Enemalta - Electricity and Water Tariffs

Hi

We are currently paying the non-resident tariff in our rented apartment. Someone we know has told us that we can now qualify for the lower, resident tariff just with an ID card due to a change in legislation. Our landlord says this is not the case. It is not easy to find any information using the Enemalta website. Does anyone know whether we should qualify for the lower tariff, and if so, where do we find the information to give our landlord?

Any help would be appreciated

Hi ladyowl,

the information you have is correct! You qualify for the lower residential tarifs even if you don't have the e-resident document and just give a passport number.

Sadly, if your landlord is evading paying taxes and does not agree to sign the Form H with ARMS corporation , and this sounds like being the case in your case, you will have to contuinue paying the much higher rate.

Your options are:

1) Move out
2) Report your landlord to the Tax Office
3)File a Petition with the EU Commission on the topic ( there are a large number already filed)
4) Contact the ' Up in Arms ' Group here in Malta for furthher advice

The issue is that your landlord is reporting your flat as not rented and not declaring income from it . The correct wording is probably ' he is a tax-evading criminal' like the German football manager Uli Hoeness who just started his 3 1/2 year jail term today for evading taxes in Germany -))

I , and I'm sure Patricia Graham ( from Up in Arms) also, are actually quite fed up on commenting on this topic as there is so much information on this issue on the various forums. Why do you sign into such contracts? A signed contract is a contract in Malta also !

Only sign a rental contract that agrees with the residential rate on utillities! Once you have signed there is no way out in Malta! You are f..... up ! No one can help you ......

Cheers
Ricky

ricky wrote:

The issue is that your landlord is reporting your flat as not rented and not declaring income from it .


might be, not is - I'd be wary about accusing people of breaking the law without proof :-)

ricky wrote:

Only sign a rental contract that agrees with the residential rate on utillities!


A landlord cannot grant you residential rates, thats up to ARMS -

Only sign a rental contract that states the landlord will agree to allow an application for residential rates, by signing form H

Hi George,

read my reply the way I posted it !

If a landlord does not agree in signing Form F ....what other reason can there be ?

But ! Our main concern must be the Expats entitled to cheaper rates and not to excuse landlords for not signing what they are obliged to sign . If they don't , they are suspicious or .....

Cheers
Ricky

Suspicious absolutely.

I would point out that landlords are not "obliged" to sign the form. They own the property and as such can choose who rents and what conditions apply, its up to the renter to decide if the contract is right for them or not.

Terry

Hi
Hope you guys don't mind answering a few questions as im trying to get it clear...

So what if it does not stipulate anything in the contract about the rates to pay?
Iv just asked my landlord which rate im on to which he replied he 'will have to check legally!' (Im not the first tenant here!) 'But it will be in line with market rates'.

After reading your posts if im not mistaken... he gets to decide which rate im on due to whether hes declaring the income from the rent or not?
It has nothing to do with how long iv been here or work contracts etc?! (3m and working)
Which is the cheaper rate... domestic or residential?

Can we start there plz!
Thanks

Ok I see it the cheaper rate is residential!

residental but with registred people is cheaper
if he shows you bill with residental 0 that is domestic
if you have maltese ID card you can apply to be resitred via form H from arms, but landlord needs to give you copy of his id card and sign the form ;)

Duxx wrote:

if you have maltese ID card


foreigners generally cannot get Maltese ID card now, but eResidence card instead

yes, sorry my mistake, eResidence card it is ;)

Since last November, non Maltese do not need Maltese id to get the residential rate.  A passport would be fine.

Also it is Arms that cannot bill a tenant at the residential rate without the landlord's permission, not vice versa.

I don't think that tenants should be given a hard time because they didn't think of the bizarre far fetched idea that a government would have two tariffs and that the default tariff is the incorrect one.

How are you supposed to know that you are supposed to do research on a billing system that not even a Machiavellian Kafka would have been able to dream up?

If anyone needs help with this insane billing system, please join Class Action Against Arms on Facebook.  We are making huge strides in stopping this abuse once and for all.