Info related to Bills, Internet, Rental, Jobs and Supermarket prices

Thanks - very helpful...and seemed to confirm what we had found out so far in some areas which is a good sign

There's a lot of good information here, thanks for the round-up. One correction: You do NOT need to be a Maltese Passport holder to qualify for the Residential rates - there are at least a couple of ways - prove to the authorities that you have a Residence Permit or live in a block where the Landlord has already sorted out the rates. It's residence status that's important not nationality/passport.

Tim

Thanks. Changed to: It is "highly unlikely" that foreigners will ever pay "Residential=1,2,3 etc" rates.

I pay residential rates, and I'm a foreigner....

its not difficult - register for tax and/or get a residency permit

I will go for this:
It is "highly unlikely" that foreigners will ever (or at least at the beginning of your journey in Malta)pay "Residential=1,2,3 etc" rates.
In 90% of the cases (or more) this statement will prove to be 100% acurate but also i don't disagree with you the fact that in some (very limited) cases is possible.
If it will be so easy you will not find this on the news:
maltatoday.com.mt/news/arms-ltd/arms-energy-bills-for-eu-citizens-under-european-commission-scrutiny-%E2%80%93-ad

timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20100825/opinion/higher-bills-for-foreign-residents

timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20100711/letters/water-and-electricity-bills

timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20100926/local/brussels-warns-malta-about-higher-tariffs-for-foreigners

timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20100711/local/arms-ltd-breaching-eu-law-ad

timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20100617/letters/non-maltese-eu-citizens-entitlement-1

Two reasons why many foreigners don't get the residential rates is because

1. they don't register for tax
2. they rent a property where the landlord doesn't declare his rental income

if you want to get the lower electricity rates, go legal

There's also this as a rebuttal: timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20110124/local/no-discrimination-in-foreigners-higher-tariffs

I can only speak personally and we had no problem at all getting residential rates, and we know many, many expats who are similarly on the residential rate....but I couldn't possibly put any percentages against it.

Hopefully the European Commission will look into it and resolve any disparities.

Tim

discriminatory pricing is allowed, as long as its not on the basis on citizenship (or sex, race, religion etc). This discriminatory pricing is on the basis of residency, which appears to be permissible under EU law. What appears not to be permissible is that Maltese citizens are assumed to be resident, while foreigners have to prove it - that is what the EU is likely to force a change in, atleast as far as non Maltese EU citizens are concerned.

One likely solution is to make Maltese citizens also prove they are resident....

One estate agent said the only way we can get the residential rates is if we put the bills in our name and the only way we can ever do that is by buying- as landlords wont allow tenants to have the bills in their own name.

We both work legally and pay tax and have residency, so I wonder if in our next place we should push harder! Every penny counts!

Again I can only speak for my own situation - the bill is NOT in our name, but we ARE getting residential rates...our Landlord owns a fairly large building with 9 units - I don't know what, if anything, our Landlord had to do or say to get us the residential rate...but I'm not complaining.

Tim

Thank you, Thank you, & again Thank you, for reading and debating but it will be not easier to give the new comers a broader picture and stop with all this legal "mumbo jumbo"

Huh? You post on a forum and you don't expect discussion? At the very least by adding comments we are keeping it at the top of the thread list, which I thought you'd be happy about so newcomers can see it...otherwise what will happen is that eventually it'll move down the list and unless someone specifically looks for it it may as well never have existed. It can probably be made a "sticky" to keep it at the top - but to do that needs a request to an Admin I think.

iamharibo wrote:

One estate agent said the only way we can get the residential rates is if we put the bills in our name and the only way we can ever do that is by buying- as landlords wont allow tenants to have the bills in their own name.

We both work legally and pay tax and have residency, so I wonder if in our next place we should push harder! Every penny counts!

Oh yes... you are super right. "estate agent" = with the  definition of a  perfect liar.

But that will be available for the ones in Sliema, St. Julian's or even San Gwann because i know many "estate agents" decent and respectfully. And again: "but" if you FIRST come in Malta you will meet this ones. And that is NOT like the 90% of the Maltese lovely (I'm not lying) BUT BECAUSE you are new comer you will meet the "SHARKS" = letsmovemalta.com/

Don't see this a mumbo jumbo - it's a good way of sifting through the 'rules and regulations'. Life and options are never straight forward, the more experience added to the discussion makes it richer knowledge for those taking a leap into a different country and culture. Thank you to all of the contributors including dcmalt, but don't get too precious about your original information as you will put people off reading what you post.

@dcmalt - why the aggression ? You started off being aggressive in your first post on this thread, and then complained when people point out errors in your thread. I get the impression from your posts here that you don't have the right sort of attitute for Malta, and are rubbing people up the wrong way. Foreigners can pay the lower rates if they proceed in the right way - its not difficult. Anyway, I've had my say, and can't be bothered with this thread any more.

Well said George!

Yud wrote:

Hello georgeingozo,

Before I stick this topic as suggested by [hammersfan], I would like to know which part of this discussion is aggressive! Can you guide me please.

Thanks!

the first few words "" for starters  - where do you intend sticking this topic, I can think of a couple of places...

Imagine being a newbie on this website, and the first thing they see is this thread (which is what stickies are meant for. Many wouldn't bother going past the first paragraph of this thread before going elsewhere.

I have moderated it, thanks for bringing this to my attention If you find anything unpleasant do not hesitate to report!

Have a nice day further

George in every post you have a problem with being "LEGAL" where that is not the concern of any newbie. When you come in Malta or what ever country you are going on the main concern is about your survival not about the "small details" of legal stuff. You want to make the best of your money. It is like i tell you now: Malta is just a rock in the middle of the sea and you will try to picture Malta like Hawaii. It is that make me aggressive or the real truth. Are you dealing in daily bases with foreigners and you have to answer the same questions again and again... And way "Strait Talk" is aggressive? Did you know how many newbie come and get disappointed just because they read the wrong IFNO (not to mention they spend the last penny on them pocket)? So be honest, give them the right details so they will have a choice and stop misleading just beacouse you have it better. If with the time they will find a better way that is perfect with me.

>Can we avoid stop this form of disagreement on the forum please.

dcmalt you say:

George in every post you have a problem with being "LEGAL" where that is not the concern of any newbie. When you come in Malta or what ever country you are going on the main concern is about your survival not about the "small details" of legal stuff. You want to make the best of your money.

You are getting this wrong dcmalt - please don't speak on behalf of other newbies - that annoys me. I am concerned with what is legal, I will be coming from a civilised country (UK) into another civilised country(Malta). If you are only of the 'survival' category that is very sad! I look forward to a fruitful, legal and happy future in malta, the discussions on expatblog allow me to make up my own mind as to what I accept and what I reject, I don't need you to do this for me.

Your 'tone' of writing and choice of wording is often aggressive (not straight talk) if you don't understand this then look it up somewhere please.  I don't want to read what you have to say if you are going carry on like this.

Woah - didn't mean to start all this off! lol
Nice to see all sides of the discussion tho!
I'm worried about the legality issues over there as my understanding of it is minimal but thats where my contacts so far and my partner step in

legality issues???   which ones?

I am in a situation like hammersfan where the electric is in the name of the property owner.   just an fyi....

we also have a landlord that will not allow us to put it into our name, so we therefore do not get vare entitled discount. The reason are landlord will not do this is for declaration reasons. This is his choice, however when we get the bill and use the bill calculator to discover are true bill, we then pay the landlord the exact amount. He moans and groans but he knows

We are now moving and our new landlord has declare the bill as residential by putting it in her daughters name, so we now get our discount with no hassle

Malta Supermarket wrote:

Deliveries are offered throughout Malta from Monday to Saturday with very flexible times to try to accommodate customers. Orders placed before noon can be delivered same day, otherwise next day delivery will apply.

Hi - what days do you deliver to Gozo ?

Hello members,

The post about Malta Supermarket has been moved to a temporary folder for analysis because the content was purely commercial!

I don't understand why at this moment the bus drivers don't give the change for one or two cents.
My landlord didn't understand when I asked her to check the electricity rate on the bills. But she doesn't declare the income I do think.
Otherwise, I'm wondering why the Maltese always want to surcharge the foreigners. Though, I pay their European grants. Sometimes, I'm wondering if the people who say here is a paradise to live, if they think really that or if they have already tried to travel somewhere else.

If anyone says Malta is paradise they either haven't lived here long enough or haven't visited enough places! But really there is no paradise imo....I've lived in plenty of places and they all have had their good and bad points. On a "good day" the bad stuff just makes me roll my eyes and say "only in Malta" and on a "bad day" it get's me down and I'd rather be elsewhere.

Tim

Hi everyone,

I'm new to the forum but have lived in Malta for almost two years. Could use some advise on the electricity tariffs. Me and my boyfriend both work and pay taxes here, we have our Maltese ID cards and will get our new address on them soon.. We are both EU nationals.

In the first apartment we lived in 2010 we paid the higher rate, the next apartment the lower rate and now we are not actually sure how it will be in our new apartment. We assumed that we would pay the residential rate like previously but our landlord has turned out to be not so trustworthy (for example he claimed we have upgraded internet/TV, but when we checked the Go site for info it was clear our internet/TV package was not the upgraded one! Would have paid about 10€ extra every month for nothing if we had not checked that ) ..so now I'm worried he'll charge us the higher rate. Do we have the right to demand to pay the lower rate?

Thank you in advance

milhouse wrote:

Do we have the right to demand to pay the lower rate?

Unfortunately not. It depends on what is in your lease contract.

georgeingozo wrote:

milhouse wrote:

Do we have the right to demand to pay the lower rate?

Unfortunately not. It depends on what is in your lease contract.

Thank you for your reply! Our lease contract doesn't specify the rate.

we dont have our names on the bill - but our landlord made sure that all three of us were named as consumer occupiers and as such we get the full discounted rates. All we had to do was complete the required forms - the landlord had to do his form and then we had to provide proof of id cards and residency certs and or tax status. Simple really - the percentage stated of 90% foreigners not getting this is IMHO not correct.....dont know what it would be or should be but i dont believe that percentage at all. many who dont get it either cant be bothered or dont want their existence here known for whatever personal reasons or as is stated here the landlord isnt declaring the revenue stream and as such doesnt want it known by the authorities....simple answer here is to ask the question before signing your contract, have it included or agreed in writing and if that cant be managed then go somewhere else....there are good landlords out there for sure.

spot on toonarmy - its a renters market, with tens of thousands of empty properties - if a landlord won't help with this (which costs him nothing unless he's breaking the law and not declaring his rental income), then how can you expect help over something that does cost him.

Absolutely. If the landlord wont play ball move on to the next. with over 50000 empty properties available there is not a problem for a renter...one of the benefits of renting as far as i am concerned.

toonarmy9752 wrote:

we dont have our names on the bill - but our landlord made sure that all three of us were named as consumer occupiers and as such we get the full discounted rates. All we had to do was complete the required forms - the landlord had to do his form and then we had to provide proof of id cards and residency certs and or tax status.

Same here. The landlord signed the form for me and I am now getting the reduced rate. You just (Tenant) just need to have a valid Maltese ID Card.