Germany's new Heating Act shifts costs from tenants to landlords
Berlin. Ines Schwerdtner, co-leader of the Left Party, has vowed to continue pushing for amendments to the Heating Act in favor of tenants. Speaking to RTL/ntv on Thursday, Schwerdtner expressed hope that the Social Democrats (SPD) would "get the message" and adjust their position.
She criticized the previous version of the law as a "total flop," warning that if the latest proposal again forces people to pay more, voters would make their discontent clear at the ballot box. The Left Party, she said, had consistently argued that landlords should not be allowed to pass the costs of new heating systems on to tenants.
On Thursday, the ministries involved announced that the reform of the Heating Act would include a so-called "cost brake" for tenants—requiring landlords, under certain conditions, to cover part of the heating expenses.
Justice Minister Stefanie Hubig (SPD) clarified that while landlords would retain the freedom to choose a new heating system, those opting for fossil-fuel-based systems would have to contribute to ongoing heating costs. In such cases, landlords would be required to pay half of the grid fees, CO₂ pricing, and costs for biofuels.
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