Cheap aircon servicing contracts

[tenant with aircon]

Hi, what's the cheapest you've found?

I just called 2 places.  We have 3 units and LL wants them serviced 4 times/year.  

One quote was $20 per unit (3x$20 x 4 times a year = $240/year)
The other quoted $320/year but came down to $240/year after I told them I could get cheaper elsewhere.

Is this a fair rate?

[tenant with aircon]

...and, we want a company that we can sign up with for 2 years, but who will look at whether the aircons need servicing or not.  i.e. if only 2 out of the 3 were used, they would charge only for the 2 they clean, and write on the receipt that the other 1 was still clean/didn't require cleaning.  That will save some money along the way since we only really use 1 of them mainly.

[The ref]

It sounds like you are willing to breech your contract for the price of a cheap bottle of wine every quarter?  Just pay the $240 a year and get all units serviced as per your contract. 

You will find a team of people come out to do the units - this is how Singapore works. Your condo needs guards, gardeners, cleaners, pool cleaners, you need gas bottle deliverers, air con sevicers, movers, maids/helpers, taxi drivers etc.  A hoard of low paid people make their living out of these services - it keeps the economy going and the unemployment rate low.

[BIg Yawn, PP]

OP, $20 per unit is a fair rate. Whatever else you want to do is up to you, your conscience and sheer chance (whether you get caught out eventually). None of my beeswax, unlike the PP, who should mind their own.

[tenant with aircon]

I found another company that will do 3 units on contract (4 times/year) for $216 per year.  A very good deal so we are going with them.

Oh and I've still asked them whether they will discount as and when any of our 3 aircon units aren't dirty to warrant cleaning, and write it down on the receipt for the Landlord's reference.

This is not about breaking a contract - it's about cleaning what needs cleaning.  Why should I pay anything to clean a unit that hasn't been used at all?

[I read...]

I read somewhere that aircons need regular cleaning even if they are not being used so you should just get them all done.

[who are you?]

I read somewhere that aircons need regular cleaning even if they are not being used so you should just get them all done.

Are you a LL?

[Kattiee]

My advice dont go for those cheap group buying deals for aircon.
I have tried 4 companies all doing the same thing just come clean the filter and cover
and try to push chemical cleaning.

You are far better off going to google searching for "Aircon Servicing"
Those aircon companies are so much more reliable and really do thier jobs.

[JJulas]

My advice dont go for those cheap group buying deals for aircon.
I have tried 4 companies all doing the same thing just come clean the filter and cover
and try to push chemical cleaning.

You are far better off going to google searching for "Aircon Servicing"
Those aircon companies are so much more reliable and really do thier jobs.

Agree with Kattiee totally.  That has been my experience too.

And avoid this company: Aircon Designs....

[why spend on aircon?]

For SD20 you get nothing. Company comes in, cleans the filters and that's it. Chemical washing and gas topup is extra.

I do the cleaning of the aircons myself. Vacuum the filters and the fins.
I also put some bleach in the water drip tray. That removes the algae and cleans the pipes.

Aircon guy only comes in to top up the gas if and when necessary.

[Singapoor]

To PP,

I totally agree. Unfortunately, it is written into most rental contracts. Thus, just go for the cheapest possible and never pay for any extras. You just need the receipts to show "servicing". If the aircon fails, great, you get a new system ala your landlord.

[tenant with aircon]

I totally agree with the previous poster.

All the LL's care about is that it's been serviced - they don't care "how well".  So we are going with the cheapest we can find.  Has anyone found cheaper than $216?

If we owned the place, we'd service ourselves and get a good quality company to come in sporadically.

[Blx]

Yeah right.  If you owned place you would make the tenant pay like everyone else. The basic cleaning is going to be the same whoever does it

[tenant with aircon]

Yeah right.  If you owned place you would make the tenant pay like everyone else. The basic cleaning is going to be the same whoever does it

I meant: If we owned the place and lived in it.

But now if we owned it and rented it out, yes I would MAKE THE TENANT PAY, but only for a good company and not to do every unit if it didn't actually need it.

[Adelinelow]

My advice dont go for those cheap group buying deals for aircon.
I have tried 4 companies all doing the same thing just come clean the filter and cover
and try to push chemical cleaning.

You are far better off going to google searching for "Aircon Servicing"
Those aircon companies are so much more reliable and really do thier jobs.

Totally agree with you.
Got ripped off 4 times by different aircon deals company.