# Rental apt monthly expenses.



## Mac62 (May 13, 2015)

Hello folks,

Just a simple request, does anyone know what the typical expenses that are the responsibilities for a tenant of a rental apt in Portugal? Here in the U.S. water and rubbish/trash are not the usually the responsibility of the tenant, though I imagine it is factored into the rent. Is Portugal different?

Thanks in advance for any feedback.


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## Zola (Sep 30, 2019)

1. GAS
I am billed by the city I live in for gas (not all rentals have gas connections, but the newer and more expensive ones do.) (One person who doesn't cook much with a gas stove and for hot water too = 8 euros)
Gas heating is in expensive housing, so I don't know the price. If you rent/buy a place that's insulated, heating is cheaper. In the winter, I use gas canisters since electric heaters are expensive, and so is electricity.

2. WATER
Yes, you are billed by the city. (Less than 10 euros per month for one person) To disconnect the water for my flat in Cascais, I was charged 50 Euros! No wonder the bills always arrived with someone else's name on them.

3. ELECTRICITY
Do not use EDP. Look up reviews for it and there are many customer complaints. I recently changed to Iberdola. (EDP was 60 euros a month in Cascais, but I don't know what it is now. I turn off all my extension cords at night and during the day. Check carefully to see how many electric sockets are in each room. Too often there's only one per room.)

My dryer broke so I stopped using it. I hear dryers consume LOTS of electricity. Don't dry flannel bed sheets - I think that's what clogged my dryer.

SUMMARY
I don't know about other bills. You have to read your rental contract. If I wanted a parking space, that would have been an extra 50 Euros per month in Almada.

You can automatically pay such bills by completing forms with the provider for your bank.

In general, the tenant is responsible for fixing any problem in the flat, including plumbing. I installed an overhead light/fan. I will not take it with me, and it 'belongs' to the flat.

Most everything is cheaper in Portugal, however, not everything is available. When leaving the USA, you leave behind lots of convenience. And no, there are no Walmarts in Portugal.


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## Mac62 (May 13, 2015)

Zola, thank you for a wonderfully detailed reply! I really appreciate it.


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## Strontium (Sep 16, 2015)

The contract yo sign will clarify the services you pay for and the services your landlord/landlady/goatenter pays for, if not then why would you sign it unless you are stupid? I;m sure this will be the normal procedure in the civilised world including Mongolia and Botswana but probably not in the us of a ?


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## Mac62 (May 13, 2015)

Thank you for the reply Strontium.


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## Mac62 (May 13, 2015)

The contract yo sign will clarify the services you pay for and the services your landlord/landlady/goatenter pays for, if not then why would you sign it unless you are stupid? I;m sure this will be the normal procedure in the civilised world including Mongolia and Botswana but probably not in the us of a ?

Strontium, my original post question was a general question from someone who does not reside in Portugal, and was asking in a respectful manner what one could expect to pay as a renter, and I appreciated Zola's detailed non judgemental reply.

Yours on the other hand is condescending, rude and pointedly uncivilised. Which I've noticed seems to be your forte. 

Therefore, I respectfully ask that you do not reply to my posts, and I will offer the same in return. 

If not I will ask the administrators if I can block you from my postings.


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## dancebert (Jun 4, 2015)

I know what I pay (power, water, gas), but don't know what's typical. As for trash, my town has free city bins (both above and below ground) all over the parts of town I've walked through. They're emptied daily.


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## Mac62 (May 13, 2015)

Thank you Dancebert for the information.


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## Naaling (Apr 9, 2015)

We have been renting an apartment in Setubal for nearly 4 years. We pay for electricity, gas, water and internet, all of which are in our name. Any other charges, whatever they are, are paid by the owner. I believe this situation is fairly typical.


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## Mac62 (May 13, 2015)

Thanks Naaling, can I ask what your averages are a month for water, gas and electric are, I know you may have more than one person, but I'm just looking for ball park figures? Cheers.


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## Naaling (Apr 9, 2015)

Mac62 said:


> Thanks Naaling, can I ask what your averages are a month for water, gas and electric are, I know you may have more than one person, but I'm just looking for ball park figures? Cheers.



It can be a bit variable, but we pay about 50 euros a month each for gas and water, and 20 euros for water. We use electric heaters in winter, so electricity costs can rise above 100 euros a month at that time of year.


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## Mac62 (May 13, 2015)

Great, thanks again Naaling


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## dancebert (Jun 4, 2015)

Oops. Forgot to include my monthly average costs. I've lived in this apartment since mid March. Costs are average of April to Aug because I was gone for half of Sept. I'm in Caldas da Rainha.

Pellet Heater 60 (not used since April)
Elec 20 (spot heaters only used occasionally and briefly before morning shower)
Gas 14
Water 12


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## Mac62 (May 13, 2015)

Thanks again Dancebert, that is very helpful. Is a spot heater the same as what they call a space heater here in the States?, which is what I'm used to using.


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## dancebert (Jun 4, 2015)

Mac62 said:


> Is a spot heater the same as what they call a space heater here in the States?, which is what I'm used to using.


Yes. After living in the tropics for 10 years I forgot what they're called.


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## Naaling (Apr 9, 2015)

Naaling said:


> It can be a bit variable, but we pay about 50 euros a month each for gas and water, and 20 euros for water. We use electric heaters in winter, so electricity costs can rise above 100 euros a month at that time of year.


Sorry, that should have been "gas and electricity"


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## Zola (Sep 30, 2019)

I goofed - the about 10 euro monthly bill from the city is for garbage pick up. There are three kinds of large bins (glass, plastic/tins and paper) across the street in my densely populated area. And a much smaller dump under-the-sidewalk bin for compost-type food garbage) Pick-up is done every night.

The electric company actually bills for both gas and electricity, together they added up to about 60 euros this month. The gas is for hot water and the stove. Not for heating, but I guess I could use the stove for that.

I got EDP to leave me alone by being very aggressive on the telephone. I finally received we-won't-bother-you-anymore email, that included another demand for money. Which I ignored.

Thanks for your appreciation.


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## Mac62 (May 13, 2015)

Thank you all for the detailed info!


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