Service charge privilege for cable TV no longer applies: what you need to do now

The service charge privilege allowed property managers to charge cable TV fees via service charges. This regulation is now being abolished

The service charge privilege – what it means

The law abolishing this privilege for cable fees has been in force since December 1, 2021, with a transitional period until June 30, 2024.

• Many rental apartments have cable connections that are regulated by collective agreements between property managers/owners and cable network operators.

• Tenants paid the cable fees via ancillary costs to the property management company, which then passed these on to the cable operators – legally stipulated in Section 2 No. 15 of the German Operating Costs Ordinance (BetrKV).

• In the past, this meant that you paid for the communal cable connection even if you did not use it.

• The regulation is a remnant from the time when cable television was new and easy access was to be created for the population. There are now many options for television reception, so you can choose freely and are no longer tied to cable television in the future.

• From July 1, 2024, cable fees may no longer be passed on to tenants. However, these can also be dropped before then, as a transitional period has been in place since December 2021.

What you should do now as a tenant

First of all, as a tenant you do not need to give notice. Your landlord has to take care of that. In the meantime, you can take your time to look for your own cable TV contract or find alternatives.

• Landlords must terminate the collective contracts. Tenants do not need to do anything else. If no notice of termination is given, landlords will no longer be allowed to pass on the costs to tenants from July 2024. Check your utility bill for the items “broadband cable connection” or “TV cable connection.”

• If you want to continue using cable TV as a tenant, you must arrange a connection yourself by June 2024 at the latest, otherwise the TV socket will be sealed.

• The cable connection is likely to become slightly more expensive, probably by a maximum of 2 to 3 euros per month. Tariffs are offered between 8 and 10 euros if the multi-user contract has been terminated.

• Find out what alternatives you have to cable TV. There are various digital offers that may suit your needs better.

• However, take your time to check the offers. The consumer advice centers warn against rushing into contracts at the front door. Take your time and obtain different offers