Blown up by chance

Mystery surrounding the explosion in electricity bills

Tenants in the building in Vienna's Johannagasse have had to pay five times as much for electricity and lighting for the common areas since last year.

(Bild: Bartel Gerhard/Gerhard Bartel)

The Viennese - and not only them - have almost become accustomed to high electricity bills. But in a residential building in Vienna-Margareten, the costs have increased almost fivefold from 2022 to 2023. But this only came to light by chance.

Tenants in a residential building in Johannagasse in Margareten are puzzled. The operating costs for electricity and lighting had suddenly increased fivefold in the previous year, once again significantly more than usual. This cost explosion went unnoticed for a long time. It was only by chance that resident R. became aware of the situation.

Johannagasse in Vienna

(Bild: Bartel Gerhard/Gerhard Bartel)

"I'm a curious person"
R.: "It all started with a letter from the property management. It announced the installation of a photovoltaic system on the roof. The energy produced was to be used to cover the building's electricity and lighting costs. As a curious person, I was naturally interested in what we could potentially save as a house community. So I took a closer look at the bill."

For the year 2023, the amount was 13,889 euros - split between all residents. R.: "At first, I was naturally pleased about the potential savings. That would have meant a saving of several hundred euros per household per year."

Residents can't explain the rise in electricity and lighting costs.

(Bild: Krone KREATIV/zVg.)

What is the money actually for?
On the other hand, the Margaretner was also puzzled by the rather high amount. Almost 14,000 euros a year just for the corridor lighting? R.: "The lighting in the building was only switched to energy-saving LEDs a few months ago. There were no energy-intensive new purchases either." The investigative tenant suspected evil. A look at the bills from previous years brought the painful enlightenment. R.: "Between 2020 and 2022, the electricity costs for the entire house were between 2600 and 2900 euros. Then in the previous year, they suddenly increased fivefold. How can that be?"

Another head-scratcher is the fact that many other items on the bill have only risen marginally - the costs for water and waste water have even fallen significantly. "It's simply inexplicable and bears no relation." 

Costs only passed on with a time delay?
The "Krone" therefore asked Wien Energie. They said: "Without the consent of our contractual partner, in this case the owner or property manager, we cannot disclose details of energy supply contracts. However, it is known that electricity prices have risen across Europe in 2022 as a result of the energy crisis." It is also emphasized that the building owner or property management company is responsible for passing on the general costs of a building to the individual parties. "It can of course happen that costs are only passed on with a time delay." However, it also turns out that it may be worth taking a look at the operating cost statement ...