Example: Nebenkostenabrechnung explained

Example result

Nebenkostenabrechnung — plain English explanation

PropertyMusterstraße 12, Apt. 3, 80331 München

Billing period01 Jan 2024 – 31 Dec 2024

LandlordImmobilienverwaltung Schmidt GmbH

Generated byPlainDeutsch · plaindeutsch.com

💸 You owe an additional €447.60 (Nachzahlung)

📋Summary

This is your annual Nebenkostenabrechnung (utility cost statement) for the 2024 calendar year. Your landlord has calculated the actual costs of running the building — heating, water, refuse, building insurance, and maintenance — and compared them to the monthly advance payments (Vorauszahlungen) you made throughout the year.

You paid €2,400.00 in advance payments during 2024. The actual costs allocated to your apartment came to €2,847.60, leaving a shortfall of €447.60. This amount (called a Nachzahlung) is owed to your landlord within 30 days of receiving this statement. The largest cost driver is central heating (Heizung), which accounts for nearly half the total bill — likely reflecting 2024's elevated energy prices.

🔢Key numbers

Billing period

Jan – Dec 2024

Total Betriebskosten

€2,847.60

Actual ancillary costs for your unit

Advance payments (Vorauszahlungen)

€2,400.00

€200/month × 12 months

Amount you owe (Nachzahlung)
€447.60
Due within 30 days

🧾Charges breakdown

Charge	Amount	Type
Central heating Heizkosten Your share of the building's central heating system. Typically split 50–70% by actual consumption (based on heat meters in your flat) and 30–50% by floor area. This is your largest cost item.	€1,124.40	Usage-based
Hot water Warmwasser Central hot water supply cost, split by your recorded consumption. Separate from heating in newer buildings with individual water meters.	€312.80	Usage-based
Cold water & sewage Kaltwasser / Entwässerung Cold water supply and sewage disposal, typically billed by usage according to your water meter readings.	€198.20	Usage-based
Building insurance Gebäudeversicherung The landlord's insurance covering the building structure against fire, water damage, and storms. Passed on to tenants by floor area (Wohnfläche). You cannot choose this insurer.	€187.50	Fixed (by area)
Property tax Grundsteuer Municipal property tax levied on the landlord and passed on to tenants. Split by floor area. The amount is set by the municipality and outside the landlord's control.	€156.80	Fixed (by area)
Refuse collection Müllabfuhr Rubbish collection fees charged by the municipality. Usually split equally between all tenants or by floor area.	€112.40	Fixed (equal split)
Stairwell cleaning & caretaker Hausreinigung / Hausmeister Cleaning of common areas (stairwells, entrance) and caretaker services. Split equally between all tenants. Landlord must provide receipts if requested.	€398.50	Fixed (equal split)
Lift maintenance Aufzug Annual service contract and maintenance for the building lift. All tenants pay regardless of whether they use it (standard German practice).	€145.00	Fixed (equal split)
Garden & outdoor maintenance Gartenpflege Lawn cutting, snow clearing, and general outdoor upkeep. Permissible if your lease mentions Gartenpflege explicitly.	€212.00	Fixed (by area)
Total Betriebskosten	€2,847.60

🔍What to check

Heating allocation key (Verteilerschlüssel) — By law, at least 50% of heating costs must be split by actual consumption (your heat meters), not purely by floor area. Check the allocation key shown in the Heizkosten breakdown. If it says 100% by area, this may be unlawful.
12-month deadline — Your landlord must send the Nebenkostenabrechnung within 12 months of the billing period ending (i.e., by 31 December 2025 for the 2024 period). If it arrived late, you generally do not have to pay any Nachzahlung — though you still get any refund owed.
Garden costs in your lease — Gartenpflege (€212.00) is only chargeable if it is explicitly listed in your rental agreement (Mietvertrag). Check your lease's Betriebskosten clause.
No unusual one-off items — The charges listed are all standard recurring Betriebskosten. Repair and renovation costs (Instandhaltung) are not present, which is correct — these cannot be passed on to tenants.

📌What to do next

1
Check the deadline first. Confirm when you received this statement. If it was delivered after 31 December 2025, you are not legally required to pay the Nachzahlung. If it arrived on time, you have 30 days to pay.
2
Request receipts (Belege einsehen). You have a legal right to inspect the original receipts behind every charge. Write to your landlord requesting a Belegeinsicht. This is especially worth doing for the Hausmeister/Hausreinigung line (€398.50), which is the item most commonly inflated.
3
If something looks wrong, contact a Mieterverein. Germany's tenants' associations (Mieterverein) offer professional, low-cost review of Nebenkostenabrechnungen. Annual membership (~€80–120) covers a full review. Find your local branch at mieterschutzbund.de or mieterbund.de.

Important: PlainDeutsch explains documents in plain language. It does not provide Rechtsberatung (legal advice) and is not a substitute for a Rechtsanwalt (lawyer). The explanation above is based on the text submitted and general knowledge of German tenancy law. If you are in a legal dispute or need binding guidance, please consult a licensed legal professional or your local Mieterverein.

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