allocation key.
COSTS AND DEADLINES
Deadlines you cannot miss
- Objection deadline: 12 months after receiving the statementNebenkosten: Filing an Objectionhard deadline
Amounts follow official fees as of each stepβs verification date. Your city may charge a different rate β check the step itself.
βΊ More about this route
This two-step route covers everything: how to check the statement item by item, which costs may be passed on to tenants at all, and how to challenge excess charges within the deadline.
What gives you weight in that conversation is the right to inspect the underlying documents. The landlord must make original invoices available for inspection, and that is where most discrepancies come to light.
WHERE PEOPLE MOST OFTEN LOSE MONEY AND TIME
- Paying the balance without checking. The check costs an evening; the error in the statement often costs considerably more.
- Letting the objection period lapse. Only a limited window follows receipt for checking and raising objections.
- Not requesting document inspection. Tenants have that right, and it is where discrepancies become visible.
- Not checking the deadline for issuing the statement. A statement produced late often deprives the landlord of the right to claim the balance.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS ROUTE
Which costs can be passed on to tenants?βΎ
Only the categories the law provides for, and only where the tenancy agreement says so. Management costs, maintenance and repairs do not belong there, yet appear in statements regularly.
What is most often wrong?βΎ
Non-chargeable items, an incorrect allocation key between flats, inclusion of periods before you moved in, and amounts that do not match the underlying invoices.
May I see the original invoices?βΎ
Yes, that is your right and it is worth exercising. Inspection usually takes place at the landlord or managing agent, and the discrepancies found there form the basis of your objection.
What should I do if I find an error?βΎ
Object in writing, item by item and within the deadline, stating the specific points and reasons. Until the disputed part is clarified it is sensible to withhold it while paying the undisputed remainder.