Water Meter in apartment

[lilifjp]

Dear forumers,

I need advise. Has anyone owned an apartment and managed to disconnect the water meter due to reasons like :

1. tenant did not pay for 2 years water bills.
2. apartment was vacant for a long time.

My questions :
1. is it possible to get the water disconnected with the maintenance ?
2. building do not have strata title - it is still under developer maintenance.
3. do we need to pay for new water meter if we want to connect the water meter again ?
4. how much is connection fee if we install again the meter two years later ?
5. how is the admin fee charged by the maintenance for connecting the water ?
6. how much is the meter cost ?
7. can we ask the maintenance to give us back the old meter since they are charging us the meter in the future ?

I hope someone out there has some info with this and please share since there are so many empty apartments around.

Thanks.

[fRaNkY]

Most apartments under Property Management (developer) will get a water bill from them. Most of the time, because of none payment of water, maintenance fees, sinking fund etc, Property Management will cut water and then cut electricity to that apartment, etc.

Find out where the apartment P M is and talk to them. Probably the meter is with them. If you are the owner and the tenants did not pay water, it is your fault! You should get a deposit from them.

Until the apartments get strata titles and manage their own P M, owners n tenants are at their mercy.

[lilifjp]

Dear Franky,

Thank u very much. Very fast reply.

But the scenario is - we only found out the tenant did not pay the water bill for so long and the maintenance dept did not cut the water meter.

Now, we want to cut the water meter and we have paid all the long over-due (+ interest charged). This is fair that we need to pay.

We want to disconnect the water meter but the maintenance department refuse to disconnect it since Dec 2007.

Now, they have disconnect the meter (April 2008) but they want us to sign that there are admin charges + manpower connection charges + new meter charges if we were to connect back the water in the future.

The maintenance department also refuse to give us back the old meter.

And the maintenance manager sarcastically said that so far nobody disconnect water meter in apartments because it is very troublesome.

Thank you for all the advice.

[lilifjp]

Find out where the apartment P M is and talk to them. Probably the meter is with them.

Hi Franky,

I just called the maintenance manager and he said that old water meters are all returned to SYABAS.

No one is allowed to keep old water meter. Is it true ?

Why is the P M charging us new meter in the future if they are not going to give us back the old meter ?

Again, he sarcastically said if I am desperate for a meter, I need to call SYABAS for one.

[srparshad]

Dear Franky,

Thank u very much. Very fast reply.

But the scenario is - we only found out the tenant did not pay the water bill for so long and the maintenance dept did not cut the water meter.

Now, we want to cut the water meter and we have paid all the long over-due (+ interest charged). This is fair that we need to pay.

We want to disconnect the water meter but the maintenance department refuse to disconnect it since Dec 2007.

Now, they have disconnect the meter (April 2008) but they want us to sign that there are admin charges + manpower connection charges + new meter charges if we were to connect back the water in the future.

The maintenance department also refuse to give us back the old meter.

And the maintenance manager sarcastically said that so far nobody disconnect water meter in apartments because it is very troublesome.

Thank you for all the advice.

Now which apartment is this.Management office are to serve the resident and not the other way round.Of course the residents have to pay their dues such as maintenance .If you have a private meter and paying direct to sybas you can ask them to disconnect since bill not paid .Normally the maintenance office will cooperate to disconnect water as a service to the owners if rents and utilites are not paid by tenants.Their salary comes from the maintenace charges we pay monthly.
Wait for the next meeting of the management office and raise hell.

[fRaNkY]

You have to find out if the water charges have already handed over to SYABAS, if not why they hand over to SYABAS, or they sell it to scrap metal.

Taking out the meter is easy if you know where the mains are.

There is also a device to clamp the tap!

If you have written to them since Dec 07, then you are not at fault.

The PM are suppose to be of service to the owners/tenants.

Find out if they have a Resident Association, talk to them, and see if you can lodge a report at the PM. If possible CC to the developer. If further no action.... to your ADUN.

FYI, apartments are still paying commercial rate which is higher than normal. Also, for a single person, estimate is about RM6 per month of water. So how much was owed?

[lilifjp]

Dear Franky & Parshad.

I have called SYABAS at tol free # 1 800 88 5252.

I was informed that for re-connecting the water meter SYABAS charge ;

RM100 (water deposit)
RM30 ( for man power - reconnecting meter)
Free Of Charge ( new meter - if the old meter was returned ).

I am also having a copy of REACH out magazine that stated, in the future Stratified residential properties such as flats, apartments and condominiums can migrate from bulk meters to individual meters in the future. The Magazine is Issue # 16, October 2007.

Unfortunately, most apartments do not have Individual Strata Title even after the owner stayed for more than 20 years. I wonder how long will apartments owners need to wait for strata titles ?

The latest update , the developer department still insist to charge us, RM100 - water deposit, RM50 (man power reconnecting), RM30 (admin charge) and RM120 (for new meter).

We have no intention to re-connect the water meter at the moment. Guess, we will wait for the bill in the future and trash it out with the Maintenance dept later.

Thank you both for all the soothing words. We were very upset last week but this is a good lesson for us, how we are always at the mercy of the Maintenance people.

[lilifjp]

FYI, apartments are still paying commercial rate which is higher than normal. Also, for a single person, estimate is about RM6 per month of water. So how much was owed?

Hi Franky,

Yes, we are aware of the higher water bills for apartment.

On the average the water bill is RM30++/month. I am just surprised why the maintenance dept did not cut off the water after the water bill hit above RM500. Instead, the maintenance dept keep charging us interest on top of interest every month !

Paying for the outstanding bills are not an issue. It is something that we will pay. But for the management to refuse dis-connecting the water meter after given written notice since Dec 2007, it is something that we were surprised. It cannot be that nobody or no-one has disconnect water in a apartment before. Only this month April 2008, after much arguments with the Maintenance Dept, we are getting back our water deposit this week and confirmation that the water has been disconnected.

[fRaNkY]

I bet u r not the only one. Go around and asked around. More resident ....more power to negotiate..

[srparshad]

That's right ..go for people power.Dont take the crap from the maintenance office.
Any way when you do reconnect it might be usefull to get the new type of water meter connections.The one with the special valve before the meter which makes it easier for diconnection by the meterman.Or you could fit a housing at the mains valve and lock it.You can buy this from the hardware shop.
But the best bet is to get the PM people cooperate with owners who pay for their salaries.

[patrick]

You have to find out if the water charges have already handed over to SYABAS, if not why they hand over to SYABAS, or they sell it to scrap metal.....

Who is issuing you the water meter bill? Syabas or the Management. That will straightaway tell you if Syabas has taken over the individual meter reading. I doubt it very much because I know there are very few condos/apartments that Syabas has taken over the individual meter reading.

That being the case, your PM has been bull****ting you about the meters being returned to Syabas. If water meter reading is done by the PM, then the meter is owned by the Management too. Syabas is NOT interested in your water meter at all.

[lilifjp]

That being the case, your PM has been bull****ting you about the meters being returned to Syabas. If water meter reading is done by the PM, then the meter is owned by the Management too. Syabas is NOT interested in your water meter at all.

Hi Patrick,

You are right. Water meter reading is by Developer Management since there is no strata title yet.

Today, we went to the Management Office and they told me that I am being dramatic. They are trying to bull***t me again by saying that if I wait until end June 2008, I do not have to pay for water bills bcos Selangor Government will waive charges below RM11.00/month.

I check the water meter and it looks like it has just been removed recently only.

We got back our RM100 deposit today. So, I will let this matter rest.

Thank you guys for sharing. Appreciate it - at least I am less stressed.

[patrick]

Hi Patrick,

You are right. Water meter reading is by Developer Management since there is no strata title yet.

Today, we went to the Management Office and they told me that I am being dramatic. They are trying to bull***t me again by saying that if I wait until end June 2008, I do not have to pay for water bills bcos Selangor Government will waive charges below RM11.00/month.

I check the water meter and it looks like it has just been removed recently only.

We got back our RM100 deposit today. So, I will let this matter rest.

Thank you guys for sharing. Appreciate it - at least I am less stressed.

Whether the Selangor Gov charges you rm11/mth or even free, sorry but you will not get to enjoy that perk so long as your meter reading is under the PM. Until and unless Syabas has taken over the individual meter reading, you will continue to pay what the Management charges you ie usually at the commercial rate.