Paying for water and electricity while renting in Malta can be complicated. To avoid paying way more than you should, this is what you need to do:
- Get meter readings when you move in. Take a photograph and if possible, include the readings into the contract.
- Before you sign a contract, ask for the bills to be put into your name (this is the ideal but not all landlords will do it, especially for shorter lets, because it can cause them a lot of paperwork when you leave). It requires Form F. Submit to ARMs, the private company that deals with billing for Enemalta and the Water Services Corporation.
- Once the bills are in your name, fill in the form to ensure you get the right tariff.
- Alternatively, you can ask to be listed as the ‘named registered consumer’ on the account holder/owners bills.
- If the landlord/lady will not do either, then they must at least ensure that the meter is set to the ‘residential tariff with full eco reductions’. If not, you’ll be paying a much higher rate than you need to. Ensure the correct number of inhabitants is registered – if it is set at zero, you’ll pay too much again. The landlord/lady should make the change for you using Form H (above) signed by them; your ID card may need to be registered.
- If they will not, you should be able to do this yourself at ARMs. Take your rental contract and the ID card of all tenants. You do not need the landlord/lady’s permission to do this.
- Check on your first bill that the ‘number of residents’ and ‘consumer scheme’ is correct; it should say ‘residential’.
- If you have been overcharged in the past, you can claim this money back using Form H1.
- Do not pay any utility bills without being given a copy of the bill or at least by calculating your bill based on your readings on the ARMS online calculator.
- Bills should come every two months but in practice are much more erratic. Work out what you will need to pay on the ARMs website: https://arms.com.mt/en. The FAQ section under ‘Help’ has a lot of useful information on it.
- Check the water tanks, as you will be paying for any leaks.
- You might want to negotiate these details into the contract. If the landlord/lady is difficult about this, it might be worth going elsewhere – there’s a good chance they are not paying tax on the apartment if they won’t change the tariff. There will be other apartments.