Paid 16 months of heating costs: Dortmund woman fights for 1,200 euros

TVS News AI, editorially supervised, presents Paid 16 months of heating costs: Dortmund woman fights for 1,200 euros.

She moved out of her Dortmund apartment – but the heating supply at her old place simply kept running. For 16 months, without her noticing. In the end, the bill came to more than 1,200 euros, which she now wants to recover in a contract dispute.

Anyone who has ever moved knows the to-do list: deposit return, re-registration, mail forwarding. Heating rarely sits at the very top – and that became a woman's downfall in Dortmund. The case shows how easy it is to lose track of your heating supply after moving out.

What exactly happened?

The Dortmund woman had left her apartment, but according to Focus, the heating supply continued unchanged. So she paid for 16 months of heating for an apartment she no longer lived in. In total, it's more than 1,200 euros – money she is now demanding back in a contract dispute.

How could this go unnoticed for 16 months?

Especially with flat-rate charges for heating and hot water, the amounts often only appear as a small line item on the utility bill or in the direct debit. It's easy not to question a transaction for months – especially after a move, with a new address, a new lease, and new installment payments, there's already enough to deal with. In the Dortmund woman's case, the overpayment only came to light late.

What does this mean for tenants?

The Dortmund case is a reminder to put heating supply on your moving-out checklist – not just electricity, gas, and internet. After moving, check which contracts have actually been terminated and which direct debits are still running. And if you notice you've paid too much: gather your documentation and have your claim reviewed – even after many months, a refund may still be possible.