Heating cost billing and consumption metering

In short: In apartment buildings heating costs are billed by consumption. Heat cost allocators or heat meters record each flat’s consumption; part is distributed by floor area.

In more detail: The Heating Costs Ordinance requires that 50 to 70 percent of costs are billed by consumption and the rest by area.

In detail

• Heat cost allocators: They count units at the radiator that do not correspond directly to kilowatt-hours.
• Heat meters: Measure heat consumption directly, for example with underfloor heating.
• Reading: Remote reading is common; regular consumption information is mandatory.
• Check: Verify deadlines (billing within twelve months after the end of the period), allocation key and calculations (nebenkostenabrechnung-prüfen).
• Saving: Lower room temperature, do not block radiators, use thermostats (heizkosten-senken-und-richtig-heizen).