How to ask a landlord about Nebenkosten in German
To ask a landlord about Nebenkosten in German, a polite and clear way would be to inquire about the specific additional costs included, and request a breakdown or explanation, for example:
-
“Könnten Sie mir bitte erklären, welche Nebenkosten in der Miete enthalten sind?”
(Could you please explain which additional costs (Nebenkosten) are included in the rent?) -
“Könnten Sie mir bitte eine Aufstellung der Nebenkosten zusenden?”
(Could you please send me an itemized statement of the Nebenkosten?) -
“Welche Nebenkosten fallen bei der Wohnung an und wie hoch sind sie ungefähr?”
(What additional costs apply for the apartment and roughly how much are they?) -
“Ich hätte gern eine Nebenkostenabrechnung, um die Kosten besser nachvollziehen zu können.”
(I would like to have a Nebenkosten statement to better understand the costs.)
These questions politely ask for clarity on the extra costs beyond basic rent, which typically include heating, water, waste disposal, and other operating expenses. Nebenkostenabrechnung is the annual statement landlords provide detailing these expenses and what the tenant has paid. 1, 3, 8
If you want a very short and simple question to start with, you can say:
- “Wie hoch sind die Nebenkosten für die Wohnung?”
(How high are the additional costs for the apartment?)
This direct question is often enough to get the conversation going.
If needed, I can help translate or provide a more formal or casual version depending on the context.