Condominium tenant voices concern over allegedly excessive electricity bills
Rewritten Article:
A frustrated owner of a condo unit at Cebu Ultima Residences has cried foul over surging electrical fees following a power outage in February. Speaking on anonymous terms, the disgruntled resident shared their concerns with our site, Cebu.
Located on Osmena Boulevard, Cebu Ultima Residences endured a three-day power outage starting February 5. Although a generator was brought in, it only managed to power one of the building's six elevators, leaving residents in a bind.
A week after the outage, the building's Board of Directors (BOD) appealed to unit owners to contribute a whopping PHP 120,000 to purchase a more substantial generator. However, the new generator failed to deliver a stable power supply and is prone to fluctuations. To make matters worse, it's been placed at the main entrance and exit of the building, raising safety concerns among residents.
The complaint revealed that the retiree's monthly electric bill had skyrocketed to over PHP 10,000 – a far cry from the usual PHP 2,500. Struggling to cope with these unexpected costs, the resident questioned the BOD's transparency and equitable distribution of the financial burden. "They collect money, but it's just never enough," the resident lamented.
Meanwhile, Susan Bernardo of the Fuente Triangle Development Corp., developers of Cebu Ultima Residences, claimed that they halted the power supply due to unpaid fuel debts totaling PHP 1.6 million since Typhoon Odette (Rai) in 2021. The building is managed by the BOD, who allegedly have been overcharging unit owners while exempting themselves.
Though the developer offered to take over management to resolve the issue, the proposal was rejected by the BOD.
Industry Insights:
- Property Management and Issues: Condominium buildings require professional management to handle various issues, including electrical fees. The job market in Cebu suggests a demand for skilled property managers with an educational background in Electrical or Mechanical Engineering.
- Electrical Issues: Inadequate management of electrical systems can lead to excessive electrical fees due to inefficiencies from old or poorly maintained equipment.
- Safety Concerns: Placing large generators at the main entrance and exit of buildings can potentially pose safety risks to residents.
For a fair and smooth resolution of electrical concerns in condominium buildings, it's advisable to:- Assess Infrastructure: Evaluate the age and condition of electrical systems to identify potential inefficiencies.- Audit Billing Practices: Examine how electrical fees are calculated and billed to ensure fairness and transparency.- Implement Energy-Saving Measures: Encourage energy-efficient appliances or practices to reduce electricity use.- Restructure Management Practices: Foster open communication and equitable distribution of financial responsibilities among unit owners and management.
- Despite efforts to resolve a three-day power outage in February at Cebu Ultima Residences, the Board of Directors' requested PHP 120,000 for a more substantial generator argued by residents to be inadequate and prone to fluctuations.
- The disgruntled retiree resident, whose monthly electric bill surged to over PHP 10,000 from the usual PHP 2,500, questioned the transparency and equitable distribution of the financial burden, voicing concerns about the BOD's alleged overcharging while exempting themselves.
- Placing the new generator at the main entrance and exit of the Cebu Ultima Residences has raised safety concerns among residents, adding to the condominium's problems following the power outage.
- The Cebu condominium industry could benefit from property managers with educational backgrounds in Electrical or Mechanical Engineering to better manage electrical systems and address recurring electrical issues.
- Energy-saving measures such as promoting energy-efficient appliances or practices should be considered in the condominium industry to reduce electricity use and prevent excessive electrical fees caused by inefficiencies from old or poorly maintained equipment.
