Korean Job Discussion Forums

Totti · Joined: 24 Nov 2007

I just got my hot water fixed in my apartment and it cost W240,000 to get the oil changed on my boiler.

Will I have to take it on the chin or can I get my landlord to pay it?

poet13 · Posted: Mon Nov 03, 2008 5:58 pm Post subject:

to get the oil changed? Can you elaborate? Sounds pretty expensive...

bassexpander · Joined: 13 Sep 2007 Location: Someplace you'd rather be.

Don't pay it.

A new boiler costs about 450,000.

You could probably get a used one installed for 250,000 to 300,000 (just a guess). Hopefully, you got the landlord in on this in the beginning, right? If so, I'll bet he installed a used one, and is trying to pass the expense off to you.

If your landlord got this service guy, and is now telling you to pay it, then politely tell him to shove it up his ***. If you called service by yourself, then he should still pay, but you should have asked him for service help first. If you did this all by yourself (got the service guy) and already paid the service guy out of your own pocket, then you're not very smart. Good luck getting your money.

I don't think boilers use oil, do they? Not any newer ones I've seen. My boiler puts water through the pipes, and changing it doesn't require a service guy. Most Koreans just do it themselves once they read the manual or somebody shows them.

How old is your place?

If you're renting, or the school is providing, then such costs are their responsibility.

Totti · Joined: 24 Nov 2007

Basically when I tried to put my hot water on yesterday I got a red light and got this '00' flashing on and off. I usually have an orange light that stays on if it's stable.

I spoke to my boss they said I needed to get the oil changed on something. I was assuming boiler, might have been something different. Anyway some guy came to fix it today and said the cost was 240,000 which I paid, wasn't sure what to do at that point.

I have a receipt of the costs. Would I be able to make that back from my boss then? My school have generally treated really well and haven't had any problems with them so I'm hoping things go smoothly when I ask them.

Straphanger · Joined: 09 Oct 2008 Location: Chilgok, Korea

marlow · Joined: 06 Feb 2005

OculisOrbis · Joined: 17 Jul 2006

Sounds like you have an oil fueled boiler and you just got your tank refilled.

I live in a small town in an older apartment. I have the same thing and it cost me 250 000 for a drum of oil. It's just on e of the associated bills that I'm responsible for. When it's empty, I call and they deliver a new drum. When I moved into the apartment in March I measured about 1/3 of what is in the tank now that remained from the previous tenant, and that lasted me until last week (about 7 months).

I figure I'll burn through this drum around the end of winter since I'll have the heat on instead of just for hot water.

farrepatt · Joined: 27 Jan 2008

I work for GEPIK and my boiler broke about 3 or 4 months ago. I told my school and after sending a teacher to verify that it was indeed broken (I guess my word wasn't good enough) they told the landlord. Of course the landlord had to verify it, so he sent someone who came and verified that it needed fixing. Then the next day a workman came and fixed it and gave me the bill, which I gave to my school who passed it along to the landlord.

The process took almost a week, but it got done and I didn't have to pay for it. If I remember correctly the cost to repair mine was about 80,000 won.

alex83 · Joined: 03 May 2007

When my girlfriend and I moved into our apartment 6 months ago, the kitchen sink was completely busted and, although the building people were notified several times, nobody did anything about it.

I just told my admin office that since that is a maintenance issue, I will just not pay any maintenance bills until the problem is resolved. The landlord (or some guy) in a suit came to our door at 9:30 on a Friday night with a sink-in-a-box (not to be confused with d*ck-in-a-box)...he promised us it would be installed the next day.

NoExplode · Joined: 15 Oct 2008

Call the Labor Board.

bassexpander · Joined: 13 Sep 2007 Location: Someplace you'd rather be.

After reading the above, if it is indeed heating oil, then you should pay for that.

Find out if he means fuel oil to make it run.

broken76 · Joined: 27 Jan 2008

If it is for fuel it is something that you'll need to pay for. If it is for maintenance or repairs it is something that the landlord or school should pay for unless you've been abusing the equipment which I doubt.