Cable TV in your Nebenkosten: what applies since July 2024
How to check whether your Nebenkosten (service charges) statement still includes cable fees, and how to get the money back.
Since 1 July 2024 your landlord can no longer charge you the cable fee through the Nebenkosten. If the fee still appears in your Nebenkosten statement, object to that item in writing within twelve months of receiving the statement.
What to look for in the statement
The cable fee is not always easy to spot. Go through the statement point by point.
- 1
The fee can have other names
Look for “Kabelfernsehen”, “Breitbandanschluss”, “Multimedia” or “Medienversorgung”.
- 2
The statement for 2024
For 2024, the landlord can charge at most the share for January to June.
- 3
Any time from July 2024
For this period, the statement must not include any cable provider's fee.
- 4
The cable system in the building
The only cable cost the landlord can still pass on is the running costs of the cable system inside the building.
- 5
Note the date
Note the day the statement reached you.
- 6
Object in writing
Object to the item in writing and ask for the money back.
Why this matters
Under § 2 BetrKV, the fee for the building's shared cable connection has not been a cost the landlord can pass on since 1 July 2024. Under § 556 Abs. 3 BGB, you must object to the statement within twelve months of receiving it.
General information, not legal advice.
Frequently asked questions
Can my landlord still charge cable fees through the Nebenkosten?
No, your landlord cannot charge cable fees through the Nebenkosten for any time from 1 July 2024. For January to June 2024, the landlord was still allowed to charge a share.
By when must I object to a wrong cable charge?
You must object within 12 months of receiving the statement, in writing and in a way you can prove, ideally by registered post (§ 556 Abs. 3 S. 5 BGB). After that, you can normally no longer object.
Can the landlord still charge for the cable system inside the building?
Yes, the landlord can still pass on the running costs of the cable system inside the building. The landlord can no longer pass on the cable provider's fee.
Also in this topic: Register your address after moving in GermanyMietschuldenfreiheitsbescheinigung: do you have a right?Eigenbedarfskündigung: what tenants can doAll guides: Operating costs
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