Korean Job Discussion Forums

okiedokie · Joined: 04 Dec 2009 Location: Seoul

In the early hours of this morning we realized we had no running water. Our apartment is in a villa building with only offices below and of course no-one else has been in all weekend. So we suspected the pipes were frozen. We tried to heat the pipes coming into our apartment but had no luck.

We rent our apartment from a private landlord, so when a reasonable hour arrived 9am we called them and after much waiting (about 7 hours) a plumber was sent out. He said it is the pipes that have frozen somewhere in the building.

The plumber then left and we received a phone call from our landlord saying that its too expensive to fix it on a Sunday, $250 an hour, so theyll come sometime tomorrow instead.

This doesnt seem very fair to us. We havent been able to shower, use the toilet, wash our hands, wash up all day and have waited around for it to be fixed only for the landlord to CHOOSE not to fix it today because of the cost. I would understand if it couldnt be fixed today or there was no-one available to fix it but this seems to be a bit of a joke. It's the landlords responsibility to provide a rentable apartment and without water it's not!

I'm just wondering if you guys think its fair for us to insist they fix it today or failing that pay for us to stay in a hotel instead??

Does anyone have any idea what the laws and legislation around this kind of issue are here?

bobbybigfoot · Joined: 05 May 2007 Location: Seoul

Dude, it's $250 an hour. Who knows how many hours it will cost. I'd tell you the same thing. Wait till Monday.

Then I'd slide you a 10,000 coupon for some chicken place as a thank you.

okiedokie · Joined: 04 Dec 2009 Location: Seoul

You know, if there was some hint of a thank you like that at the end or even a goodwill gesture like paying for however much water we're going to end up buying at the shop then I'd feel a bit better about it. As it stands though we pay 1.5mill a month to be grubby and having to walk to the nearest coffee shop for a bathroom stop. Not what you expect when you're paying a pretty penny!

Kimchifart · Joined: 15 Sep 2010

I don't think it's totally unreasonable of the landlord to wait until tomorrow seeing as it's 250 an hour, but then again he is getting 1.5 mill a month, but who knows what his mortgage is costing him.

NYC_Gal 2.0 · Joined: 10 Dec 2010

Yikes that sucks. Why not show up at his place with your shower stuff in a basket and tell him you must bathe.

At least he isn't making you pay for the plumber, though. I hope everything is fixed by tomorrow.

schwa · Joined: 18 Jan 2003 Location: Yap

This weekend, it seems, is an extreme weather event. Reportedly lots of frozen pipes throughout the city. Its not the landlord's fault.

Why not just get yourselves a toasty little room in some love motel, take a long steamy shower, & relax. Is that really gonna break the bank?

Troglodyte · Joined: 06 Dec 2009

I don't think that the problem is that it would break the bank. I think the issue at hand is the the landlord is shirking his duty to save money and on top of it not even trying to be apologetic about it.

What kind of apartment are you in that you're paying 1.5million Won/month? That ought to be a really nice place. Otherwise, for 1.5 million a month, I'd expect the landlord to get it fixed at 3 in the morning - and smile while he does so.

cragesmure · Joined: 23 Oct 2010

There is no way it costs $250 an hour, even on a Sunday. The guy is lying. Call him out on it. Where's that outstanding Korean work ethic when you need it, eh?

Sector7G · Joined: 24 May 2008

conrad2 · Joined: 05 Nov 2009

Plumbers dont cost anywhere near that, even on a Sunday. May be that many pipes froze this weekend and the plumbers are just servicing the highest bidders. And they wouldnt be doing any real plumbing anyway, just heating up the pipes is all.

Rutherford · Joined: 31 Jul 2007

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

Pipes freeze all the time when it is REALLY cold in Korea. I had it happen at least once almost every winter I was there.

I used to just go to the local Sauna and shower. I like the idea of the love motel too, but my heating was never a problem, just the water to shower or cook.

I am not sure there is much the plumber can do when the pipes freeze like that either...if I were you guys I would look for a better place to spend 1.5mil a month in rent. For that much money you guys should be in a fancy apartment.

UknowsI · Joined: 16 Apr 2009

You are without water for one day... can someone please enlighten me why this is a problem?

NYC_Gal 2.0 · Joined: 10 Dec 2010

Chris.Quigley · Joined: 20 Apr 2009 Location: Belfast. N Ireland

Go to a Jimjilbang. It sucks... But 250$/hour is really expensive... If it was your house back home... would you really fork out 250$ an hour to fix a problem? Or would you wait until Monday when the price dropped significantly? Most people can't afford it... Neither can most apartment buildings.

If apartment management said, "we are just going to wait until the spring roles around..." I would say you have a legitimate right to complain. But, management in this case seems to be being kind of reasonable to me... Just wait 'til tomorrow. Go to a bathhouse for now... Heck, you might even enjoy it!