Plan overview
A practical route for checking disputed bills, tenancy terms, deposits, heating and everyday conflicts with your landlord.
What to do step by step
- 1
Identify the subject of the dispute
Separate issues involving a utility bill, heating, deposit, defect, house rules or moving out; this determines which documents to check first.
- 2
Collect the agreement and evidence
Prepare the Mietvertrag, statement, advance-payment receipts, correspondence, photos, key dates and meter readings.
- 3
Check disputed costs
Check the billing period, the flat's share, allocation key, advance payments made, and individual water, heating and other cost items.
- 4
Review heating and CO2 separately
If the dispute concerns heating, check which data are shown on the bill and how CO2 costs are presented.
- 5
Write a request
Briefly describe the disputed item, attach evidence and ask for an explanation of the calculation or the basis for the deduction.
- 6
Document the flat's condition when moving out
When moving out, prepare a handover report, photos, meter readings and information needed for the deposit refund.
- 7
Check the dispute with a specialist
For a dispute about termination, defects, deposit deductions or binding house rules, show the agreement and correspondence to a specialist advice service.
Important notes
- Check not only the total utility bill, but also its structure.
- To check CO2 costs, you need the data shown on the heating bill.
- Prepare evidence of the flat's condition before the handover.
- In a house-rules dispute, the documents and circumstances matter, not just a notice in the building.
Common mistakes
- Do not stop payments without a clear basis
- Do not treat the deposit as the last rent payment
- Do not rely only on rules on a noticeboard
