Additional cost shock at Lucens VD: Couple switched off the heating and still have to pay 3,000 francs

class = “sc-cffd1e67-0 fmXrkB”>

A couple in Lucens VD froze in vain last winter: they turned off the heating in their apartment for ecological reasons and fear of additional costs, reports “20 Minuten”. A shock followed in September: The couple had to pay a bill of over 3,000 francs due to additional expenses.

This amount pushes the couple’s financial limits. He is an apprentice, he is a student. Only if they had known about the electric bill in advance would they both have been able to avoid shivering. The management distributes heating costs to flats according to their area. Many governments do it this way. Additional costs may be billed based on actual consumption or as a flat rate. Accordingly, the tenants’ association Asloca explains to “20 Minuten” that it is almost impossible to file a successful complaint against billing in this case.

A look at the lease agreement will help

Administrations can reduce invoice costs with fixed rates for additional costs. However, it may still be useful to take a closer look at the lease: Owners or managements are only allowed to invoice costs if these items are clearly stated in the lease. In general formulations such as “other operating costs” tenants are not required to cover them.

Basic charges for water, for example, are controversial here. If these are not included in the lease, the courts have repeatedly ruled that giving them to tenants is unacceptable.

If you want to control additional costs, you can stick to the list below:

Additional costs allowed

• Heating costs and hot water
• water and wastewater
• Service subscriptions for heating, elevators or other appliances
• rubbish
• Janitor (wage, general cleaning, environmental work)
• stair cleaning
• general electricity
• Washing machine (power and water consumption only)
• TV or cable connection fees
• Winter services such as snow removal
• Administrative costs related to additional costs

Unacceptable additional costs

• Heating, elevator, washing machine or repairs to the building
• Spare parts of machines
• Investments or payments into the renewal fund
• Conversions, renovations
• New plantings or redesigns in the garden
• property taxes
• Building insurance premiums
• public sector wages not directly related to consumption, and
• operations (example: road development)

Source :Blick