The annual service charge statement is a mandatory task for many landlords and owners' associations - and often a point of contention for tenants. This makes it all the more important to work properly and with legal certainty. In this article, we show you what you need to look out for when preparing a service charge statement, what typical mistakes are made and why professional property management can save you a lot of work.
What should be included in the service charge statement?
Service charges - often also referred to as "operating costs" - are the costs incurred by the owner for the ongoing operation of the property that can be passed on to the tenants. These include, among other things:
Property tax
Water and wastewater costs
Heating and hot water costs
Garbage collection, street cleaning
Janitor services
Garden maintenance, building cleaning
Insurance (e.g. building insurance)
Administrative costs or maintenance reserves, on the other hand, cannot be apportioned.
Typical errors in the service charge statement
Many bills contain errors that can lead to complaints or even legal disputes. Common problems are
Incorrect apportionment key: e.g. according to living space instead of number of persons or vice versa
Non-allocable costs are settled: Administration, repairs
Deadlines are not adhered to: The tenant must receive the statement no later than 12 months after the end of the billing period
Missing or unclear receipts: tenants have a right to inspect the billing documents
How to invoice with legal certainty
Check exactly which costs are apportionable
Pay attention to the apportionment key agreed in the rental agreement
Create a transparent, comprehensible invoice
Always comply with the statutory deadlines
If you have any questions, offer to look at the receipts
Why is the support of a property management company worthwhile?
An experienced property management company like GWB Hausverwaltung reliably takes care of the entire billing process:
Preparation of service charge statements
Review of allocability and contracts
Communication with tenants in the event of queries
Compliance with all legal requirements and deadlines
This protects you from costly mistakes, saves time and avoids conflicts.
Conclusion: service charge settlement without worries
With a professional property management company at your side, service charge billing becomes a routine task instead of a stress factor. At GWB Hausverwaltung, we make sure that everything is correct, transparent and legally compliant.
Contact us now - we'll take care of your service charge settlement and ensure satisfied tenants and owners!
