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Expenses: Increases in electricity and gas will drive increases of up to 220% year-on-year since May - Infobae
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Expensas: los aumentos en la electricidad y el gas impulsarán subas de hasta el 220% interanual desde mayo
La eliminación de subsidios representará gradualmente un duro golpe para los pagos de expensas en el Área Metropolitana de Buenos Aires (AMBA). Cuál es el valor promedio que abonan los consorcistas
www.infobae.com
April 20, 2024
The elimination of subsidies will gradually represent a hard blow for expense payments in the Buenos Aires Metropolitan Area (AMBA). What is the average amount paid by the consortium partners?
By José Luis Cieri
Building manager works hard cleaning and maintaining the facilities (Illustrative Image Infobae)
The escalation of rates for services such as electricity and gas is shaping up to be a hard blow for the budgets of the consortiums. A middle class family in the AMBA already pays more than $100,000 per month to pay for services and a year-on-year increase in expenses of close to 220% is anticipated in May.
The rate increase applied this month was notable, with increases ranging between 300% and 500% year-on-year. Expenses are traditionally adjusted at a slower pace and are usually below the inflation rate.
According to the Octopus Proptech platform, in March expenses rose 7.88%, reaching an average of $79,511 in Buenos Aires and surrounding areas. So far, the accumulated figure for the year is 19.34% , and significant increases are anticipated after the increase in water, electricity and gas services. It is projected that in May the average expenses will reach $90,000.
Nicolás Baccigalupo , CEO of Octopus Proptech, told Infobae: “in the short term, it is expected from the Government's announcement in the area of services that strong increases will arrive throughout the year as public service rates are adjusted. "that came late, with repressed inflation."
In this sense, although monthly indicators suggest a decrease in the inflation rate, the adjustment in public service rates puts pressure on costs at a general level.
“The increases will cause adjustments, difficulties in paying expenses and, therefore, greater delinquency, making it difficult for the consortia to comply with their obligations. The lack of funds could lead to postponing the necessary maintenance, with risks and negative effects on the community,” said Baccigalupo.
Cleaning products also increased strongly and impact the average monthly cost of expenses (Illustrative Image Infobae)
The elimination of energy and gas subsidies challenges consortia to mitigate the financial impact, considering options such as solar panels to lower electricity costs. Economic pressure has pushed us to use reserve funds and prioritize urgent repairs.
David Loisi , president of the Horizontal Property Consortium League Foundation, explained that regarding the increases in bills, “an increase of less than 5% was observed in those buildings without central services, which contrasts with the situation of the consortia. They have services such as central hot water and boiler heating. In the latter, a more pronounced impact of gas rate increases is anticipated, especially with the arrival of the colder months. As a preventive measure, some consortia decided to temporarily suspend the use of these services or reduce operating hours to reduce consumption.”
This trend of consecutive increases has worsened in recent months due to the prevailing economic context. “It is due to multiple factors, such as the increase in repair costs, the dynamics of inflation that affects all spending items with different adjustment times, and the economic difficulties of some consortium partners that impact collection,” he said. Diego Medwed , director of the Chamber of Computer Systems for Horizontal Property (CASIPH).
Experts give examples of a building in CABA, where the Edesur bill rose from $262,148 in February to $882,940 this month, and a similar case in a gated community in the province of Buenos Aires, where the cost skyrocketed from $700,000 to $3,6000. ,000 in the same period. Both cases include retroactive debit notes, which will inevitably cause an increase in expenses.
How to reduce expenses
The implementation of technologies such as solar panels is emerging as a viable alternative for some, while prudent management of reserve funds becomes common practice in the face of economic uncertainty.
It is essential to renegotiate contracts with suppliers to obtain more advantageous conditions in the maintenance of pipes and sanitary facilities (Photo: Getty)
“The optimization of resources is recommended through the reduction in energy consumption by updating luminaires to low-consumption technologies, and the efficient management of boiler use time. Likewise, it is crucial to renegotiate contracts with suppliers to ensure more favorable conditions,” Loisi added.
For consortia, it is recommended to consider renting unused spaces, such as the empty goal or common areas such as terraces and party walls, for advertising use. It is important that consortium partners make responsible and conscious consumption of services, understanding the importance of reducing consumption during periods of greatest boiler use and avoiding water waste.
Delinquencies are rising. It is estimated that it currently exceeds 35% (a year and a half ago it was 20%) and this situation complicates management and the possibility of negotiating better prices in contracts for the consortium, creating a harmful cycle for those who comply with their payments.
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