Water and Electricity - Domestic rating

It goes back a long time, certainly to when I arrived 11 years ago, but the difference in tariffs was marginal then. Of course back then was pre EU so if you lived here you had to have the right residency paperwork. I think its origin is as you suggest, a means of penalising 2nd homeowners.

that being the case it doesnt follow that its a penalty to the owner as many hundreds of properties are being rented out to the unwary and its the tenant(s) that are paying the tax and thus the penalty...NOT THE OWNERS

wouldnt it have been more appropriate to have a proper tax for that if that was the aim as it seems to be wholely inappropriate to link taxation to essential utility services....

i knwo the doemstic was meant ot make a differential to garages communal areas and pools etc for blocks of properties, but why? it is still people using garages lifts and stairwells and there ligting etc as aprt of their homes....so it doesnt make sense 

and I'd go further that this really is silly in that when a local has the 2nd home and doesnt rent it out isnt it he and his family using the utilities and thus the now empty home (ie first proerty) isnt using any or precious little when they are in the 2nd property and vice versa.

If they were to resolve this rate thing then it would solve so many issues that are hot on the press and on everyones tongues.

IMHO there should only be two rates residential and commercial.

toonarmy9752 wrote:

IMHO there should only be two rates residential and commercial.

agree, but its difficult for that to happen when electricity is being sold below cost as it has been for the last two years.

Like some other things in Malta, its got the taint of 1960's and 70's socialism about it - other examples are the government setting the price of milk and Maltese bread

toonarmy9752 wrote:

Q. What is the reasoning behind the domestic rating for these utilites.

as to me it doesnt make any sense. is it just a hidden tax for being wealthy enough to afford a 2nd or third or fourth home or is it something else?

For me, that's another discriminatory rule! Why on earth, people have to pay different rates if both of those services are provided the same way to everyone. Even tough we cannot escape from it, it's just difficult for me to understand how can this be possible.

georgeingozo wrote:

toonarmy9752 wrote:

IMHO there should only be two rates residential and commercial.

agree, but its difficult for that to happen when electricity is being sold below cost as it has been for the last two years.

yes i agree and coupled with very heavy unsustainable subsidies in the previous 10-20years maybe more

mantonas wrote:

toonarmy9752 wrote:

Q. What is the reasoning behind the domestic rating for these utilites.

as to me it doesnt make any sense. is it just a hidden tax for being wealthy enough to afford a 2nd or third or fourth home or is it something else?

For me, that's another discriminatory rule! Why on earth, people have to pay different rates if both of those services are provided the same way to everyone. Even tough we cannot escape from it, it's just difficult for me to understand how can this be possible.

but currently you can "escape it" as long as you ve got the correct paperwork for your residency and the landlord allows you on the bills as a registered consumer...

toonarmy9752 wrote:

yes i agree and coupled with very heavy unsustainable subsidies in the previous 10-20years maybe more

In the past at least Enemalta covered its operating costs (but not all its capital costs), whereas in the last 2 years they didn't even do that ! The subsidies are illegal under EU law as they are anti-competitive, but the government got a waiver for a couple of years.

The government should privatise Enemalta, and then regulate it properly, rather than being the regulator and owner, which creates a conflict of interests. However, to do so, would force the government to fully recognise Enemalta debts, much of which would have to be written off, so worsening the official sovereign debt levels.

ps guess when Enemalta last published its annual report ?


2010 !!

toonarmy9752 wrote:

mantonas wrote:

toonarmy9752 wrote:

Q. What is the reasoning behind the domestic rating for these utilites.

as to me it doesnt make any sense. is it just a hidden tax for being wealthy enough to afford a 2nd or third or fourth home or is it something else?

For me, that's another discriminatory rule! Why on earth, people have to pay different rates if both of those services are provided the same way to everyone. Even tough we cannot escape from it, it's just difficult for me to understand how can this be possible.

but currently you can "escape it" as long as you ve got the correct paperwork for your residency and the landlord allows you on the bills as a registered consumer...

That's our problem at the moment - we can't escape it until we get our Eresidency! We are assuming that an appointment lined up will not help us, and when we finally hand in the paperwork we have to wait for the card before applying for the resident rate. Or is there another way?

The receipt might be sufficient

georgeingozo wrote:

ps guess when Enemalta last published its annual report ?


2010 !!

A receipt shown but not an 'appointment in the future' - has this issue been raised with 'friendly' authorities?

MikeInPoulton wrote:

georgeingozo wrote:

ps guess when Enemalta last published its annual report ?


2010 !!

[img align=c]http://www.tooconservative.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/this-is-an-outrage.jpg[/url]

well, maybe not an outrage :-), but quite possibly illegal, and maybe done to hide how bad the situation is

rooikat wrote:

A receipt shown but not an 'appointment in the future' - has this issue been raised with 'friendly' authorities?

an appointment date is worth nothing if by email as its easily forged

That's what I thought, so we could be paying domestic rates for months even though we have an accommodating landlady who is prepared to register us asap....... that sucks!

toonarmy9752 wrote:

mantonas wrote:

toonarmy9752 wrote:

Q. What is the reasoning behind the domestic rating for these utilites.

as to me it doesnt make any sense. is it just a hidden tax for being wealthy enough to afford a 2nd or third or fourth home or is it something else?

For me, that's another discriminatory rule! Why on earth, people have to pay different rates if both of those services are provided the same way to everyone. Even tough we cannot escape from it, it's just difficult for me to understand how can this be possible.

but currently you can "escape it" as long as you ve got the correct paperwork for your residency and the landlord allows you on the bills as a registered consumer...

The only paperwork I have at the moment for the residency, it's a peace of paper with an appointment booked for August, would that be enough?

mantonas wrote:

toonarmy9752 wrote:

mantonas wrote:

For me, that's another discriminatory rule! Why on earth, people have to pay different rates if both of those services are provided the same way to everyone. Even tough we cannot escape from it, it's just difficult for me to understand how can this be possible.

but currently you can "escape it" as long as you ve got the correct paperwork for your residency and the landlord allows you on the bills as a registered consumer...

The only paperwork I have at the moment for the residency, it's a peace of paper with an appointment booked for August, would that be enough?

Antonio.....

you have been here long enough to know by now my friend (and have advised as such).....please "bring us solutions not problems"......you know what I mean my friend


Mike

MikeInPoulton wrote:

mantonas wrote:

toonarmy9752 wrote:

but currently you can "escape it" as long as you ve got the correct paperwork for your residency and the landlord allows you on the bills as a registered consumer...

The only paperwork I have at the moment for the residency, it's a peace of paper with an appointment booked for August, would that be enough?

Antonio.....

you have been here long enough to know by now my friend (and have advised as such).....please "bring us solutions not problems"......you know what I mean my friend

Mike

Mike....

Where do you see the "problem"? Don't think that making an opinion or asking a question, would be considered as "a problem", or don't you think so my friend

Hi Antonio,

the answer to the question is no. The actual residence certificate has always been required to register for the residential tarif (whether this is right or wrong or is against EU law is still to be decided).

Even the ID card was/is not proof enough .

Your landlord has to provide a copy of the residency certificate to have the number of residents on the property bill changed.

As the whole ARMS department is under scrutiny and the director has been suspended I'm sure they are working to the rules at the moment and won't allow any 'escapes' .

Cheers
Ricky

ricky wrote:

Hi Antonio,

the answer to the question is no. The actual residence certificate has always been required to register for the residential tarif (whether this is right or wrong or is against EU law is still to be decided).

Even the ID card was/is not proof enough .

Your landlord has to provide a copy of the residency certificate to have the number of residents on the property bill changed.

As the whole ARMS department is under scrutiny and the director has been suspended I'm sure they are working to the rules at the moment and won't allow any 'escapes' .

Cheers
Ricky

Hi Ricky
          Our landlord supplied us withe form to have us added to our property from ARMS and only our ID was required not our residency certificate.
I fail to see why when you get an appointment they cannot allocate a temp. ID number to you.

Terry

ricky wrote:

Hi Antonio,

the answer to the question is no. The actual residence certificate has always been required to register for the residential tarif (whether this is right or wrong or is against EU law is still to be decided).

Even the ID card was/is not proof enough .

Your landlord has to provide a copy of the residency certificate to have the number of residents on the property bill changed.

As the whole ARMS department is under scrutiny and the director has been suspended I'm sure they are working to the rules at the moment and won't allow any 'escapes' .

Cheers
Ricky

not strictly true Ricky...I had my son registered at ARMs with only an id card and proof of Tax/SSC payments (payslip) but now its a bigger mess with many many problems that nobody seems able or to want to sort out quickly and efficently.

example of the mess taken from ToM
"Passengers with official proof of residency were entitled to cheaper fares than those without."..... Interesting would that be the "temporary" id card... with an A on it. which is not accepted by ARMs as "official proof of residency" ...... http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/vi … nge.466153

Hi toon,

you seem to have been one of the few lucky ones to have been able to register at ARMS just with the ID card.

If that had been the general ARMS line then nobody would be complaining about not getting the residential tarif and there would be no court case ongoing.

But it seems to be the typical Maltese inconsistency - some get things easy, others don't.

Cheers
Ricky

ricky wrote:

Hi toon,

you seem to have been one of the few lucky ones to have been able to register at ARMS just with the ID card.

If that had been the general ARMS line then nobody would be complaining about not getting the residential tarif and there would be no court case ongoing.

But it seems to be the typical Maltese inconsistency - some get things easy, others don't.

Cheers
Ricky

we both have residency and have done so for nearly 5 years - just our son didnt but was working.

totally agree... i dont know about lucky I simply argued the case - stood my ground and they caved in.. must admit I was expecting and was well prepared to battle  for it....and whats more i know quite a few who did exactly the same.

its a mess.

its important to
1. know your rights
2. be nice, smile, but hold your ground

holds for red tape everywhere

georgeingozo wrote:

its important to
1. know your rights
2. be nice, smile, but hold your ground

holds for red tape everywhere

absolutely

Please, a simple guide to registering as consumers on landlord's bill - have trawled through all posts and need help.

1)  EResidency card
2)  Landlord's permission
3)  Link to down load form from ARMS (I'm confused as to which one)
4)  Who fills it in and whose signatures?
5)  Where handed in?
6)  Does landlord and tenant need to be present?
7)  How long does it take after registration until residential
    tariff kicks in?
8)  Anything else we should know or do?

Thanks

This was what we and our landlord did.
Copy of ID card was supplied to the landlord,
He filled in the form, sent it to us for signing.
He submitted it to ARMS,
Starting from when we moved in we recorded the meter readings and since then read the meter every two months and work out what to pay (residential rates).
We send a cheque for the amount to our landlord who then sends us a receipt,
We receive no bills.

I think this was the form :

https://www.smartutilities.com.mt/wps/w … OD=AJPERES

It does say on this form that Passport is acceptable.



Terry

latest form https://www.smartutilities.com.mt/wps/w … OD=AJPERES

you need landlords permission, all consumers need to have residency, and permits, all consumers and the landlord has to sign the form - you can submit all docs to arms via email to their customer care customercare@arms.com.mt, provide copies front and back of ALL ids and permits and then wait....once your on the bills as registered consumers (maximim of 8 per account) then the rates are applied from the next issued bill.

https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=274440https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=284426https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=274775

The much more expensive 'domestic' water (+ at least 56%) and electricity (+30%) bills show Zero number of residents registered at the top right hand corner of the bill.

To compare and contrast both the 'domestic' and ‘residential’ water and electricity consumption tariff schemes, simply click on the following internet links:

http://www.wsc.com.mt/content/informationhttp://www.enemalta.com.mt/index.aspx?c … t=5&art1=9

Thank you, all very helpful