Justification For 6-8 Baht/Unit Electric Charges For Serviced Apartments?

[DavidMavec]

Does anyone know if there is any justification for charging 2 to 3 times what they are charged at serviced apartments for electricity or is this only a "we do because we can thing"? The reason I asked is because I am used to this at serviced apartments but I am about to move into a private apartment and the owner wants to charge me seven baht per unit and that seems quite unfair to me.

[lopburi3]

Then don't move there. A house-owner in Bangkok pays about over 4 baht currently when tax/fee is included.

[WhizBang]

Pretty typical when the utility bill is NOT in your name.

As stated... don't move there, look elsewhere.

[CMSteve]

Its about infrastructure and maintenance. From the street, the building has to run line, meters, breakers and manage maintenance on their own. Realistically the difference in a couple per unit makes little difference unless you a 24hr air-con person.

But as others have already stated, you can always go somewhere else...

[rak sa_ngop]

Its about infrastructure and maintenance. From the street, the building has to run line, meters, breakers and manage maintenance on their own.

In addition I assume that the apartment block pays all electric usage for the whole building from one account, and therefore due to the sliding scale pricing of electricity units probably has to pay more than the 3 - 4 baht most individual condo users have to pay. (i.e. price per unit goes up with usage).

Of course if it is a condo you are renting the condo will have his own electricity account and if the owner is charging you more than the bil statesl, he is 'taking advantage of you'.

[PattayaParent]

To pay for the common facilities electric usage and maintenance, unless you don't want a lft to take you to the 13th floor? or a pump to run the swimming pool filtration system? or a pump to get water to your apartment? or electric lights at night in the corridors?

[sbk]

Not internet related, moving to housing forum

[ricklev]

Electric rates are jacked up because they can It's a major source of income and it's illegal in most every developed country. Realistically it' makes a very big difference to lot of people.

[CMSteve]

Any building owner relying on the electric bill as a "major source of income" is in serious trouble. Consider the actual number of units you use in a month and multiply that by 2 or 3 baht.

Also, do you know of any developed country where it is illegal? Its legal in America....

Electric rates are jacked up because they can It's a major source of income and it's illegal in most every developed country. Realistically it' makes a very big difference to lot of people.

[beano2274]

In my old condo the owner jacked up the prices at the time of free electricity to those who used less than a certain amount of units.

I used to pay around 6 baht per unit of electric, now I pay the Government rate.

[LuckyLew]

I have seen some buildings charge 10 baht per unit

Personally I would never rent at a buiding that charge

more than the Gov't rate.

They charge what they do, because they can. It is a way

for them to make extra income on top of your rent.

If you are a person who love AC, it does really add up.

I believe that most rental condo give you the actual Gov;t bill

and that is what you pay. Whereas appartment buildings are

the ones that charge a little extra.

If you do not want to pay extra, rent a condo

[beano2274]

Condos can up the prices too.

Look around a certain area that you want to live in and check out the prices of all those apartments or condos that appeal to you, make sure you find out about electric and water costs.

[bangkokburning]

Because they can!

"I would never rent at more than the govt rate" - Lucky Lew

WELL I GUESS YOU WONT BE RENTING!

I've paid as low as 5.5 and now as high as 7. I had a friend staying in a real cheap hole in Pattaya paying B10 per unit.

It has to be in the top ten questions i ask first before anything when looking at a new flat.

[saengsureeya]

Not electric but water: House and Land in Pattaya is charging THB 30/m3 of water.

They have their own water-supply (a well obviously).

Some owners did connect to the Govt-water supply. Cost them around THB 30,000.

As for the electric in general. Even if the condo is privately owned, the owner may be the one paying the utility bills directly to the condo-management because (maybe) in the past, the tenants 'forgot' to pay. That doesn't mean that the owner tops-up. He is just paying the bill.

Justifications can be: common use of electricity for lighting, pool, pumps, camera-systems, elevator and of course the higher rate for a high use of electric.

[electau]

The PEA/MEA charge the account holder for the building at a fixed rate per kWh.

The apartments are sub metered, these are read monthly and the consumption is calculated in THB by the following. Total consumption in kWhs of the submeter x rate per kWh. This is your account from the management. They may add a service charge to that as a fixed fee or a percentage of the amount levied eg 5%. Legally you can not be charged more than the PEA/MEA rate per kWh.

But remember you are in Thailand. What does your contract state?

[Darrel]

To pay for the common facilities electric usage and maintenance, unless you don't want a lft to take you to the 13th floor? or a pump to run the swimming pool filtration system? or a pump to get water to your apartment? or electric lights at night in the corridors?

All these are paid for by the common fees, indeed they are the reason for the common fees. There is no reason to overcharge for electricity or water on top.

Edited April 23, 2012 by Darrel

[Darrel]

Because they can!

"I would never rent at more than the govt rate" - Lucky Lew

WELL I GUESS YOU WONT BE RENTING!

I've paid as low as 5.5 and now as high as 7. I had a friend staying in a real cheap hole in Pattaya paying B10 per unit.

I rent and every month I receive an official electric bill in my letterbox calculated at the exact official government rate, plus VAT, which I pay at the local 7/11. The bill is addressed to the unit owner but I pay it. No one charges me extra and that's entirely as it should be.

[PattayaParent]

To pay for the common facilities electric usage and maintenance, unless you don't want a lft to take you to the 13th floor? or a pump to run the swimming pool filtration system? or a pump to get water to your apartment? or electric lights at night in the corridors?

All these are paid for by the common fees, indeed they are the reason for the common fees. There is no reason to overcharge for electricity or water on top.

Not in my building.

[Darrel]

Not in my building.

Your building is most unusual. In fact in my experience it is unique.

[bangkokburning]

Darrel - my hunch is you rent a condo, which allows you to do this.

Water has always seemed a bit high in all my flats and I understand it is cheap by Intl standards (water fees in Thailand).

[Darrel]

Indeed I was talking about condos, and hopefully that will teach me to read the title of the thread before posting.

That said, a large increase above the official rate still cant be justified, even though the official base rate doesnt apply.

[saengsureeya]

I rent and every month I receive an official electric bill in my letterbox calculated at the exact official government rate, plus VAT, which I pay at the local 7/11. The bill is addressed to the unit owner but I pay it. No one charges me extra and that's entirely as it should be.

Yes, as it should be. Other costs for common services will be collected in another way (rent, service-fee, etc).

[ricklev]

Also, do you know of any developed country where it is illegal? Its legal in America....

Sub-metering is legal. Charging beyond the exact cost from the utility company is not legal in every state in the USA that I know of, in England,and in every other developed country that I have ever checked. However I might be wrong about one or two.

[meand]

I pay 9, used to be 10 but they decided to give us a "discount" haha. Yes I know my fault We are moving in a month or two so not so bad. Looking forward to our bill being cut in half, and then some.

Edited May 19, 2012 by meand

[Delight]

Given that you do wish to move there and the landlord desires your business then I suggest the following:

For each month agree to pay the asking price for power on say the 1st 400 units. That covers your contribution to common electrical power needs.

Then offer to pay a lower price on all units above the 400 .

If he refuses then you will know that he is taking the piss.

[Heng]

It's business, no different than charging 100 Baht for a 15 Baht bottle of water in a hotel mini bar.

:-)

[w11guy]

To pay for the common facilities electric usage and maintenance, unless you don't want a lft to take you to the 13th floor? or a pump to run the swimming pool filtration system? or a pump to get water to your apartment? or electric lights at night in the corridors?

Those costs should be covered by the rent.

But it's just a way for the owner to make a little more money. In the hotel example above you already paid fro your room so why should you pay so much extra for water and other things. The answer is because the hotel makes money on them. If they didn't then the room rates would go up. Same with a condo.

Edited July 8, 2012 by w11guy