Hi all,

Perhaps this is the wrong place to post, but I am trying to find out what's the cost of utilities in Basel. For the second year in a row I am getting an absolutely exorbitant bill for hot water, heat, and cold water from my landlord. I am just trying to figure out if I am being scammed somehow.

The Nebenkosten for my apartment is 200 CHF per month (2400 CHF per year) - out of this amount, 1985 CHF goes towards Grundkosten (Lift, Hauswart, other fixed costs - no consumption costs), and only 415 CHF left for heat, hot water, and cold water. As a result of this, I am receiving an additional bill of 1500 CHF or more for the 2nd year in a row.

Perhaps the unit price for heat, hot water, and cold water is too high?
The bill shows:
4.7162 CHF per cubic meter of cold water
0.0726 CHF per KWh of hot water (heating of water)
0.0891 CHF per KWh of heat

I know that perhaps the first year here, I was not very careful in terms of using water and heat, but the next year (after getting the bill), I was very careful.

Do these costs seem right? It looks like at these prices I would need to practically turn off all heat, stop doing laundry (washer is in the apartment), never use the dishwasher, and start taking showers once a week if I want to fit my consumption into the regular 200 CHF per month charges.

Is anyone else experiencing the same problems? Do I just live in a very expensive building? Or is this another one of those "Welcome to Switzerland" moments?

Thank you for your input.

Cheers

I live in BS and have had to pay big bills for the same (there are other threads in the same vein). I had to change some habits to save some money. In winter: use thick curtains, close the blinds at night, turn off lights I don't use, air the rooms frequently, pee on the shower , you get the idea.

Thanks for the reply.

I already do all of those things.... Except for using the shower as a toilet My wife would not appreciate that too much

I am also living in Basel Stadt and paying around 250 nebenkosten. Now I have got a yearly bill of 844CHF after adjustments. It is quite high. I have 100 m2 apartment, 1 washroom.

Thanks for the reply. I really started paying 290 CHF from the beginning of this year (they do their billing every July), so I paid an additional 540 CHF for the last 12 months over what everyone else has paid, and yet I still receive a 1200 CHF bill. I have an 83 m2 flat and I do have 2 washrooms... The second washroom and the washer are probably the culprits. I don't know, have to do something or start paying 450 CHF monthly in Nebenkosten so that I don't get slapped with a huge bill at the end of the year. Ridiculous...

Hm, sounds exactly like the flat we had in Basel Stadt. 83sq m, in the cellar were two washing rooms. We always had to pay a huge chunk extra above the low nebenkosten, despite having most of the radiators off or on 1 or less...

Makes me wonder if you moved into my old building

The heating bills are for the entire building and then split per apartment if your building has central heating. So if you live in a complex where someone likes to keep the windows open in winter this will increase the heating bill for the entire building.

The water and electricity bills are based on actual usage in the apartment and should be invoiced separately and not in your Nebenkosten. Only shared bills pertaining to common areas are shared. Stairway lights / lift usage etc

If you have to pay this amount extra every year, it might be better to increase the Nebenkosten from 200 to 300 / month to avoid year end surprises.

Some places, like the one where I lived in Basel, have little meters on the radiators to monitor your usage. I did check the figures from the meters with the nebenkosten bill, and they were accurate, so the scenario with the windows open becomes far less relevant.

Not the same building, the washer and dryer are actually inside the flat....

I have separate meters for each radiator, so, I doubt that they got the numbers wrong, but I am asking them to produce the readings, and the water meter computers actually keep a daily record as well, so, I've asked them to get me the numbers by month, that's in addition of me taking daily readings myself.

Thanks for the reply.

The electricity does come in a separate bill. I have separate water and radiator meters in my flat and get a separate bill. But what I also get on the bill is the overall use of the entire building, so I can compare what I use to the overall cost of the whole building. Some of my friends live in flats where the water and heat usage is determined for the entire building. And they never get any bills at the end of the year..... They must be lucky.... I don't know what to say

I pay for 4½ rooms and 80 square meters, with a lift, and 3 people: in Bern, CHF 300,-- per month nebenkosten. I received CHF 100,-- back for 2010, so I pay about CHF 3'500 per year. On top of that I pay for my own electricity & telephone.

You should save an extra CHF 130 per month in a savings account, plus between 10% & 15% of your salary to pay for the 3 taxes (The amount depends upon where you live). There are always surprises here, and most people can demand payment within 10 days, so it really is better to get into a saving mentality.

You are lucky you have separate meters for the heating, this is the most expensive item, and you can always turn the radiators down a bit and wear an extra thin jumper and socks. Most people pay for a share of the total heating, calculated on the floor area. Sometimes you are subsidising your wasteful neighbours.

I save for the taxes, looks like I have to save for this as well

Oh, I think I misunderstood washroom to mean the communal rooms with washing machines...from reading, I'm guessing you meant toilet (and one of them has clothes washing facilities )

Exactly 2 bathrooms.

why not run this bill by the renters association and see what they say ?