Struggle of workers renting accommodation when electricity prices increase

From May 10, 2025, household electricity prices will be adjusted up. The increase in electricity prices comes at a time when the hot season is starting to get intense, making the already difficult lives of workers renting rented accommodation even more difficult.

Mr. Dang Van Lai, from Thai Binh province, is a worker at TOTO Vietnam Co., Ltd., Hung Yen branch. Mr. Lai rents a closed room in Lieu Ha village, Tan Lap commune (Yen My) for 1.4 million VND/month. The room Mr. Lai is renting has an area of ​​about 20 square meters in a row of level 4 houses. The room is equipped with air conditioning and a water heater. On average, Mr. Lai's family of 3 consumes over 200 kWh of electricity per month. The monthly electricity bill alone is up to 700 - 800 thousand VND.

The lives of workers' families renting accommodation in Tan Lap commune are facing difficulties due to rising electricity prices (Yen My)

Mr. Lai shared: Currently, the landlord is charging us 3,500 VND/kWh for electricity. This is the common price for most boarding houses in the area, and in some boarding houses, the landlord is charging 4,000 VND/kWh. If the electricity price continues to increase, we, the workers, will be under a lot of pressure because our income is almost unchanged while all expenses are increasing.

In a small rented room of only a few square meters, Mr. Bui Van Huy, a native of Hoa Binh province and a worker at Tan A Dai Thanh Factory in Hung Yen, was busy preparing dinner. In the room, there was only one fan to cool down, making the space even more stuffy and stuffy. To reduce electricity bills, the entire rental area did not have air conditioning, water heaters, or washing machines.

Not daring to buy and use a washing machine, workers renting a room in Yen My district have to wash their clothes by hand.

Mr. Huy confided: My wife and I left our young child in the countryside for our parents to take care of so we could come here to work. Our income is about 16 million VND/month. Each month, the rent costs 1 million VND, and the electricity bill is about 200,000 VND. Although the weather is hot in the summer, my wife and I have not dared to buy more fans or cooling equipment because we are afraid of wasting electricity, which will increase our living expenses.

Mr. Hoang Hung, in Lieu Ha village, Tan Lap commune (Yen My) has 30 rooms for rent. All rooms are designed as self-contained units, equipped with water heaters, air conditioners, refrigerators, and washing machines to serve the needs of tenants. The room rental price is 1.4 million VND/month.

Mr. Hung said: Currently, I am charging an electricity price of 3,500 VND/kWh for tenants. Because in addition to the amount of electricity consumed by the rooms for daily activities, I also have to compensate for the electricity costs for general lighting, pumping water for the rooms... I regularly promote and remind tenants to save electricity in their rooms as well as in common areas.

The small room with only one fan of Mr. Bui Van Huy's family, a worker at Tan A Dai Thanh Factory - Hung Yen

Currently, landlords are charging tenants 3,500 - 4,000 VND/kWh for household electricity. Some boarding houses are preparing to increase prices as soon as there is information about the electricity price increase by the electricity industry with an increase of 500 - 1,000 VND/kWh.   Workers and laborers who rent accommodation are low-income people, whose lives are already difficult, and are now struggling to find ways to save electricity as electricity prices increase.

As a rule, if   If the homeowner fully declares the number of people using electricity, they will be granted a quota based on the information of residence at the place of electricity use. Every 4 people are considered as one household using electricity to calculate the quota applied to the retail price of household electricity. If the homeowner cannot declare the full number of people using electricity, the retail price of household electricity of level 3 will be applied: From 101 - 200 kWh for the entire electricity output measured at the meter.   In case the tenant does not sign a direct contract with the electricity seller, the landlord is responsible for collecting electricity from the tenant according to the retail price of electricity in the monthly electricity bill issued by the electricity retailer plus 10% for electricity loss, lighting costs and common water pumping. This is the regulation, but most of the current boarding houses are arbitrarily applying electricity prices to tenants and are often higher than the regulations.

Mai Nhung – Nguyen Khanh

Source: https://baohungyen.vn/chat-vat-cuoc-song-cua-cong-nhan-thue-tro-khi-gia-dien-tang-3181317.html