Amid rising gas prices, Julia Verlinden, the Vice-Fraction Chair of the Greens in the Bundestag, is calling for stricter transparency rules concerning heating costs for tenants. Verlinden stated that the minimum requirement for the coalition now is to ensure full cost transparency for tenants.
Currently, tenants are left waiting until they receive their heating bill-often months later-to discover their costs. This delays knowledge, making the cost of fossil fuel heating an unwelcome “second rent.” To address this, Verlinden proposes that landlords must inform their tenants at least once a year regarding the current gas tariff. Furthermore, they must include a nationwide reference price so that it is clear whether the purchasing costs are average or significantly inflated.
The proposed rules would also require landlords to provide tenants with faster notice of price increases. If the tariff rises by more than five percent, landlords would be obligated to pass this information on within 14 days. Verlinden argues that only informed tenants can mitigate costs by heating consciously. If landlords fail to provide timely and complete information, tenants should be granted a right to a reduction in their heating bill.
In addition to these transparency demands, Verlinden heavily criticized the coalition’s recent changes to the Building Energy Act. She labeled the legal option allowing for the installation of new fossil fuel heating systems an “irresponsible step backward.” Her concern is that many tenants have no say in their chosen heating system and are susceptible to being blindsided by high fossil fuel bills. She highlighted that it is particularly problematic when users have no idea of the cost of heat until after the winter has concluded.
These demands come as gas prices have significantly increased recently, a trend that is expected to lead to higher heating expenses for many households in the coming months.
