Lapta "free" smart meters another con

[13roman58]

I always wondered how the cost of the thousands of these smart meters was going to be covered now I know,

The basic cost of 0-10 tonnes has been increased from 15TL to 25TL ,

This is from the beginning of January regardless of the fact that nobody has had a new meter installed and it will take how long to complete the task? meanwhile Lapta are still charging the new price.

On the letter from Lapta it indicated a % saving due to the meters-really,looks like a new car for the mayor this year.

[Jonnie]

Of course nothing to do with huge infrastructure improvements, debt left by previous contractors, investment needed to find additional water sources in a drought hit Island and a massive multi million if not billion dollar project which will hopefully ensure that we have little or no water problems in the future. No a £2.70 per month increase is a "Con". What do the Aussies call the pommes?

[nurseawful]

On Last months bill we had a charge for 'saglik R' according to google translate it means Health or Sanitation can anyone shed any light on this please

Chris

[rick bald]

I think you will find it is Pest Control - normally someone comes round to your villa and puts spots of a brown substance on your sink waste to deter cockroaches etc.

RB

[Keithcaley]

Hi Chris,

I have always thought that it referred to Pest control - including the periodic area spraying during the summer months, home visits once a year (in Alsancak, at any rate) to spray septic tanks and access points and place insect killer? / repellant? (I don't know what it is!) in kitchen cupboards, and any measures to do with infestations, vermin etc.

However - someone will probably know better than me

** quick edit** - I see that someone did know - thanks, Rick Bald

[Retired]

So, some of us who are swallows will have to pay a lot more for something we don't use in the first place. Very unfair system and sad that "foreigners" are not allowed to have a say in the way that water costs are calculated/deducted..cash cows again comes to mind.

[Jonnie]

The locals, many of whom will not be able to afford one never mind 2 houses have to pay also. The "Expats are cash cows" thing just does not hold water.

In reality the 10 tonnes charge is just a standing charge sort of thing you pay on many utilities, so the standing charge has gone from 15 to 25 tl per month, about 70p per week extra.........

[Retired]

If governments/municipalities were to increase standard water charges by 60% in northern Europe, there would be ruptions! In TRNC, we have to accept it, take it or leave it as locals or foreigners. Not owning pounds sterling, nor having lived in the UK for more than 30 years now, I am not aware of costs there, but do know that whenever pound sterling increases in value against the Turkish Lira, so do costs in TRNC to make sure that "they" get more money from foreigners . This is not so in other countries.

I am of the opinion (and allowed one I hope) that whoever uses the most water should pay for it, and not on the standard charge. Companies and municipalities should be made to pay their unpaid services bills to the appropriate department.

I am not of the opinion that ownership of a home, nor the ability to pay, should affect what a person pays for a standard water charge - whether used or not.

[Kavenkoy]

Hi retired .

I only live in greater manchester ,we have shed loads of water .
I pay from united untilties £49 per month for water and sewage .
I don't know how that compares to other areas ,but as you see we have loads of water and the infrastructure in place and still £49 per month .

I guess it still represents very good value for what you receive v the charge ?
The trouble is so much costs have changed in the last 5 years everywhere so things go up and never really come down .
Now fuel and oil are the things being scrutinised in the UK as wholesale oil proces fallen so much ,but in the grand scheme we can't alter it .

Kav
As long as efes stays good value

[squashmad]

Personally, I don't think 25TL ie £6.62 is too unreasonable per month.

Retired - in this instance we expats are NOT cash cows EVERYONE has to pay this.

As you stated in a later post - take it or leave it!

[snd1966]

If governments/municipalities were to increase standard water charges by 60% in northern Europe, there would be ruptions! In TRNC, we have to accept it, take it or leave it as locals or foreigners.

I think we also forget they do not seem to do yearly rises, we have lived in Catalkoy for 9 years and in that time 2 increases and 1 decrease when lights were removed from the monthly bill.

As we once said to one bar keeper if in the uk beer rose .33p there would be an outcry but he did point out it was 18months since the last increase.

[Jonnie]

You also have to remember that all municipalities have had to put more resources into water management, whether it be well digging, rationing or just general maintenance. There are also massive infrastructure projects going on albeit probably fro another budget. The argument that if you are not here you are paying for something that you are not using is also flawed, if you are not here your house will require maintenance, as do the services to that house. So if follows if you want water when you get here someone needs to be maintaining the system in your absence.