Your monthly payment includes a prepayment for heating, warm and cold water, as well as operational costs (Betriebskosten). The actual costs are calculated afterwards for each year.
The result is sent out with the utility bill every year before Christmas for the previous year (so nearly one year after the accounting period). Based on the prepayments and the actual consumption you either get money back or have to pay the difference.
Heating costs are distributed 30% according to apartment size (heating area) and 70% according to consumption. Hot water costs are distributed 30% according to apartment size (living area) and 70% according to consumption.
The rates for heating and water vary depending on the wing of the building.
Here is a tool to estimate your heating and water costs, based on the rates from previous years:
Read your meters and calculate the difference to the last reading. You will find those values on your last utility bill or your handover protocol.
The tool will calculate an estimate for your total heating and water costs. Subtract your prepayments to find out how much money you still have to pay or whether you will get money back.
You can find the amount of your current prepayments on your last utility bill or your contract.
Tenants have no direct influence on the amount of most operating costs. However, there are some items where costs can be avoided:
Operational costs are divided according to apartment size (living space). Tenants with larger apartments pay more, regardless of how much of the costs they themselves caused.