Korean Job Discussion Forums

AbbeFaria · Joined: 17 May 2005 Location: Gangnam

It's payday today and my boss tells me they made a dedcution for the gas bill, which I knew about-the people came to the school to get the money and I wasn't there so the boss paid it- and then tells me they took a 30,000 won fee out for using the apartment. At first she was telling me I needed to pay an apartment fee and I thought she meant reant and I was about to pitch a fit, but she clarified that it was a fee for using the apartment, but that didn't really clear it up. The more I questioned her about it, the more she insisted it's a fee for using the apartment. She assured me that everyone paid an apartment fee.

So, incase you haven't guessed, the question is, is this true? Do you all pay some anyomous apartment fee? If so why and what does this fee cover.This is my third month here and it wasn't mentioned before, so I'm wondering if this is something they're supposed to pay and just decided they could spring the cost on to me.

Thankee kindly,
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khyber · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Location: Compunction Junction

true...
depending on what exactly the apartment provides (the biggun is: Do you have a security guard?), i know of people who are paying 4x that....suckers...
otherwise, things like cleaning stairs, dusting public areas and the like...
It's weird, back home the landlord does it themselves or gives someone a break on rent or something....
here everyone's gotta pay...
hm...
sounds silly

just because · Joined: 01 Aug 2003 Location: Changwon - 4964

He is telling the truth and that is quite cheap an apartment( from that amount you must live in a small and oldish place).... it is a apartment management fee...

the way the work it out is the calculate all the costs that the apartment use for the month and divide it by the apartment complex pyeong and then it is a monetary amount(say 2000 won per pyeong in your apartment complex case) per pyeong..

The bigger the apartment the more you would pay...

At my first apartment it was about 30 -35 000 a month.

At my second one it was 110 000 a month(frigged if i know why it was SOOOO expensive) but i had to pay...

The bills name is
�� or literally management receipt bill

jay-shi · Joined: 09 May 2004 Location: On tour

My apartment bill averages about 60k-65k won a month. It does include electricity, water, cable and all of the administrative things such as cleaning , security, garbage, etc...

The invoice does come with a very detailed breakdown of what everything costs me and what the total cost for the apartment building is.

AbbeFaria · Joined: 17 May 2005 Location: Gangnam

Okay, thanks. I feel much better now that I know I'm not being scammed. And yes, I live in the nastiest place in all of Pohang.

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xingyiman · Joined: 12 Jan 2006

Mine runs about 30-50k all inclusive. In lieu of the fact that back in the states my tennance bills (sans rent) topped 200.00 monthly and not including the highway robbery 500.00 + in security deposits you have to fork over to the various companies that you never seem o get back - I cant complain.

VanIslander · Posted: Tue Feb 14, 2006 6:19 pm Post subject:

apartment management fee: 50,000 won here

Covers electricity, cable t.v. and the landlord's time whenever something breaks down, whatever.

Many apartment buildings back in Canada have a similar fee (apart from electricity and cable) for grounds maintenance, labour, whatever.

AbbeFaria · Joined: 17 May 2005 Location: Gangnam

The boss-lady brought out her electronic dictionairy today and showed me "management expenses" so it was settled. Thanks for the quick responses though, appreciate it.

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jacl · Joined: 31 Oct 2005

All you should be paying are gas, oil, electricity and water. Anything else is a rip off. There's the management fee, and sometimes this is an add on. There's no way you should pay a management fee. So, if your water is 6000, cable is 6600, electricty is 20,000, gas/oil (combined) is 50,000 then you should pay 82,600. NO MORE!

Be careful.

ajuma · Joined: 18 Feb 2003 Location: Anywere but Seoul!!

jacl · Joined: 31 Oct 2005

ajuma · Joined: 18 Feb 2003 Location: Anywere but Seoul!!

Ah! But this is Korea!! If you live in a private home with an apartment, the charges might be included in the rent, but ALL high-rise apartment buildings charge a management fee, as well as most "villas".

ontheway · Posted: Wed Feb 15, 2006 7:42 am Post subject:

jacl,

Very often you have good points about getting ripped off here. The management fee is legit, however. It includes many services and generally means you are living in a better condo unit. In the cases I've seen, even though you are paying a management fee, the other monthly expenses, like heat, are less.

When I lived in an older apartment, there was no management fee. The heating cost was quite high. Now I pay an 80,000 won or more, monthly management fee, but my total monthly costs are lower, even though I live in a much bigger and nicer unit.

Enjoy life and don't sweat the small stuff.

(BTW there are very few apartments in Korea. Most Koreans live in condominiums.)

jacl · Joined: 31 Oct 2005

Mr. Pink · Joined: 21 Oct 2003 Location: China

Jacl,

You are funny.

My very first year in Korea my boss wanted me to pay one of these fees. It was for cleaning the stairs in the villa. Since I lived on the first floor, I argued "What stairs? I don't use any stairs, so why do I have to pay 20k/month" well making a stink either the school paid it or the landlord gave up asking.

Now when you live in an apartment building it is totally different. If you don't pay, they shut off your lights/water. Pretty simple huh? They include everything in one bill with a detailed account of where the money goes. You might not have chose to live there, but on the flip side, you could always get your own place if it bothers you so much. However, it is something that seems to be Korean.

For villas I think it is stupid, for apartment buildings you get way more out of your management fees, so they are worth it.