The rising energy costs are fueling calls for countermeasures.
The tenants' association, together with the Federation of German Consumer Organizations (vzbv), aims to help tenants and lower-income households.
"Without countermeasures by the new government, there is a risk of ancillary costs explosion," said Melanie Weber-Moritz, Federal Director of the Tenants' Association, the FAZ
Jan Hauser
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In a joint position paper, which both want to present on Thursday, they are calling for lower electricity prices: The next federal government should remove industry exemptions or finance them through taxes, lower the electricity tax to the EU minimum and refund income from the pricing of carbon dioxide (CO2). "In particular, low-income people hit the high prices hard," said vzbv board member Klaus Müller. Politicians must now set the course for a fair distribution of costs in the coalition negotiations.
To this end, tenants' association and consumer advocates are calling for the costs for energy-efficient renovations to be divided more between tenants, landlords and the state: For this, owners should benefit directly from public subsidies and no longer count these against the modernization costs. In addition, the federal government should suspend electricity and gas blocks for private households with low incomes until prices have normalized again - similar to the reaction to the corona pandemic last year. In addition, the allocation of the CO2 costs to the tenants should decrease and the housing benefit should increase.
Starting this year, 25 euros per tonne of CO2 are due in Germany for diesel, petrol, heating oil and natural gas.
The Federal Statistical Office cites this levy and the low prices in the previous year as reasons for the rise in energy prices, which in September in Germany were 14.3 percent higher than in the same month of the previous year.
It confirmed on Wednesday that the inflation rate was 4.1 percent in September.
Heating oil rose by 76.5 percent, fuels such as gasoline by 28.4 percent, natural gas by 5.7 percent and electricity by 2 percent.
Help for drivers
Federal Transport Minister Andreas Scheuer is thinking of motorists: The CSU politician calls on FDP chairman Christian Lindner to enforce a gasoline price brake on the SPD and the Greens. “The state must therefore intervene at the latest at a price of 1.99 euros per liter and, in return, lower taxes,” said Scheuer of the Bild newspaper. During the election campaign, Lindner spoke of lowering taxes on fuels if a CO2 price was introduced.
The rise in the price of oil and natural gas in the world is due to the increasing demand almost everywhere.
After the downturn caused by the corona pandemic, the economy has recovered in most countries and is also picking up in Asia, where more and more liquefied natural gas is being shipped.
The incumbent federal government referred on Wednesday to approved relief such as a reduction in the EEG surcharge from state funds, a higher commuter break and improvements in housing benefits.
What the CO2 price means
For the environmental economist Andreas Löschel, the sharp rise in energy prices is alarming. Nevertheless, the Bochum professor warns against intervening too strongly in the European electricity market. “It mustn't happen that we bend the electricity design and the CO2 price,” he says. "We have to accept the high costs to a large extent and take care of those who are particularly affected."
In order to lower electricity prices, Löschel would be in favor of a lower EEG surcharge, as this also serves the necessary electrification.
In the case of gasoline, intervention would take the pressure to adapt away from fossil fuels.
The same applies to natural gas.
"Anyone who tinkers with the market mechanisms today destroys the possibilities for decarbonization for tomorrow." The CO2 price will ensure that the electricity sector gets by without greenhouse gas emissions.
The right frame counts: "It's like a ball rolling down the mountain: It rolls and cannot be stopped."