Renting & Housing
How long does a landlord have to send the Nebenkostenabrechnung?
Estimated wait
~1 year
Based on published sources
The 12-month limit is a hard cut-off for the landlord's back-claims only — it does not bar refunding an overpayment, and it is a separate clock from the tenant's own ~12-month window to object. General information, not legal advice.
The landlord must deliver the annual service-charge statement to the tenant no later than 12 months after the end of the accounting period (§ 556 (3) BGB) — for 2025 costs, that means by 31 December 2026. If the landlord misses this deadline, they generally forfeit the right to claim any additional back-payment (Nachzahlung).
More details
Any overpayment (a credit balance) must still be refunded even after the deadline, and the tenant then has their own 12 months to object to a received statement.
Last updated: 15 Jul 2026
Information is for general knowledge only.