Korean Job Discussion Forums

juliebaas · Joined: 19 Aug 2006 Location: Somewhere near Seoul

When we first got here our bill was 180,000 won which we thought was high, but it was summer and we were using the air conditioning, but each month since it has gone up - and we are not using the air conditioning or heater. It is a 650 sq foot studio apartment, and I am getting increasingly frustrated by the high bill, it makes it hard to save money when your electric bill is almost as much as rent.

We have mentioned it to our director, but she says most of it is maintaince for the apartment and we are commerical building with a few apartments so they can charge more. I am thinking of asking her to subdize the high cost?

Is it normal to have such a high bill and do we have a right to request help to pay it from our director?

ChuckECheese · Joined: 20 Jul 2006

If I were you I'd be looking for a second job to cover utility bills. Shocked

Are you looking at the actual bill from the utility company or bill from your hagwon master? If the bill is from your hagwon master, you should ask her to break it down and show you the actual utility bills.

Peeping Tom · Joined: 15 Feb 2006

blynch · Joined: 25 Oct 2006 Location: UCLA

billybrobby · Joined: 09 Dec 2004

280,000 is high, but utilities in korea can be insane. i've never really figured out the rhyme or reason to it. in my first apartment, i was paying 20 bucks a month. in the secon, 200. in my third, which is like twice as big as the second, i'm paying 200 again. it's terrible though, feels like a total waste.

Ilsanman · Joined: 15 Aug 2003 Location: Bucheon, Korea

If that is just electricity, you are being fleeced.

650 sq feet, I have no idea how big that is. Basically, it'd have to be big, and you'd have to be leaving on many lights and a fat ass computer 24/7 to warrant that bill. My guess is that your neighbours are wired into your place and you are paying for a few of your neighbours too.

What I would do is check the electric bills when they next come in the mail. Check your neighbours.

I live in a 16 pyeong place and we used to pay 30,000 or more on a bad month. Maybe 40 if we went crazy.

The funny thing is, if I am right, you could refuse to pay your bill and then watch half of your building get the power cut off.

I-am-me · Joined: 21 Feb 2006 Location: Hermit Kingdom

Juregen · Joined: 30 May 2006

i pay about 250.000 won for "Utilities", this includes gas, water, electricity, guards, parking lot, elevator, maintenance, anythibg you can think of.

So if you are paying that much just for electricity, i wonder how many Kimchi fridges you are having in the basement Smile

.

Roch · Joined: 24 Apr 2003 Location: Seoul

mytime · Joined: 15 Oct 2006

To the op....

It might be that you are paying the average of the apt building you're in and not what you actually use

Thats what happened to me 2 years ago
I lived in a big apt (too big for one guy) and my bills were 200 000 a month even though I wasnt home much

One month I went on ten days vacation and switched off everything and when I got that month's bill it was the same as always

Turned out they were just taking the whole building's bill and divided it by number of apartments....so I was paying same as families

Not sure what you can do....i threatened to quit unless my director moved me

spliff · Joined: 19 Jan 2004 Location: Khon Kaen, Thailand

My total bills for a month is 50 -60,000 won. This includes my phone and internet! Electricity is about 6000 per mo.

poet13 · Posted: Sat Jan 06, 2007 6:06 pm Post subject:

Just adding support to the previous posters.
That's way too high. My bill, for a 500 sq foot apartment is less than 20,000. I run the tv, lights and computer every moment I'm here. I use my microwave several times a day.
Somethings not right. Let us know what the situation turned out to be....if you do get it sorted. If you can't get it sorted, I think I would ask to be moved to another apartment.

wylies99 · Joined: 13 May 2006 Location: I'm one cool cat!

OP- If the hogwan owner/director took that out of your check, then you are being cheated. Keep your pay stubs in a safe place, (and make copies), because you'll probably have a strong case at the Labor Board.

Bukowski · Joined: 29 Nov 2006

Too much paranoia here.

What you claim to just be your electric bill, it not your electric bill. It is apartment fees, such as maintenance, water, electric, TV, possibly internet, possibly gas included. Your employer is not fleecing you. Simply take your stub to a Korean friend and have them tell you what each charges means. More than likely, 100,000~150,000 is pure maintenance fees and the rest is from your utilities.

Relax. Let us know the what you find out.

AC

twg · Joined: 02 Nov 2006 Location: Getting some fresh air...