When property has been rented out or purchased it is advised to check the contract to see if utilities are included. Majority of the states and regions in Germany do however have their own utility companies and with the competition that there is residents usually select their own company depending on who has the best prices.
If you are renting, it is most likely that the building will arrange a connection on your behalf, however if you are applying yourself an ID such as a passport must be shown as well as a deposit given
Electricity
The electricity in Germany is on a meter which is generally read annually and the monthly bills are calculated through an estimate of household has and electricity usage. Those who use more energy than estimated will be required to make additional charges and those who have used less will be reimbursed.
The electricity supply is run on a standard 230 volt system and payments are made via automatic bank transfer or on a standing order.
Those who want to change their electricity supplier will be required to wait for up to three months and it is recommended that a note of all the meter readings from the previous occupant are taken so that the utility company will only bill you for what you have used.
Gas
Gas in Germany is also metered and is read annually with the monthly payments being estimated and adjusted after an annual meter reading. Payment for gas is made via automatic bank transfers or standing order.
To set up Gas in your home, the company can be contacted directly with some of them offering online services to request getting gas connected or even disconnected. The gas supplies have customer service centres with English speaking staff that are helpful in completing
Water
The water in Germany is safe to drink from the tap, but many do choose to buy bottled or drink filtered water. The water is supplied by the local waterworks and the costs of water are determined on the usage.
The water quality is found to be hard in some parts of Germany so it has been advised that lime scale protection products are used in washing machines and dishwashers.
Waste Disposal
Waste disposal has become popular in Germany and most residents like to separate the household waste. The costs for waste disposal are included in the additional chargers of the home owner’s fee.
Recycling bins will also be provided which should be used to separate waste into paper, glass and residual waste. The waste bags are then collected by the municipal services every two – four weeks.