Cable TV in your Nebenkosten: what tenants need to know in 2026
Cable TV in your Nebenkosten: what tenants need to know in
The Nebenkostenprivileg was abolished on 1 July 2024: cable TV may no longer be billed as a flat charge in the Nebenkosten.
If a cable-TV charge still appears for months from July 2024, you can object within twelve months of receipt and reclaim the money.
§ 2 BetrKV (as from 1.7.2024)In 60 seconds
Since 1 July 2024 the landlord may no longer pass on the bulk cable connection charge through operating costs (formerly § 2 Nr. 15 BetrKV).
For the 2024 accounting year at most the January-to-June share is chargeable. A full-year flat rate is too much.
Narrowly chargeable still is the operation of the in-house distribution system, so the connection remains usable.
A provision charge for newly laid fibre is chargeable as a special case, time-limited and capped.
You now choose your own reception: DVB-T2 HD by aerial, satellite, or IPTV and streaming over your own internet connection.
What the law says
With the end of the so-called Nebenkostenprivileg on 1 July 2024, the running charge for a bulk cable connection no longer counts as a chargeable operating cost. What remains chargeable is the operation of the in-house distribution system and, as a time-limited and capped special case, a provision charge for newly laid fibre. Working translation; the German original is the binding text.
What the landlord may still pass on
| Item | Chargeable from July 2024? |
|---|---|
| The signal charge / bulk contract with the cable provider | No |
| Operating the in-house distribution system (keeping the connection usable) | Yes, narrowly |
| Provision charge for newly laid fibre | Yes, time-limited and capped (special case) |
You now choose your own reception: DVB-T2 HD by aerial, satellite, or IPTV and streaming over your internet connection.
Check the headline figures with the free Nebenkosten checker.
What it means for each side
- Look for the item specifically for months from July 2024.
- Watch for renamed entries such as "multimedia" or "media supply".
- For 2024, check the time share: at most January to June.
- Object in writing within twelve months of receipt.
- Stop including the bulk connection charge from July 2024.
- For 2024, bill only the share up to June.
- Name any remaining permissible items correctly rather than relabelling.
- Show a fibre provision charge separately and time-limited.
Common mistakes
At most the January-to-June share is chargeable.
Despite the end of the privilege, as a rule that is no longer permissible.
The same charge hides under "multimedia" or similar wording.
The objection must reach the landlord within twelve months of receipt.
What to do next
Look at the accounting period: which year does the statement cover?
Search for terms like "Kabelfernsehen", "Breitbandanschluss" or "Multimedia".
For 2024, check the time share: at most January to June.
Note the date of receipt and object in writing, demanding repayment.
Frequently asked questions
Can my landlord still bill cable fees through the Nebenkosten?
No, not for the period from 1 July 2024 onwards. With the end of the so-called Nebenkostenprivileg (the transition period under the TKG reform), passing the cost of a shared cable connection through the Betriebskosten (operating costs) is no longer allowed; the former basis in § 2 Nr. 15 BetrKV no longer covers it. For 1 January to 30 June 2024 a pro-rata charge was still permitted. If a cable-TV charge appears for months from July 2024 onwards, that item is generally no longer chargeable.
By when must I object to a wrong cable item?
Within 12 months of receiving the Nebenkostenabrechnung (§ 556 Abs. 3 S. 5 BGB). Raise your objection in writing and provably, ideally by registered letter (Einschreiben), and name the cable-TV item specifically. Miss the deadline and substantive objections are generally barred.
Can I now choose my own TV reception?
Yes. Since the Nebenkostenprivileg ended you are no longer tied to the collective contract your landlord chose. You can switch to other reception routes, DVB-T2 HD (aerial), satellite, IPTV or streaming, or take out your own cable contract. If the collective supply contract has run for at least 24 months, you have a right to cancel it vis-à-vis the landlord.
What may the landlord still pass on for the cable connection?
From 1 July 2024, only the pure operating costs of the in-house distribution system. What is needed to keep the connection ready for use. The actual programme signal, i.e. the cable provider's fee, is no longer part of it. For newly built fibre installations a time-limited provisioning charge (Bereitstellungsentgelt) may be passed on under narrow conditions, but that is different from the old cable flat fee.
What happens to my rent if I cancel the cable connection?
Once you validly cancel the supply contract that ran through the landlord, the corresponding cost share falls away. What matters most: for the period from July 2024 onwards no shared cable fee may be passed through the Nebenkosten anyway, so check your statement specifically for such an item.
- § 2 BetrKV
- § 556 BGB
- Verbraucherzentrale: end of the cable-TV Nebenkostenprivileg
- Deutscher Mieterbund: FAQ on the end of the Nebenkostenprivileg
This page gives general information as at the date shown. It does not replace legal advice on an individual case.