Utility bills

How often are electricity and water bills issued?
I am renting a property and the lease requires that I pay the landlords €80 a month on top of rent.  I would rather deal direct with the supply company.  How common is that?
Advice please.

Its a fiddle by the landlords plus its causes them work if you want to have bill in your name.  We have rented 3 properties since moving here and no landlird would let me have bill direct.  We pay 80 euro a month for a 3 bedroom place and so far have not been asked for any extra.

Marktimp wrote:

Its a fiddle by the landlords plus its causes them work if you want to have bill in your name.  We have rented 3 properties since moving here and no landlird would let me have bill direct.  We pay 80 euro a month for a 3 bedroom place and so far have not been asked for any extra.


We pay our landlord €50 each month and never have to pay any extra and in fact some months do not pay him as we have so much in credit.

These clauses are now illegal, you have to pay what the bill says and cannot ask it upfront and the rental contract cannot require it.

I assume he is also trying to bypass registering your contracts

volcane wrote:

These clauses are now illegal, you have to pay what the bill says and cannot ask it upfront and the rental contract cannot require it.

I assume he is also trying to bypass registering your contracts


We prefer to pay our this way and we always have a copy of the bill.

dennisp99 wrote:

How often are electricity and water bills issued?
I am renting a property and the lease requires that I pay the landlords €80 a month on top of rent.  I would rather deal direct with the supply company.  How common is that?
Advice please.


Every 3 months you will be receiving a utility bill. However, when you register you have to pay a deposit of  € 400.00  Just check out the pros and cons of your rental contract. You can also contact the utilities company by phone  Tel 80072222

Officially the billing period with ARMS is every 2 months.

Thanks for this.  But do you get to see your bill?
And how often does the utility company bill the landlord?

Its about every 3 months  if lucky landlird will show you, but dont be surprised if he dies not.  Known as a landlord perk.   Like most things in Malta they are not suppose to do this but they ignore the law and no one cares

dennisp99 wrote:

Thanks for this.  But do you get to see your bill?
And how often does the utility company bill the landlord?


We always have a copy of the bill whenever the landlord receives it, should be every two months but quite often they are sent out later.

Marktimp wrote:

Its about every 3 months  if lucky landlird will show you, but dont be surprised if he dies not.  Known as a landlord perk.   Like most things in Malta they are not suppose to do this but they ignore the law and no one cares


It's up to the person renting to ask for a copy, we have never had problems with any of our landlords.

There's  an ARMS app you can download,  and do your own meter readings, and view Bill's, once downloaded might be worth paying ARMS a visit, to clarify things ( wouldn't recommend phoning ).

Beware of advice on ARMS as your landlord may well have all the accounts in his name plus may be using a single meter for several units. Better to talk to him about verification of your dues for utilities and ask him to explain the basis of the sums charged to you.

Do you know if it is legal for a owner to have a single contract for the whole building and provide me with his own meter for my apartment?