Vonovia in Dresden: Heating billing is causing a stir!

Vonovia in Dresden: Heating billing is causing a stir!

Lately, the heating billings of the largest landlord in Dresden, Vonovia, have been the subject of a lot of conversation. The Saxon reported that the Left Party is making massive allegations against the company. In the southern suburb there are apparently discrepancies in the billing of heating costs. It is feared that many tenants will have to make unjustified additional payments.

A specific case of a tenant from the southern suburbs illustrates the problem: He used the Left Party's online service to check his billing and found that no heat meter was provided to him. This means he is entitled to a refund of almost 133 euros. And that could be just the beginning, because the Left Party suspects that many other tenants are going through something similar.

Missing heat meters and effects

What exactly is the reason for the uproar? The landlord is legally obliged to install a central heat meter, and if this is missing, tenants have the right to reduce their heating and hot water costs by 15 percent. Christopher Colditz, press spokesman for the Left Party, estimates that at least 60 residential units on Nürnberger Strasse are affected and the reimbursement claims could total up to 10,000 euros.

This is a serious problem for many tenants in the region. The local tenants' association also confirms the sad reality of the lack of heat meters and the associated options for cutting costs. Tenancy law aspects are a hot topic in this context. According to information from mietrecht.org A consumption-based heating cost bill must be drawn up, and therefore heat cost allocators or heat meters are required for each apartment.

Simple heating cost bills – but quite complex regulations

Heating cost bills often seem simple at first glance. They usually cover a period of one year and must be sent to tenants within one year of the billing period. However, the whole thing is not as straightforward as it looks. The legal requirements require landlords to record consumption in detail. Loud fachanwalt.de 50 to 70 percent of heating costs are billed based on consumption, which leaves additional room for error if not all measuring devices are installed correctly.

The Left Party even offers the affected tenants sample letters for objections in order to defend themselves against possibly incorrect billing. This shows how seriously the party acts as a representative of the tenants and advocates for their interests. But Vonovia’s reactions are clear: “We bill professionally and correctly,” said a spokesman. However, it remains to be seen how the situation will develop and whether many tenants will actually be affected.

A mathematical hint in the billing could often be an indication of errors, especially if there is no heat meter. It is therefore advisable for all tenants to check their statements carefully and, if necessary, seek legal advice.