As an owner of an apartment, you pay monthly or periodic service costs. These service costs are used for things like building maintenance, cleaning costs, collective insurance, and contributions to the reserve (maintenance) fund. During the budget determination in the annual Home Owners Association meeting, the amount of service costs is decided together with the other owners. The board of the Home Owners Association is responsible for the collection and settlement of the service costs. But which costs can and cannot be passed on to the tenant?

Service costs for the tenant

The tenant has an agreement with the owner of the apartment. As a landlord, you cannot simply pass on all service costs to the tenant. The costs to be passed on must first be included in the rental agreement and relate directly to the use of the dwelling or complex. The landlord is also not allowed to make a profit on the passed-on service costs.
These service costs may include: 

• Cleaning costs for common areas and elevators
• Costs for unclogging/cleaning drains and gutters
• Chimney sweeping and gutter cleaning
• Window cleaning

Service costs for the landlord

Costs that a landlord may not pass on are the legal costs associated with ownership. In addition, certain costs included in the service costs may not be passed on. Some examples are: • Maintenance of the complex, e.g., the elevator installation, automatic doors, lighting installations, fire and drinking water installations

• Repairs to common facilities, paving, damage caused by vandalism in common areas
• Property tax
• Building insurance
• Administrative costs, where applicable to the management of the residential premises
• All provisions falling under the Building Decree, Building Regulations, and Building Permit are the responsibility of the landlord. For example, if fire extinguishers are required by the Building Permit, the costs for these may not be passed on to the tenants.
• Maintenance of central heating and boiler

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