Cutting Your Nebenkosten: Effective Energy-Saving Tips for Renters

As a tenant, you can't avoid Nebenkosten entirely, but they swing far more with your own usage than most people assume. According to the German Tenants' Association's current operating-cost survey, heating and hot water alone average €1.07 per square metre a month, rising to €1.82 in poorly insulated older buildings. That's exactly where the biggest lever sits for bringing your annual statement down.

Room temperature is the single most effective factor

According to Germany's consumer advice service (Verbraucherzentrale), every degree Celsius you lower the room temperature saves roughly 6 percent in heating energy. In practice that means: living room 20-22°C, kitchen 18°C (residual heat from the stove and oven usually covers the rest), bedroom 17°C. Turning the heating down by 2 to 3 degrees at night or while you're out can add up to a meaningful double-digit saving on heating costs over a full heating season.

Air out properly instead of leaving windows tilted

Airing out fully — opening the windows completely for a few minutes several times a day — is far more effective than leaving them permanently tilted open. A quick full opening exchanges the stale air fast without letting the walls and furniture cool down, while a tilted window lets heating warmth escape uselessly for hours and increases the risk of mould around the chilled window frame.

Don't block your radiators

Furniture, curtains, or a drying rack placed directly in front of a radiator blocks air circulation and forces the heating to work harder to reach the same room temperature. Leaving at least 20 to 30 centimetres of clearance between a radiator and any furniture lets the warmth flow freely into the room.

Use hot water more deliberately

Showering instead of bathing saves a significant amount of hot water — a full bath uses roughly three to four times as much water and energy as a short shower. A water-saving showerhead can usually be fitted in a rented apartment without any structural changes, and it noticeably cuts hot water use without meaningfully reducing shower comfort.

Keep an eye on electricity use from appliances

Even though electricity usually isn't part of Nebenkosten but billed separately (see our rental cost breakdown), it still directly affects your overall monthly budget. Devices left on standby, an old fridge with no energy-efficiency label, or a tumble dryer used instead of air-drying are among the biggest avoidable power drains in an average household.

If you've already received your annual statement, our guide on checking your Nebenkostenabrechnung walks through the deadlines and your rights as a tenant before you pay anything.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do heating costs drop for every degree less?

According to the Verbraucherzentrale, you save roughly 6 percent in heating energy per degree Celsius you lower the temperature — that adds up over a full heating season.

Is airing out fully really better than leaving a window tilted?

Yes. A quick full airing exchanges the air fast without cooling the walls, while a tilted window loses heating warmth for hours and raises the risk of mould.

Is a water-saving showerhead worth it in a rented apartment?

Yes — it can usually be fitted without the landlord's approval and lowers hot water use without a noticeable drop in shower comfort.

Does electricity show up in the Nebenkosten statement?

Usually not. Electricity is almost always billed separately through its own contract and doesn't appear in the landlord's annual Nebenkosten statement.