# alternative idea to Empower in JBR - would this idea work?



## dvldvl3 (Dec 16, 2011)

Hi, i moved to dubai a few weeks ago and just rented my 3 bed in JBR.

I now need to switch on my DEWA and EMPOWER. After reading a few articles on the forums and news sites it seems that the pricing for empower could be unreasonably high and non-transparently priced.. ?? - i.e. charges not in line with actual usage + the high quarterly community fee..

I was thinking I just never switch on my empower and don't go to their offices. so therefore they can't charge me. I only connect my DEWA.

In a few months when it starts to get hot, I would then just buy some a few air conditioner units myself and plug them into the electric sockets. That would give me the real cost for the air con electricity usage.

As I was receving DEWA bills for just the water/electric for a few months before the hot air con months, it would also give me an easy comparison to see how much the air con was actually costing me in electricity.

3 or 4 good quality portable or standalone units in the living room/each of the bedrooms at $300-$500 each (can ship them in from the UK or walmart type store in the US) should be just as good as any aircon I can get through the central empower system. Plus non of the dirty bacteria/old air and crazy charges...

Would that work? (obviously i need to be careful not to mess up the walls/structure installing them hence the portables...)

If the above is a viable alternative, why don't more people do that in JBR? (the ones complaining about the high costs of Empower anyway..)


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## Bigjimbo (Oct 28, 2010)

If Empower works like Palm District Cooling then the main charge isn't actually usage, its the connection fee. This is payable whether or not the apartment is empty or not, so the tenant would always be liable for this fee. If the apartment stays empty then the landlord has to pay this fee. But it may be different in JBR


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## dvldvl3 (Dec 16, 2011)

Bigjimbo said:


> If Empower works like Palm District Cooling then the main charge isn't actually usage, its the connection fee. This is payable whether or not the apartment is empty or not, so the tenant would always be liable for this fee. If the apartment stays empty then the landlord has to pay this fee. But it may be different in JBR


OK - so at the moment the apartment is disconnected. If it is not connected again then surely the connection fee does not apply? 

I don't see how they can charge you when you have not signed an agrement with them.. ?

In the same way, if I don't conenct DEWA I would just live without water/electricity and they could not charge me... (obviously this is just an example)

If anyone knows otherwise, please advise..

Thanks


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## wandabug (Apr 22, 2010)

DEWA you only pay for the usage in your apartment. EMPOWER you also pay for a % of the communal usage ie hallways, lobby. You are obliged to register with EMPOWER. if you do not they will charge the landlord who in turn will come to you for the money. It is part of your tenancy contract (that you signed) that you are responsible for all utilities. IF you break the terms and conditions of the tenancy contract you can be kicked out. Sorry! x


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## wandabug (Apr 22, 2010)

and by the way, I would have asked to see that the final bill had been paid by the previous tenant/landlord before signing. You may find yourself with an outstanding bill to pay when you go to register-welcome to dubai.


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## dvldvl3 (Dec 16, 2011)

OK thanks for the info.

So in that case, I should only be liable for the 'quarterly'communal charge. that is fixed right? what is it for a 3bed? (i've seen quotes of 800 a quarter but think that was for a 1 bed)

I'm a control freak, so even if it costs the same/more I would rather have my own private aircon..


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## PVD04 (Feb 17, 2010)

It would also be very difficult to install a portable A/C unit in your apartment. To work properly, the portable A/C needs to vent hot air outside. This would require you to put a hole in the wall or vent through an open window. You're probably better off sticking with Empower, as you'll spend a fortune trying to keep your apartment cool with such an inefficient setup.


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## Kawasutra (May 2, 2011)

dvldvl3 said:


> Hi, i moved to dubai a few weeks ago and just rented my 3 bed in JBR.
> 
> I now need to switch on my DEWA and EMPOWER. After reading a few articles on the forums and news sites it seems that the pricing for empower could be unreasonably high and non-transparently priced.. ?? - i.e. charges not in line with actual usage + the high quarterly community fee..
> 
> ...


You should have gone for a *chiller free *flat...


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## TallyHo (Aug 21, 2011)

I'm always surprised at the number of people who don't carefully think through all the additional expenses of renting one apartment over another. JBR is empower. Most buildings in the Marina outside JBR are not and chiller fees are included in the rent via the charges that the landlord, not the tenant, pays. I specifically avoided any empower/district cooling apartments with the end result that my dewa bill is consistent year-round as I don't pay for the AC usage! The typical monthly DEWA bill for my 1,400 sqft 2-bedroom flat is about 650 AED, including the housing tax. Without the tax it would be 250 AED. 




Kawasutra said:


> You should have gone for a *chiller free *flat...


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## fcjb1970 (Apr 30, 2010)

Kawasutra said:


> You should have gone for a *chiller free *flat...


Not sure if all of JBR is the same. I pay 2400/year chiller fee plus usage. I would have to go back through my bills to figure usage but was not really that bad even in the worst of summer, just remember to turn down (up) if you are gone all day. I just looked it as adding 2400 to my rent and that I still wanted the place at that price.


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## ziokendo (Jan 7, 2012)

dvldvl3 said:


> 3 or 4 good quality portable or standalone units in the living room/each of the bedrooms at $300-$500 each (can ship them in from the UK or walmart type store in the US)


spending 2000$ ? Even supposing it would work, how much time to recoup the investment, the nuisance, the noise, etc ?


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## BedouGirl (Sep 15, 2011)

Don't those units have to have water running through them or don't they produce water? I remember we had to use them at work for temporary cooling in an emergency. They weren't particularly efficient in cooling and we had to run a hose from them into a container to collect the water. Also, I wonder how efficient they are power-wise. It's great that you want to buck the system and coming up with creative ideas, but I just don't think it's worth the hassle.


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## Bigjimbo (Oct 28, 2010)

Look, if it was cheaper, less efficient, used more energy, was more dirty then the system used, then JBR would have it as standard!


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## dvldvl3 (Dec 16, 2011)

Hi - portable air conditioners are a lot better these days than they used to be. They cool the room easily, are silent, and the water is not through a pipe (not sure I have ever seen one of those..?) they either evaporate it within the machine, or they have a collection unit built in which you empty once a day or 2.. very similar to dehumidifiers. They use about the same electricity as a fridge..

I spoke to the empower office they said yearly community fixed charge for my apt. is 5,200 aed or about 1,300 a quarter. If I want I can deactivate the air con and just pay that.

"usage" and whatever else they make up, would be extra on top of that. 

so $2,000 for 3 or 4 air con units over a year = around 600 AED a month (excl electricity). Over 2 years, 300 AED a month and so on.. (usually they last 5 years +...) I am guessing the "usage" charge from empower would be much higher than that.. 

Anyway, as I said above, it is not just about saving money, it may work out more expensive, but I prefer to have my own system (crazy as that sounds) no old bacteria air from the central system, and I am a control freak...  and when I leave JBR one day I can take them with me.


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## Bigjimbo (Oct 28, 2010)

Just so you know usage charges are generally minimal. I'd be surprised if you ever got charged more then 200 a month in the height of summer.


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## fcjb1970 (Apr 30, 2010)

Bigjimbo said:


> Just so you know usage charges are generally minimal. I'd be surprised if you ever got charged more then 200 a month in the height of summer.


My thinking also, I would be pretty surprised if your usage fees are going to be more than your increase in DEWA because of the extra electricity. 

What you can look into and let me know, is if you could change your thermostat to a good one that allows you to set temperature during different parts of the day. I try to remember to adjust during summer when I go to work, but forget often


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## TallyHo (Aug 21, 2011)

You're still going to be spending 5,200 on the connection charge. Then the cost of buying the ACs. Then the increased monthly electricity bill. The math doesn't work out for me.

If there was a way to buck the system and cool your villa/flat more cheaply it would already be known in Dubai. 

I have never met anyone or heard of anyone getting sick or having mold problems through their a/c systems. If it happens it's usually the cheaper buildings in Sharjah and Bur Dubai. 

It's your money and your decision and go ahead and do it if it makes you happy but you'll end up spending a lot more money in the long run than just sticking with empower. And it won't be any "healthier". 



dvldvl3 said:


> Hi - portable air conditioners are a lot better these days than they used to be. They cool the room easily, are silent, and the water is not through a pipe (not sure I have ever seen one of those..?) they either evaporate it within the machine, or they have a collection unit built in which you empty once a day or 2.. very similar to dehumidifiers. They use about the same electricity as a fridge..
> 
> I spoke to the empower office they said yearly community fixed charge for my apt. is 5,200 aed or about 1,300 a quarter. If I want I can deactivate the air con and just pay that.
> 
> ...


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## Jynxgirl (Nov 27, 2009)

I am all for saving a few bucks, but having a/c units all over ones apartment when there is a perfectly fine ac stystem in the building... seems a bit over the top. This isnt probly going to end up saving any money anyhow as well. 

You have to pay emaar regardless. Might as well turn it on and if you dont wish to use the ac, dont.


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