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].Usmom wrote: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.
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!?