Moving to Singapore in 45-60 days!

[JR8]

whoa! $300/month for ac main. that's scary. Anyways hopefully we can find someone for less. Never heard of this being done in the u.s. so is it like someone comes to clean each of your ac units in house and outside once every 3 months? Could you clean it yourself? I'm guessing there are 5 units in the place as each bedroom should have one and then one for living area and then one for outside? Guess I'll ask agent as I didn't count units.

Also, read the contract draft and applied the tenancy rights link above for things we want our agent to address in contract. The link was very helpful. Luckily the contract didn't state anything too strange.

The $300/mo from RAJM was probably a typo. Jeez not even albinos from Arctic Sweden rack up those bills. We pay zero for a/c, since we don't use it - bar the $428/pa to unnecessarily clean it [sigh].

Yes it's a local idiosyncratic thing/scam. And it's a whole national industry. Getting your air-con serviced every three months. Don't be surprised if already you have 'friendly aircon engineers' PMing you offering to give you a quote.

At ours it's one 'fancoil' per bedroom, plus two in the lounge + two condensers outside. 3+2+2=5+2. I'd be happy to PM the co we use (zero connections otherwise), but the air-con service market is such a cesspit I am hesitant. Perhaps better you get a few quotes in, then if you want, I can tell the people we use, sourced keeping in mind all the scamstories, and you can get a quote off them.... up to you. I just remember the shtick we went through trying to find a reputable company who didn't try and stick the unexpected extras on us on each visit...

I really hate all this nonsense. It's like the first lease I had here. Clause: 'The tenant has to turn on and use the oven at least once a week'. I mean, WTH, what kind of 20-something 12+/hr a day expat guy is baking at home each week!?

[JR8]

oh the other thing I was surprised about was dry cleaning the curtains. That's a lot of curtains cause every room has them and then the living area too and they are huge!! and what if they are in great shape and super clean? Another thing I have not seen in u.s. rental agreements.

When you take on the place, with the inventory you should have or demand copies of the cleaning bills from just before you moved in. After all, it's your right to know stuff was cleaned, if you are expected to render it up at termination in a similar condition, and similarly provide proof/bills.

So those pre move-in bills will give you contacts and a price for the same... If they happen to have been paid by the landlord you can expect them to be the chiselling minimum possible price.

[maneo]

whoa! $300/month for ac main. that's scary. Anyways hopefully we can find someone for less. Never heard of this being done in the u.s. so is it like someone comes to clean each of your ac units in house and outside once every 3 months? Could you clean it yourself? I'm guessing there are 5 units in the place as each bedroom should have one and then one for living area and then one for outside? Guess I'll ask agent as I didn't count units.

Also, read the contract draft and applied the tenancy rights link above for things we want our agent to address in contract. The link was very helpful. Luckily the contract didn't state anything too strange.

The quote of $300/mo. for AC servicing is simply outrageous.
You should not need monthly service.

How much servicing you need will depend on how much you use the aircon, how dirty the air is and the size of the drain pipes.

There are a few service providers that will do only what is needed and at a reasonable cost. I found Maxicool to be one.
They will not sell service packages.
You can read about them in other forums:

"Any good and reliable home aircon service to share" on mycarforum.com:

http://www.mycarforum.com/topic/2684945 ... are/page-2

"Recommend a Good and Cheap Air-Con Service Company" on hardwarezone.com.sg.

I was impressed by the answers that Jason of Maxicool provides on the hardwarezone forum, so I did have him service my aircon units.

Only problem with Maxicool is the long queue - you need to wait a few weeks for an open slot, but for non-urgent maintenance this should not be a problem.

P.S. I have no connection with this company other than being a very satisfied customer.
I just like to see nice guys that are fair succeed.

[JR8]

What the '$300' was for is completely unknown. chill

[zzm9980]

whoa! $300/month for ac main.

That's probably an annual quote. My unit had 3 A/C head units and it was about $90 every three months.

[rajagainstthemachine]

@us mom : 300$ per year not month. I pay around that much currently, and my unit has 3 air conditioners.
They come every 3 months, they call you to book a time/date. They clean the air filter and check for leaks, minor problems etc.
My landlady asked me to clean the curtains too, I just washed it myself.
Or you could keep these aside and get your own curtains.
But its another uniquely Singaporean rental practice.

[Usmom]

all right it's not $300/month, good.

just got news that our shipment won't arrive until December if all goes well, it's still sitting at a port in the u.s. Guess we will be renting furniture for a few months. I clicked on the furniture rental link above and it's not too bad. but any other suggestions or advice would be appreciated.

[JR8]

all right it's not $300/month, good.

just got news that our shipment won't arrive until December if all goes well, it's still sitting at a port in the u.s. Guess we will be renting furniture for a few months. I clicked on the furniture rental link above and it's not too bad. but any other suggestions or advice would be appreciated.

December, that sucks

Get some 'cheap and cheerful' basics from IKEA? Then when your shipment arrives donate them to the Salvation Army ? http://www.salvationarmy.org/singapore/dik_fts

I've rented furniture before for a while. It tends to look good in the brochures etc but the quality is atrocious. It makes IKEA great quality/value in comparison. I think you'd need to go a physically see the rental items first hand before taking them. I also found the rental costs high, when you add in delivery, set-up, and removal. It would be interesting to do a comparison of say 3 months rental, versus buy IKEA and then donate to the SA*.


* Or sell to a local 2nd hand furniture shop. Or sell via a 'small ad' on the condo noticeboard (i.e. the physical noticeboard located at your condo, not the weblink that typing that word creates... grrr). Or indeed sell via placing an ad on this forum!

[PNGMK]

Since I've owned a place here (3 years now) I think I've had a service once.... I usually tell the FDW to climb on a ladder and vaccuum out the master bedroom unit every few months and to wash the filter.

[zzm9980]

Since I've owned a place here (3 years now) I think I've had a service once.... I usually tell the FDW to climb on a ladder and vaccuum out the master bedroom unit every few months and to wash the filter.

That is exactly all the service guys have ever done for me. The one-time "deep cleaning" involved them running a hose from my shower to the bedroom, and hosing out the head unit on the wall while catching run off in a big plastic bin. A 12-yr old could do what they do.

[Strong Eagle]

Since I've owned a place here (3 years now) I think I've had a service once.... I usually tell the FDW to climb on a ladder and vaccuum out the master bedroom unit every few months and to wash the filter.

That is exactly all the service guys have ever done for me. The one-time "deep cleaning" involved them running a hose from my shower to the bedroom, and hosing out the head unit on the wall while catching run off in a big plastic bin. A 12-yr old could do what they do.

A proper chemical cleaning involves disconnecting the evaporator core and taking it outside where it is doused in cleaning chemicals that dissolve grease and grime that has accumulated on the fins. Then it needs to be reassembled and recharged.

[Usmom]

After one week here, here are some things I've notice:

1. Singapore is not as pristine clean or law abiding as it is painted to be. Now compared to other Asian countries, it's pretty clean but maybe it's the haze or traffic or congestion of people and cars, or the little bits litter/trash I see just about everywhere I walk or people coughing up a storm without covering their mouths, or young people just sitting in reserved mrt seating while obviously pregnant women stand or constant never ending construction, or etc...

2. There is a never ending supply of food and shopping, but the quality of food is low unless your willing to pay up the wazoo. But even the $200+ meals for 2 haven't been that great. We've tried seafood and steak and still looking for that heavenly meal. I guess the sting of a pricey meal makes your expectations too high. The best meal I've had so far, sad to say, is at an aussie restaurant for fish and chips that costs $42. I love asian food and have been disappointed in everything we've tried so far, why does everything have to be so sweet. We had $120 hot pot yesterday and it was ok, we were so happy nothing was sweet, but same exact meal could be had for $40 in u.s. I'm sure my money comparisons will eventually dissipate and I'll be able to find my go to place to eat.

3. Coming from a huge city where everyone has a car and public transit is almost nonexistent, I am impressed with the mrt system here. Though there are times I miss the comfort and convenience of our cars and easy parking everywhere, the mrt system here is a good model.

4. I asked my husband to look for opportunities to work in asia and I'm very appreciative that I have this opportunity to experience another country. No place is perfect and it's a great way to continue to gain perspective and grow as a person.

[zzm9980]

2. There is a never ending supply of food and shopping, but the quality of food is low unless your willing to pay up the wazoo. But even the $200+ meals for 2 haven't been that great. We've tried seafood and steak and still looking for that heavenly meal. I guess the sting of a pricey meal makes your expectations too high. The best meal I've had so far, sad to say, is at an aussie restaurant for fish and chips that costs $42. I love asian food and have been disappointed in everything we've tried so far, why does everything have to be so sweet. We had $120 hot pot yesterday and it was ok, we were so happy nothing was sweet, but same exact meal could be had for $40 in u.s. I'm sure my money comparisons will eventually dissipate and I'll be able to find my go to place to eat.

IMO the best food in Singapore isn't the expensive stuff, but the $2-5 meals you'll get at hawker centers. Healthy? Usually not. But less unhealthy than the average meal out in the US at least. That's what I miss the most.


Which Fish and Chip place? I really like Smith's, which would be much cheaper than that (or about that for 3-4 people perhaps). But then I'm an American so I'm sure my opinion of good Fish and Chip's is like a Brit or Indian telling me what a good taco or burrito is supposed to taste like.

[Strong Eagle]

4. I asked my husband to look for opportunities to work in asia and I'm very appreciative that I have this opportunity to experience another country. No place is perfect and it's a great way to continue to gain perspective and grow as a person.

I judge that people like you, with the attitude you have to living internationally, would be a joy to know. I hope you find the growth and exploration you seek.

[the lynx]

After one week here, here are some things I've notice:

1. Singapore is not as pristine clean or law abiding as it is painted to be. Now compared to other Asian countries, it's pretty clean but maybe it's the haze or traffic or congestion of people and cars, or the little bits litter/trash I see just about everywhere I walk or people coughing up a storm without covering their mouths, or young people just sitting in reserved mrt seating while obviously pregnant women stand or constant never ending construction, or etc...

2. There is a never ending supply of food and shopping, but the quality of food is low unless your willing to pay up the wazoo. But even the $200+ meals for 2 haven't been that great. We've tried seafood and steak and still looking for that heavenly meal. I guess the sting of a pricey meal makes your expectations too high. The best meal I've had so far, sad to say, is at an aussie restaurant for fish and chips that costs $42. I love asian food and have been disappointed in everything we've tried so far, why does everything have to be so sweet. We had $120 hot pot yesterday and it was ok, we were so happy nothing was sweet, but same exact meal could be had for $40 in u.s. I'm sure my money comparisons will eventually dissipate and I'll be able to find my go to place to eat.

3. Coming from a huge city where everyone has a car and public transit is almost nonexistent, I am impressed with the mrt system here. Though there are times I miss the comfort and convenience of our cars and easy parking everywhere, the mrt system here is a good model.

4. I asked my husband to look for opportunities to work in asia and I'm very appreciative that I have this opportunity to experience another country. No place is perfect and it's a great way to continue to gain perspective and grow as a person.

Love reading your updates. Your experience resembles mine when I first moved here more than 5 years ago. If you're talking about Asian food, the good ones are actually the cheap ones (with exception to Japanese food*). If I have the time, I will list out all the proper Asian food locations for you to explore.

By the way, you are right. A good Asian food does not always have to be super sweet or super savoury. My problem here is always how much sugar or MSG they douse in the food.

*Speaking of Japanese, the best I've ever had that doesn't cost me a bomb is Chikuwa Tei at Mohamed Sultan Road (towards Robertson Quay). They have, by my experience, the best and freshest sashimi cut and it equals the ones I have tried in Japan. On some days, they even have good deals for chirashi don and customer service is good. The last time I went there for a meal, I think it only cost about $40 per person. Now that I'm talking about it, I feel like going back there tomorrow for another dose of sashimi!