operating costs / service charges
Loading your saved state.
service charges
The ongoing costs incurred for the use and maintenance of a property and paid by the tenant in addition to the basic rent, e.g. for water, heating, and garbage collection. Synonymous with Nebenkosten (additional costs/service charges).
Die monatliche Miete beträgt 750 Euro zuzüglich 150 Euro für die Betriebskosten.
The monthly rent is 750 euros plus 150 euros for service charges.
The word consists of 'Betrieb' (operation) and 'Kosten' (costs). The 's' in the middle is a linking element that connects the two words. Literally, then, these are 'costs for operation'.
Die Firma muss ihre hohen Betriebskosten senken, um wettbewerbsfähig zu bleiben.
The company has to lower its high operating costs in order to remain competitive.
The context makes the meaning clear. In connection with 'Miete' (rent), 'Wohnung' (apartment), or 'Mieter' (tenant), it refers to service charges. In the context of 'Firma' (company), 'Unternehmen' (business), or 'Produktion' (production), it refers to the costs of business operations.
In der Miete sind die Betriebskosten für Heizung und Wasser bereits enthalten.
The service charges for heating and water are already included in the rent.
In tenancy law, Betriebskosten (service charges) are 'umgelegt' (passed on) to tenants or 'abgerechnet' (settled/billed) at the end of the year. In housing ads, you often find the abbreviation 'zzgl. BK' (zuzüglich Betriebskosten — plus service charges).
Der Vermieter muss einmal im Jahr die Betriebskosten abrechnen.
The landlord has to settle the service charges once a year.
In a business context, the goal is often to 'senken' (lower), 'reduzieren' (reduce), or precisely 'kalkulieren' (calculate) the Betriebskosten (operating costs). They are an important part of accounting.
Durch den Einsatz neuer Maschinen konnten wir die Betriebskosten deutlich senken.
By using new machines, we were able to significantly lower the operating costs.
additional costs
'Betriebskosten' and 'Nebenkosten' often mean the same thing when talking about an apartment: costs that are paid in addition to the basic rent, for example for heating, water, or garbage collection. In rental contracts and statements, 'Betriebskosten' sounds a bit more precise and official. In everyday life, many people are more likely to say 'Nebenkosten'. That is why the words can easily be confused. In practice: for apartments, the two are often interchangeable, but 'Betriebskosten' fits especially well in a contract.
Im Mietvertrag stehen die Betriebskosten getrennt von der Kaltmiete.
The service charges are listed separately from the basic rent in the rental contract.
Noah prüft vor dem Umzug, wie hoch die Nebenkosten für die neue Wohnung sind.
Before moving, Noah checks how high the utility costs are for the new apartment.