DEWA bills not making sense | ExpatWoman.com
 

DEWA bills not making sense

30
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 09 September 2011 - 09:23

Hi there,

We live in Garhoud and are currently paying around Dhs2,000 per month in DEWA bills. We are a family of four and live in a 3-bed villa. No matter what changes we make to our routine, the DEWA is still ridiculously high (turning off water heaters/economy setting on the washing machine/switching the AC to economy etc).

This summer we were away for a month - so the house was empty - yet for that six week period, we were still charged Dhs3,000. This was based on the metre readings and was not an estimate.

We check our bills and have been down to the DEWA office on numerous occasions - but as I'm sure most of you know, there's no arguing with or even getting any sense out of a DEWA employee

Am wondering if there are any areas in town where the bills are less extortionate, if what we are paying is normal, or if moving into an apartment would make the utilities less of a burden?

Suggestions please?

1953
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 09 September 2011 - 10:15
Does anyone know about the differences between villa and apartment DEWA bills? I have a friend who lives in Burj views who pays Dhs150 per month. Yes - 150! She has a one-bed, but the central AC runs all the time... i pay between 400 - 600 aed per month including housing fee for a one bedroom apartment.
30
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 09 September 2011 - 10:07
If you have a maid, get rid of them, they eat DEWA up. and look really shocked when you tell them they dont need to have the tap running full belt teh whole time they are washing dishes..... sink full of water does the trick...... she looked at me as if i was insane and need to be sectioned!!!! They leave everything running, use hovers when they could sweep, put one item of clothing in the wash on full cycle, load their rooms with every electrical appliance going and never switch off. Wash everything down daily as if water is free! Get rid of your maids, save 1000 dhs straight away off your dewa bills! edited by QF2011 on 09/09/2011 I guess we're lucky - our maid is super efficient and follows our instructions to the letter. Does anyone know about the differences between villa and apartment DEWA bills? I have a friend who lives in Burj views who pays Dhs150 per month. Yes - 150! She has a one-bed, but the central AC runs all the time...
1953
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 09 September 2011 - 10:02
Somehow area does have an effect, AR is one of the most expensive from what i hear, yet i know people who moved form AR to Emirates hills, bigger pads and pay far less for bigger properties! is that building quality, insulation, efficiency? or do you actually think its charged differently? I think it is interesting.;) or the meters turn quicker (is that possible)
374
Posts
EW EXPLORER
Latest post on 09 September 2011 - 09:59
Somehow area does have an effect, AR is one of the most expensive from what i hear, yet i know people who moved form AR to Emirates hills, bigger pads and pay far less for bigger properties! is that building quality, insulation, efficiency? or do you actually think its charged differently? I think it is interesting.;)
374
Posts
EW EXPLORER
Latest post on 09 September 2011 - 09:59
If you have a maid, get rid of them, they eat DEWA up. and look really shocked when you tell them they dont need to have the tap running full belt teh whole time they are washing dishes..... sink full of water does the trick...... she looked at me as if i was insane and need to be sectioned!!!! They leave everything running, use hovers when they could sweep, put one item of clothing in the wash on full cycle, load their rooms with every electrical appliance going and never switch off. Wash everything down daily as if water is free! Get rid of your maids, save 1000 dhs straight away off your dewa bills! <em>edited by QF2011 on 09/09/2011</em>
1953
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 09 September 2011 - 09:58
Somehow area does have an effect, AR is one of the most expensive from what i hear, yet i know people who moved form AR to Emirates hills, bigger pads and pay far less for bigger properties! is that building quality, insulation, efficiency? or do you actually think its charged differently?
1953
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 09 September 2011 - 09:57
If you have a maid, get rid of them, they eat DEWA up. and look really shocked when you tell them they dont need to have the tap running full belt teh whole time they are washing dishes..... sink full of water does the trick...... she looked at me as if i was insane and need to be sectioned!!!!
374
Posts
EW EXPLORER
Latest post on 09 September 2011 - 09:54
If you pay the housing fee then consider moving to a free zone, DSO has no housing fee, this is quite a reduction in DEWA. A well built more modern house may help, but DEWA is expensive. Thanks for the suggestion - and sorry to be dense - but what is DSO? DUbai Silicon Oasis, Cedre Villas, they are the only ones i know who are in a free zone therefore no housing fee, prices for a 3 bed start from 145K per year. The other option is to find a villa with a local LL who will keep the villa in his name and pay the dewa (much lower) as part of annual rent, hard to find though. edited by QF2011 on 09/09/2011 Thanks for the tips - that really makes sense. Appreciate it. We do all the economy things you suggested too - it's still not helping. I have friends in Rashidiya who pay far less than we do yet use the same volumes of electricity. Just can't understand it. Somehow area does have an effect, AR is one of the most expensive from what i hear, yet i know people who moved form AR to Emirates hills, bigger pads and pay far less for bigger properties!
30
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 09 September 2011 - 09:52
If you pay the housing fee then consider moving to a free zone, DSO has no housing fee, this is quite a reduction in DEWA. A well built more modern house may help, but DEWA is expensive. Thanks for the suggestion - and sorry to be dense - but what is DSO? DUbai Silicon Oasis, Cedre Villas, they are the only ones i know who are in a free zone therefore no housing fee, prices for a 3 bed start from 145K per year. The other option is to find a villa with a local LL who will keep the villa in his name and pay the dewa (much lower) as part of annual rent, hard to find though. edited by QF2011 on 09/09/2011 Thanks for the tips - that really makes sense. Appreciate it. We do all the economy things you suggested too - it's still not helping. I have friends in Rashidiya who pay far less than we do yet use the same volumes of electricity. Just can't understand it.
374
Posts
EW EXPLORER
Latest post on 09 September 2011 - 09:48
A top tip is to take weekly readings of your meters and record them on a graph, quite easy once you set up. This will show you peaks and troughs. Also try to do washing at night and keep electrical use down during the day. Use a clothes rack to dry clothes not the dryer, make sure when you use the dish washer/washing machine they are full and on economy wash. If you have a maid, get rid of them, they eat DEWA up. Don't wash down outside/cars etc. Reduce water for garden right down and put only once a day at night. Change bulbs for eco ones Set AC a degree or two higher and turn off when not needed or at night. Buy only AAA rated electrical products, ie fridge/washing machine etc and use on economy settings. Turn off all plug sockets/electrics not in use at the time. Keep doors closed, go to ac and buy insulator to go around main door frames, loads of cold ac goes out under the ,ain doors, fill these areas up with draft excluders.
30
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 09 September 2011 - 09:39
We have the same problem at the Ranches; our bill for the month of August was 2000 Dhs higher than July (which was already way too high!) and the house was empty with only 1 a/c unit upstairs and 1 unit downstairs running.... It does not make sense! Has anybody successfully contacted DEWA for a rectification? They will re-calculate it - but it very rarely does any good. A friend of mine was overcharged Dhs3,000, which DEWA admitted was their fault, but they refused to refund her because she was closing the account to move house and 'we only give credit' Computer says NO...
374
Posts
EW EXPLORER
Latest post on 09 September 2011 - 09:35
If you pay the housing fee then consider moving to a free zone, DSO has no housing fee, this is quite a reduction in DEWA. A well built more modern house may help, but DEWA is expensive. Thanks for the suggestion - and sorry to be dense - but what is DSO? DUbai Silicon Oasis, Cedre Villas, they are the only ones i know who are in a free zone therefore no housing fee, prices for a 3 bed start from 145K per year. The other option is to find a villa with a local LL who will keep the villa in his name and pay the dewa (much lower) as part of annual rent, hard to find though. <em>edited by QF2011 on 09/09/2011</em>
19
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 09 September 2011 - 09:32
We have the same problem at the Ranches; our bill for the month of August was 2000 Dhs higher than July (which was already way too high!) and the house was empty with only 1 a/c unit upstairs and 1 unit downstairs running.... It does not make sense! Has anybody successfully contacted DEWA for a rectification?
30
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 09 September 2011 - 09:32
If you pay the housing fee then consider moving to a free zone, DSO has no housing fee, this is quite a reduction in DEWA. A well built more modern house may help, but DEWA is expensive. Thanks for the suggestion - and sorry to be dense - but what is DSO?
374
Posts
EW EXPLORER
Latest post on 09 September 2011 - 09:28
If you pay the housing fee then consider moving to a free zone, DSO has no housing fee, this is quite a reduction in DEWA. A well built more modern house may help, but DEWA is expensive.
 
 

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