Service costs include all costs charged by the landlord on top of the (basic) rent. They must be separated clearly from the basic rent as laid down in the contract. If this is not the case, the rent is mostly all-inclusive. Since 2008, a selection of service costs has been included in the rent survey, i.e. costs of a caretaker, cleaning and lighting costs of communal areas, maintenance of a communal garden, window cleaning and management and administrative costs.
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