Operating costs: prorated service fees, maintenance, water supply – explanation and definition

Operating costs – What operating costs must the tenant pay? And which secondary costs is the landlord responsible for? The law defines which costs are shareable and which are not. Find out more about operating costs and why you should include them in the rental agreement.

Service costs: definition and explanation

Tanto si se trata de una propiedad de rendimiento como de una inversión, al comprar una casa o un piso siempre hay costes de compra auxiliares. Lo que muchos subestiman: Los costes auxiliares continuos que conlleva la propiedad de un inmueble. Si va a comprar una vivienda alquilada o la alquila por primera vez, puede repercutir en el inquilino algunos de estos gastos accesorios.

Non-proratable auxiliary costs: Repair, maintenance & Co.

You cannot pass on the costs of craftsmen, maintenance and administration to the tenant. After all, it is your responsibility as the landlord to ensure that the property meets modern safety standards and is rentable.

As a landlord, you are responsible for these costs:

• Repair costs
• Maintenance costs
• Administrative expenses
• Banking fees

Proratable service costs: The tenant pays

Proratable ancillary costs are those that you, as the landlord, can allocate per square meter. To avoid misunderstandings, they must be agreed upon in the rental agreement. This type of incidental costs are also known as operating costs. Let’s take a closer look.

List of operating costs: (BetrKV) § 2

Operating costs are therefore constant public charges on the property. They are defined and regulated by law. Thus, all costs for the care and maintenance of common areas and facilities fall into the category of proratable service costs. Street cleaning, waste removal, and chimney sweeping are also the tenant’s responsibility.

Here is a brief summary:

1. Water supply
2. Drainage
3. Heating system and fuels
4. Hot water system, supply and appliances
5. Connected heating and hot water supply systems
6. Passenger or freight elevator
7. Street cleaning and waste removal
8. Building cleaning and pest control
9. Garden maintenance
10. Lighting
11. Chimney cleaning
12. Property and liability insurance
13. Caregiver
14. Community antenna system
15. Laundry care facilities
16. Other operating expenses

More information about buying a property: Operating costs

Are you buying a property that is already rented out or do you plan to rent out the one you’ve just acquired? If you’ve never rented out a real estate property before, you should carefully examine the various service costs. Read more about this topic here, on my new buyer’s site, Immobilien-Erfahrung.de:

• Distribution of operating costs to tenants (external)