The B.One heating bill from Brunata Minol

The scope of services includes everything required for consumption-based and legally compliant heating cost billing.

Services at a glance:

• Planning, provision and installation of digital measurement technology
• Radio-based collection and transmission of consumption data
• Preparation of legally compliant heating cost statements
• Monthly consumption information for tenants including app (if desired)
• 24/7 access to the Minol direct customer portal
• Customer service via telephone, email or online portal
• Optional: Prepayment calculation, identification of household-related services, and VAT identification for commercial tenants.

The consumption data is transmitted wirelessly directly from the building to our system. On-site meter readings are no longer necessary. You can easily enter additional information, such as energy costs, in the online portal. Step -by-step instructions are available on our website. All data is first checked for plausibility. We then divide the total heating system costs among the users.

CO₂ costs are shared between landlords and tenants based on the building's energy efficiency. The better the energy efficiency, the higher the tenants' share can be. The necessary data is collected annually, and the classification is calculated automatically. The tenants' share is then distributed via the heating bill.

A heating bill cannot be calculated immediately based on an interim meter reading. This requires the fuel and utility costs for the entire year for the property, as well as complete meter readings for all apartments. Therefore, a bill for a departing tenant can only be prepared with the next complete bill for the entire building. However, the landlord is entitled to request a reasonable advance payment from the departing tenant.

When moving into a new apartment, an interim meter reading can be taken under certain conditions to divide the consumption between the previous and new occupants. Alternatively, the costs can be divided based on heating degree days. Due to the technical characteristics of evaporative heat cost allocators, a division based on heating degree days is always recommended. If you would like an interim meter reading, please contact your landlord/property manager, who will then commission the responsible Brunata Minol branch or the Brunata Minol customer service office. During interim meter readings, the ampoules in evaporative heat cost allocators are not replaced; only the consumption units are recorded.

For larger radiators, two heat cost allocators are often used due to the uneven heat distribution. Despite the use of two allocators, heating costs are not calculated twice. This is because, in such cases, the assessment of the radiator's heating output is only weighted equally for each heat cost allocator. Thus, the overall assessment (the sum of both assessment factors) again corresponds to the actual heating output of the radiator.

Water meters are devices used to measure water consumption in households or buildings. They record the amount of water flowing through and measure it in liters or cubic meters to determine individual consumption and generate bills. For smaller quantities, residential water meters with a nominal flow rate of 1,5 m³ per hour are typically used. These are available in various designs and are suitable for different applications. Water meters must be calibrated, and according to the German Measurement and Calibration Act (MessEG) and the Measurement and Calibration Ordinance (MessEV), hot and cold water meters must be calibrated every six years (previously, hot water meters had a calibration period of five years until November 3, 2021).

Heat meters are devices that measure the heat energy consumed in a heating system and convert it into a measurable unit such as kilowatt-hours (kWh) to accurately record the heat consumption of buildings or individual residential units. Similar to heat meters, cold meters measure the amount of cooling energy used in a cooling system, but function in a technically similar way. Both heat and cold meters are legally required to be calibrated and must be recalibrated every six years. They are typically used in district heating systems, underfloor heating, air conditioning systems, and for individual apartment heating cost accounting, but require a closed heating circuit for the area being measured.

Hot water consumption must be measured according to the regulations of the Heating Costs Ordinance. Only calibrated hot water meters are permitted and suitable for this purpose. The hot water cost allocators that are sometimes still in use are a measuring system from the 1970s and should be urgently replaced with modern, up-to-date water meters.

The operator of a heating system will typically, and if stipulated in the rental agreement, require monthly advance payments from connected consumers to finance ongoing fuel and operating costs. The final heating bill will then reconcile these advance payments, resulting in either a credit or a balance due.

Heating and hot water are typically not billed solely based on consumption, but according to a distribution key with basic and consumption costs determined by the building owner.

More on allocation keys in heating cost statements

Only approved measuring fluids are used, which are completely harmless when used correctly. For example, the evaporative fluid in the Minotherm II heat cost allocator is an aromatic ester that also occurs naturally and is approved for perfumed soaps and as a flavoring agent in food. The color of the evaporative fluid changes annually.

With heat cost allocators, it's not possible to determine the exact heating costs immediately after the meter reading. These costs depend on factors such as fuel prices and weather conditions. Therefore, the consumption units can fluctuate significantly from year to year, even with consistent fuel consumption. Only after all meter readings have been analyzed is the cost share for each apartment determined.

Differences in heating bills within a building can vary by as much as sixfold and are quite common. This is mainly due to individual consumption patterns. However, the amount of heating costs is not solely determined by this. The apartment's location within the building and the heating habits of neighbors also play a significant role.

A smooth meter reading is only possible if all radiators are accessible. Readings from radiators that are not installed will be estimated. For insurance reasons, the meter reading service is not permitted to remove any furniture, paneling, or other objects.

Interim consumption reports provide regular updates on current energy consumption throughout the year. They typically show monthly consumption for heating and hot water. According to the German Heating Costs Ordinance (HKVO), these reports are intended to create greater transparency and help manage energy and costs proactively.

The types of costs that can be passed on to tenants as part of the heating bill are regulated by the Heating Costs Ordinance in Section 7 for heating and in Section 8 for hot water. These are generally fuel costs, but also ancillary costs incurred in operating the heating system. The costs for the heating bill are considered chargeable operating costs, provided this is stipulated accordingly in the tenancy agreement.

With modern electronic meters from Brunata Minol, the standardized meter reading ensures a uniform reading time throughout the entire building. On a fixed date (e.g., December 31.12st of each year), all meters record the current meter reading to a previous year's memory and begin a new reading for the next billing year. This allows the consumption value to be accurately determined even weeks later.

For heat cost allocators based on the evaporation principle, there are two basic scale systems:

• Unit scaleEach heat cost allocator has the same scale. The readings are multiplied by the precisely determined weighting factors for each radiator. These weighting factors depend on the radiator's heat output, type, and installation method. The sum of these calculated values ​​is reflected in your bill as consumption units. Minotherm II heat cost allocators from Brunata Minol have a single unit scale.
• Product scaleHere, the meter readings are used directly in the heating bill without conversion. The sum of all meter readings is shown in the bill. At Brunata Minol, only heat cost allocators installed before 1982 still have a product scale.

If meter readings are not yet taken wirelessly but manually, most metering service companies read the meters from bottom to top within a building, from left to right on each floor, and also from left to right within each apartment. This order is well-founded: the meters were installed in the same sequence, and the reading protocols are structured accordingly. This allows the service technician to locate the meters quickly and avoids unnecessary searching, ensuring a swift reading for everyone involved.

If the allocation of individual cost items in the billing is to be based on the number of people, so-called person-months are used, which allow for a more precise breakdown with smaller unit prices in the billing. For example, 4 people for 12 months would then result in 48 person-months in the billing. 3 people for 6 months would then be 18 person-months.

More information about person-months in utility billing

In principle, heating and water costs are to be distributed among the residents according to consumption. If this is not possible, for example because the meters did not record a full billing period, because meters were defective, or because insufficient readings were available, estimates are necessary. If the proportion of necessary estimates exceeds 25 percent of a building's area, a flat-rate billing based on area – i.e., a so-called square meter billing – is permissible. The legal basis for this can be found in Section 9a, Paragraph 2 of the Heating Costs Ordinance.

Modern heating systems have an automatic night setback function, but this must not be set so low that temperatures in apartments drop below 15-17 °C during the night. The timing of this night setback is still a point of contention. Previously, courts cited periods from 10 pm to 6 am. However, people's lifestyles have changed – they now stay up later. Today, the period between midnight and 6 am is considered appropriate for night setback of the central heating system.

If you are unable to be present on the scheduled meter reading day for your building, please leave your key with a neighbor, the caretaker, or the landlord/property manager. This will prevent additional visits, the costs of which are not included in the standard fees. You will, of course, receive written notification of a rescheduled appointment. Furthermore, the landlord/property manager will be informed about any apartments that are inaccessible.

All heating and water meters are protected against unauthorized access by seals. Attempts to tamper with these meters are punishable by law and can be prosecuted as fraud or attempted fraud under Section 263 of the German Criminal Code (StGB). Furthermore, it has been proven that all attempts to manipulate evaporative heat cost allocators lead to inflated consumption readings. There are no methods by which the consumption reading can be lowered.

If the radiator is making strange noises and gurgling sounds, it's no longer heating up properly, as there's often still air trapped inside. This air should definitely be released, because it reduces heating efficiency and can cause inaccurate meter readings.

Heating and hot water costs must also be billed for vacant apartments. While this often causes frustration for some landlords, it is perfectly justifiable both legally and technically. Up to 50% of a building's energy costs are unrelated to individual consumption and are allocated based on living space. Therefore, even vacant apartments must bear at least the basic cost component, even if no heating or hot water has been consumed.

The meter reader will explain the reading process upon request and carry out the reading together with the tenant or homeowner. Even after the reading, a verification reading is always possible because the display remains active on electronic meters, and on evaporative heat cost allocators, the expired ampoule is inserted into the device along with the new one. Incorrect readings and mix-ups are virtually eliminated by the dual-scale system (two readings for each device).

Cold evaporation is the evaporation of the measuring fluid at room temperature, even when the radiator isn't emitting heat. Due to physical limitations, cold evaporation always occurs with evaporative heat cost allocators. To bridge the gap during the summer months when heating isn't required, the ampoules are overfilled with additional fluid above the zero point. According to the European standard EN 835 for evaporative heat cost allocators, this fluid overfill is required for 120 days without heating at a room temperature of 20°C. In warmer summers, it's possible that consumption may be registered even on unused radiators. However, since this occurs in all apartments, it doesn't disadvantage any individual.

Some tenants find their apartments too cold because the landlord wants to keep the building's heating costs down. Generally, the building owner must keep the heating system running throughout the entire heating season. If there is no agreement in the rental contract, the heating season is considered to be the seven months from October 1st to April 30th. Most courts are of the opinion that tenants are entitled to expect a room temperature of at least 20°C during the day – even in summer.

Heat cost allocators have been tried and tested devices for decades, approved for recording heat consumption at radiators. They have been continuously developed and offer a cost-effective way to fairly distribute heating costs. Their use contributes to efficient energy consumption in millions of households. Modern heat cost allocators feature electronic data acquisition with wireless transmission of consumption data, allowing for readings without entering the apartment. An older version is based on the evaporation principle. From 2027 onwards, only heat cost allocators with remote reading will be permitted, while older models without wireless transmission must be replaced by then.

The "Ordinance on Consumption-Based Heating and Hot Water Cost Billing" dates back to 1981 and was a consequence of the Energy Saving Act. It was amended in 1984, 1989, 2008, and 2021 and provides the legal basis and regulations for conducting the annual heating cost billing. It stipulates the principles of the billing method, as well as permissible measuring devices and eligible cost categories.

More on the Heating Cost Ordinance

The basis for the heating bill is the consumption readings and the fuel and ancillary costs determined and compiled by the homeowner or property manager. Once all the data is available, the bill is prepared at the Brunata Minol headquarters and provided to the property manager.

With the exception of evaporative heat cost allocators, all Brunata Minol meters can now be read remotely using modern wireless technology. Specifically, service personnel no longer need to enter the apartment for meter reading, and homeowners and tenants no longer need to take a day off work for this purpose.

More about the Minol Connect wireless system

Consumption-based billing significantly contributes to more conscious energy and water consumption, and thus to energy savings. Studies have shown that simply by installing meters, savings of between 15 and 20% on heating costs and over 30% on water consumption can be achieved. This makes consumption-based billing one of the most cost-effective ways to save energy and money.

Radiators behind bathtub aprons, especially in apartments with interior bathrooms, cannot be equipped with heat cost allocators, or only to a very limited extent. Consumption is generally estimated.

Continuous estimates in heating cost statements

The meter reading for heat cost allocators, water meters, and heat meters is scheduled in advance and sent to the building owner/manager, who then informs their apartment owners or tenants. The German Association for Heating and Water Cost Allocation (Arbeitsgemeinschaft Heiz- und Wasserkostenverteilung e.V.) recommends a guideline of ten days. For larger properties or upon special request, the meter reading service or building manager will also post notices. For an additional fee, individual notification to each resident via postcard is also possible. For meters read remotely, no notification is sent to the occupants, as no entry to the apartment is required.

If you are still using evaporative heat cost allocators, the color of the ampoules changes annually for monitoring purposes. This color change has absolutely no effect on the evaporation characteristics. The color change serves to immediately identify any ampoules that may not have been replaced in the previous year. This helps to avoid billing errors.

The billing period is generally twelve months and is determined by the landlord/property manager. If no specific instructions are given, the meter reading period is assumed to be the billing period. For organizational reasons, the billing period may differ from the meter reading period by a few days for heat cost allocators and water meters that are not read remotely. Incidentally, courts and tenancy law (as amended in 2002) stipulate a maximum billing period of twelve months. Shorter periods than twelve months are not a problem.

The reading method varies depending on the type of device:

Reading of heat cost allocators according to the evaporation principle

Reading of electronic heat cost allocators

At the time of the meter reading, no information can be provided regarding the expected heating costs. A comprehensive heating and water bill requires technical documentation, all energy and utility costs, and an analysis of all building meter readings. If our service partners are unable to provide this information at the time of the reading, it is not due to any ill will or incompetence. The meter reading alone does not allow us to predict the heating costs.

The standard period for a heating bill is one year. Therefore, the meter readings are typically taken every twelve months.

For electronic devices, consumption is recorded from the set cut-off date (e.g., December 31st at midnight). This cut-off date value is then transmitted wirelessly for devices with remote reading capability. For electronic heat cost allocators without wireless capability and for heat cost allocators based on the evaporation principle, the cut-off date value or the liquid level is read by a service partner on site. Due to holidays and vacations, reading dates may shift from one year to the next. For initial billing or when the billing cut-off date is changed, the reading cycle may deviate once. For devices with cut-off date storage, the reading always takes place after the cut-off date.