March 31, 2024 is an important day for households that heat and cook with gas or heat with district heating. Because from then on it's a lot of money.
Do you heat or cook with gas? Or is your household connected to the district heating network? Then you should urgently note the reading of your gas meter or your district heating meter. The reason is not the time change or the end of the heating season.
That's why you should write down your meter reading now
From April 1, 2024, the VAT on natural gas and district heating will rise to 19 percent. A reduced VAT rate of 7 percent has applied since October 2022 (retroactively). The reduction was intended to reduce the additional financial burden on citizens – caused by the war in Ukraine and inflation.
So if you receive district heating or gas, write down the meter reading now to ensure that your supplier is billing correctly for the heating season. On the one hand, it may happen that he accidentally applies the normal VAT rate of 19 percent from January 1st. On the other hand, he can overlook the increase and continue to bill you at the reduced VAT rate. That may sound good at first glance. However, if the error is recognized and corrected, there is a risk of a high additional payment.
Hundreds of euros in additional payment possible
For a single-family home that is heated with gas, you pay an average of 2,800 euros per year (at 23,000 kWh and 12 cents/kWh). 7 percent VAT is 196 euros and is already included in the total price. If the 19 percent VAT were levied on consumption, it would be 494.76 euros. If the calculation is incorrect, the household would have to pay around 298.76 euros.
Be sure to check the billing
So as soon as you receive your next gas or district heating bill, check the figures provided. If you suspect that the billing is incorrect, you can contact the consumer advice center in your state, among other places.
