Or maybe you are in a condo where water charges are factored into the rental?

We are in a condo and water here is billed individually for each unit.

Sewerage is billed separately. How fascinating this thread is!!

Depends on the condo management.
When we stayed in KL a few years ago, I never had to pay any water bills.

We've just got first bills - bit shocked at RM925 for two months of electricity! Especially when it's fan only at night (1 room), and air con during the day never below 24C. More expensive than UK! Trying to work out if it's correct but looks like it is??!
Our water is a minimum of RM18 per month (set by condo, extra use paid for but seems to be often under this amount anyway).

We pay around the same for our electricity but we are a family of four in quite a large apartment.

Thanks AJW. We're only 2, so I'm going to get it checked out. Sigh. Dreading that palaver already.

You might want to break down the bill (use google translate for the Malay bits, assuming you are not fluent) and, in particular, check dates and if it's an actual reading.

We sometimes get a whopper of a bill, then 2 small ones. When you take the 3 bills and divide by the number of months, it isn't too bad. Some bills are based on an estimate... and, believe me, no idea what they base the estimate on - it certainly isn't on past bills. A bit of Malaysian weird logic I think.

Thanks BB. Yes, I spent friday night on google translate with several bills! Bill seems to be for the past two months. As to whether it's an estimate, not sure... flat was empty before we moved in (brand new) so what's estimate possibly based on!? Need to take another look. Thanks though.

Good luck with that!!

Kate, I've just looked back through my electricity file where I have written copious notes and explanations ('cause by the time I get the next bill, I've forgotten how to interpret it) and I've got a note:

Under Kod (Code) if it says E - that's an estimate. If it says N - that's an actual reading.

It seems to me, if they can find a way of complicating it, they will

Baked Bean, you are a legend! It says E! So happy right now (yes, quiet day). Many, many thanks!


Oops, on second look, part of it is E, but the other part is N. Still, great to know, thanks.

For water, residential rates are RM5/month and RM20 for house converted to businesses. And you get another RM24 from IndahWater (waste management) every quarter. RM90 for water is high. You should switch to Penang. Both Malacca and Penang are Unesco Heritage states.

Aircon's are murder on electricity bills. Happily both our KL and Penang places have good natural air flow and so we never use an aircon, Typical monthly bill is RM30-40.

Use them as little as possible and bills will tumble. Mind electric cookers are a bit heavy and is why we use gas.

You need induction....very efficient.