Ines Schwerdtner, the co-chair of Die Linke party, aims to continue campaigning for improvements for tenants concerning the new heating law. Speaking to RTL/ntv on Thursday, Schwerdtner expressed her hope that the SPD will reverse course and “make the necessary adjustments”.
She strongly criticized the legislation, arguing that it failed badly the last time it was implemented. Schwerdtner cautioned that if the new rules once again translate into higher costs paid by residents, the public will express its dissatisfaction at the ballot box. The Linke party has consistently warned since the start that the costs associated with installing a new heating system must not be passed on to tenants.
Addressing these concerns, the involved ministries announced on Thursday the plan to include a form of “cost brake” for tenants within the reformed Heating Act. Under this measure, landlords will be required to contribute to a portion of heating expenses under specific circumstances.
During her statement, Justice Minister Stefanie Hubig (SPD) clarified that while landlords would retain a degree of choice regarding the installation process, they must contribute to the running heating costs if the new system uses fossil-based energy. In such cases, the law mandates that landlords should cover half of the grid fees, the CO2 price, and the cost of bio-fuels.
