7,000 euros extra payment – operating costs in cooperatives explode

The residents of a cooperative building on Gumplowiczstrasse in the 22nd district could hardly believe their eyes when they received the operating cost estimate: up to 4,000 euros in additional payments per apartment.

The largest part with the most blatant increase is the energy costs. This was still 207,700 euros on the invoice for 2021, the current amount is already 752,600 euros.

“We were told it was because of the price increase from the energy supplier,” says one resident. “But why haven’t the costs in all the other Gesiba stores gone up that much?” she wonders.

Late invoicing
When “Krone” asked about it, Gesiba said that in this case two heating periods had been charged because Wien Energie had submitted the invoice for the previous year too late. But even then such an increase is incomprehensible, according to the tenants, who now want to contact the Chamber of Labor.

More than 7000 euros in additional payment
There is a similar case on Patrizigasse in Floridsdorf. There, residents received a letter from the Schöner Zukunft cooperative stating that energy costs had risen from 14,450 euros in 2022 to almost 64,000 euros in 2023. “This leads to large additional payments,” it says. To be precise: up to more than 7,000 euros for a tenant.

Independent assessment required
You can apply for support from the Ministry of Social Affairs. After a protest letter from the tenants, the calculations must now be carried out. Former district councillor Hansjörg Schimanek calls for an independent assessment by the Consumer Protection Association.