Malta - British Expat Forum

Can anyone please explain the operation of the electricity and water charges? I am renting and my first 6 monthys lease is up. Have been paying 80 euros a month in advance for water and power. On the usage for that period my landlord shows me the bills which are way above the charges shown on the WSC cvalculor. he tells me this is because this is rented property and we have to use the calculator with 0 persons showing. this results in costs of 250 euros more. Is there anyway round this ?.

cheers..Ed

Think this has been covered in some depth already on here. However, basically there are two types of electricity tariff in Malta – ‘Domestic’ and ‘Residential’

‘Residential’ is applied to the first/main home of all residents/taxpayers permanently residing in Malta on a full time basis. This tariff is cheaper per unit and also provides some substantial subsidies (especially with the Water element of the bill) based upon the number of registered occupants (hence your landlords 0 people comment), all of which ensure that the bill is much less.

‘Domestic’ is applied to all other bills, 2nd homes, non-residents, some rental properties etc.

Full details of tariffs can be found here: http://www.wsc.com.mt/%28S%28pjuvpvnm3j0wjl45ltutaiew%29%29/default.aspx?MLEV=22&MDIS=102


You need to do a few things to change this:

• Get Residency certificates (covered elsewhere) or have concrete proof that you are paying tax.

• Get your landlord to agree to put the bill in your name, simple process, one form and a trip to WSC, Luqa (be prepared for a bit of a wait)

• Agree changeover readings with your landlord

• Have the paperwork mentioned on the WSC forms…….copy ID etc.

• Pay a €466 refundable deposit to WSC (comes off your final bill)

You should then have a bill in your name with the ‘clock’ starting with your changeover readings, all at the preferential ‘residential’ rate and with the correct number of ‘registered residents’ Whether it is worth doing depends on how long you are staying (a) on the Island and (b) in that flat……

All the best

JJ
thanks for all that. could not find my way through the maze from the search where electricity and water were covered in their myriad forms from cascading waterfalls on apartment walls through to charging a battery

anyway have temporary resident permit (still waiting for the full version ) however how long we will stay in this flat is problematical as we have not yet experienced a summer living near a swimming pool . I guess it would still be worthwhile to try to get the bill in our name as the difference in cost is well over 500 euros a year.

cheers..Ed

JJ is spot on except for one thing "Get Residency certificates (covered elsewhere) or have concrete proof that you are paying tax. " - you don't need to be paying tax, but to be registered for tax - ie have a tax number. If your income is below the tax free limit, you can still get the residential rates. If you are resident you are supposed to get a tax number anyway.

Our bills are currently in our name at residential rate (our landlord owns a number of apartments and other properties).

We are now looking to rent another property, and have been told by one estate agent, that it is unreasonable for anyone to expect any landlord to charge a reasonable/negotiated rent for a long lease, AND also, expect him to allow the tenants to have the utility bills in their name; as this means the landlord will have to declare the income from the property which will then be subject to tax.

My point is, from what we have been told, it is not just a matter of fulfilling the requirements.

Has anyone else been told similar?

Red

I'm shocked. Are you suggesting that a Maltese citizen might seek to evade tax? c.

Would I dare?

Red

Still negotiating on this- landlord has said he will "look into" my registering as the consumer but doesnt think I will be allowed to- however as an alternative he has offered to cap our bills. I didnt ask if he was declaring the income

ed

Red wrote: from what we have been told, it is not just a matter of fulfilling the requirements. Has anyone else been told similar? Red

one of the requirements listed above by JJ is getting the permission of the landlord

ps I've seen a standard lease agreement from a major estate agent, and one of the terms is utility bill remains in landlords name, so another thing to look out for when signing a lease

Hi. I'd be interested in experience / advice on getting residential tariff for a rented accommodation. From what I've read here it seems it just depends on the landlord and whether they are declaring their rental income / whether they can be bothered transferring utilities to client.

I don't see how we can ask for residential on signing our initial rental contract since we will not yet be registered as residents at that time. Should we therefore just bite the bullet and pay domestic for first 6 months and when the contract is due for renewal try to negotiate the switch to residential or try from the beginning to have it included in the contract that as soon as we are registered we will be allowed to switch. Any experience / advice on this?

As a final note I'd be interested in anyone’s opinions on the legal aspects of domestic/residential. Surely as a resident it is your right to be paying residential tariff and you could insist on this as soon as you have registered?

Cuauhtli wrote:From what I've read here it seems it just depends on the landlord and whether they are declaring their rental income / whether they can be bothered transferring utilities to client.

there is a middle ground, where the utilities remain in the landlords name, but the number of tenants are noted - you need to be officially resident to do this though

gozomark wrote: there is a middle ground, where the utilities remain in the landlords name, but the number of tenants are noted - you need to be officially resident to do this though

Thanks Mark. I see you're handling the nightshift at britishexpat.

I take it this is for the subsidies which affect mainly the water?

applies to getting cheaper water and electricity - they are billed together

I wrote of my parents experience and solution in September 2011

I hope it's OK to re publish (Mark you can judge)

Our future landlord was worried that my parents wanted the utilities in their names, until they explained through the estate agent, and it was he who told us that he (the estate agent) got his own landlord to transfer the bill to his name but he had to pay the fee of €600 (he said).

Any person can go the the ARMS office and request Form A CC 501/11 1x 2 12/10, then before actually signing a lease they can produce this form and ask the question or even make it a condition as my parents did.

My parents had the following stated in their lease:-

All utility bills during the term of the lease shall be paid by the Lessees but shall be issued to the Lessors account, naming the Lessees as residents (Form A CC
501/11 1x 2 12/10), thereby allowing the lessees to claim residents rates for said utilities.

Thanks Red, a very useful post