Ines Schwerdtner, the Co-Chair of Die Linke, stated her commitment to campaigning for further improvements to the Heating Law that benefit tenants. Speaking to RTL/ntv on Thursday, Schwerdtner expressed her hope that the SPD would reconsider its position, asserting that the bill had already “misfired” previously. She warned that if the current version forced residents to pay more, the political backlash would be visible at the polling stations. Since the beginning, Die Linke had opposed placing the costs of new heating installations entirely onto the renters.
However, ministries involved announced on Thursday that the reform of the Heating Law would also introduce a “cost brake” for tenants, meaning landlords would reportedly have to cover a portion of heating costs under specific circumstances.
According to Justice Minister Stefanie Hubig (SPD), while landlords would retain freedom of choice regarding the installation of a new heating system, if they choose new systems powered by fossil fuels, they would be required to contribute to the ongoing heating expenses. In such a scenario, landlords would need to cover half of the network fees, the CO2 price, and the costs associated with bio-fuels.