Except if that bill bumps the owner into a higher rate, the higher rate persists long after the renter has gone.

Oh YES> No doubt!

So we've moved from "usery" to "criminal". Sheesh.

If we have told you once, we have told you a million times, don't use hyperbole!

Sure sounds like it. $50 USD per day ?? 1000 pesos per day? 30,000 pesos per month?? Just for the A/C? That owner should be charged with usury....or something.

Why? The owner stated clearly and in advance what the terms will be if this particular renter wants to book again. To me, the terms indicate that she and her party burned the owner with a huge electric bill in the past.

Why?? Because attempting to charge a renter 30,000 pesos per month EXTRA, just for the A/C, is criminal, that's why.
And of course, the renter has the option to look elsewhere and tell the owner where to shove it. That's what I'd do.

So we've moved from "usery" to "criminal". Sheesh.

The owner obviously does not want this renter in his property again. If the owner is attempting to charge $50 USD across the board for all rentals, the market will sort itself out.

There are hundreds of units available to rent in Zihuatanejo. Pick one.

Until major corporations and governments get serious about fixing climate change, we--here in Zihua--at least have a good perch from which to watch the world burn, and that, I'm afraid, is as good as it's gonna get.

Be ye joyful ... even after you have considered all the facts.

I disagree that all is hopeless. We will confront the climate change crisis and adapt, if only because it will be in our economic interests as well as our long-term well being. What frightens me is the political aspect. There is a sizable portion of the population for which climate change has become a political issue and a way to drive a wedge between competing groups. This is very scary.

Anything that you can do as an individual is not wasted, including contacting your erected representatives and letting them know how important this issue is to you.

(My apologies. This sounds like a public service advertisement. However, studies have shown that optimistic people are happier, wealthier, and live longer. Of course, the pessimists say that the optimists are just deluding themselves.)

I did use the AC more last year, because the owner remodeled and removed all of the screens. The first time I left the glass doors in the bedroom open, a bat came into the room. So I used the AC in the bedroom, only for a few hours each night. If that constitutes burning the owner with a huge electric bill, I guess I did. I am only trying to find out if 50 USD per night is a reasonable price. As it turns out, it’s probably outrageous.

I Think others have had a good idea. Talk with the owner. A great solution would be to offer to pay the electric bill during your stay. When you arrive a meter reading can be done. Then you can also follow along on your use. The CFE bill is straight forward on Kwh's used. As a guide anything over 50kWh/a day would be fairly heavy use. When we stay at our place the use is about 12kWh/a day without air-conditioning.

Sure sounds like it. $50 USD per day ?? 1000 pesos per day? 30,000 pesos per month?? Just for the A/C? That owner should be charged with usury....or something.

Why? The owner stated clearly and in advance what the terms will be if this particular renter wants to book again. To me, the terms indicate that she and her party burned the owner with a huge electric bill in the past.

The renters can either agree to the terms or they can look for lodging elsewhere. Perhaps next time they rent, they will consider the amount of time they run the AC.

Why?? Because attempting to charge a renter 30,000 pesos per month EXTRA, just for the A/C, is criminal, that's why.
And of course, the renter has the option to look elsewhere and tell the owner where to shove it. That's what I'd do.

And thanks for clearing up that your abode is unusually warm due to its situation and construction, as are way too many places built in the past few decades. Built either very cheaply or using architectural features that don't work in our warm tropical region. The few old homes left here, the older homes in Agua de Correa, Coacoyul and especially the old section of Petatlán all feature architectural styles that reflect what works here to keep a home refreshing and cool most of the year. Just because an architect uses palapa, adobe and exotic woods doesn't make a place comfortable. Light, sunshine and airflow all must be taken into account. But many new constructions make living without A/C nearly impossible. I get where you're coming from and didn't mean to sound critical of you. My apologies, amigo. "

6_26_2022

@Z Rob

You're most welcome, "apologies" accepted
I sincerely do most appreciate that you took your valuable time to take a 2nd look at my situation, and came to the conclusion you did as mentioned above, recognizing the variety of factors involved that affect the temperature inside one's abode.

It's logical, easy and really is not at all unreasonable to think that, if the weather outside is mild, cooler than usual, etc, that inside one's living space, it would accordingly reflect those actual weather conditions.
As you astutely evaluated & recognized that, NO, that is not necessarily the case, as is with my situation, as I described about the extraordinary and very extreme heat I have to deal with inside my abode, which really is intolerable.
IF I had know about that detail in advance, I would NOT have rented the place.
The landlady just said it was "warm", which fell way short of the actual truth.
I told her about the extreme heat temp, and suggested that they install an A/C unit. Unfortunately, she refuses to do that.

At any rate, besides the heat problem, I do like the place, & I'm trying to locate a portable room cooler so I can avoid the other option which is to move again. A tech said that taking into account the size of the room (5m x 9m), it would require un aire de 2 toneladas to adequately cool it down.

The owners, e.g. taking into account that this rental unit en la colonia turística de La Madera is usually rented to foreigners who demand and are rightfully entitled to a reasonable level of comfort, and for the price that they normally charge, aren't complying with what seems to be as their inherent obligation as owners of this class of rental property, to see to it that the renters are able to have a comfortable enjoyable humane room temperature in the unit, or at least have that option available.
If a tenant chooses not to use their A/C (assuming it has A/C) and "sweat it out" that's their business, but again, they most definitely should have the option to keep cool inside the rental unit. What would your opinion be on that?

Saludos.

I did use the AC more last year, because the owner remodeled and removed all of the screens. The first time I left the glass doors in the bedroom open, a bat came into the room. So I used the AC in the bedroom, only for a few hours each night. If that constitutes burning the owner with a huge electric bill, I guess I did. I am only trying to find out if 50 USD per night is a reasonable price. As it turns out, it’s probably outrageous "

6_26_2022

@Donna

Several Z Board users have already provided good answers to your question in the lead post of this thread.

What I wanted to add / ask you about Donna, is:

1. Was the CFE / electricity / A/C included in your rent? (my impression is that it was)

2. Is the option available for you to pay the CFE bill separately from the rent, as it arrives once every two months?

At my rental, when the CFE bill arrives, the landlady brings it to me, and I pay the amount of the recibo, done deal, works out well.
Personally, I like that arrangement best, (when it can be done) since it's fair for both the tenant and the owner.

The owner here also has a 4,000 peso "security deposit" of mine, that I imagine would be applied to the CFE bill (or other expenses) IF need be, as a very knowledgeable contributor to your post correctly noted that a CFE bill could get to be pretty steep, depending on your A/C consumption habits, as well as what appliances one uses, (apart from the A/C.)

Regards

I did use the AC more last year, because the owner remodeled and removed all of the screens. The first time I left the glass doors in the bedroom open, a bat came into the room. So I used the AC in the bedroom, only for a few hours each night. If that constitutes burning the owner with a huge electric bill, I guess I did. I am only trying to find out if 50 USD per night is a reasonable price. As it turns out, it’s probably outrageous.

Yes, US$50 a day extra for A/C is certainly outrageous. I think communicating with the property owner that you'll be careful with the A/C (maybe even offering an additional DEPOSIT that counts towards your final month) may resolve the situation as long as you make it clear that otherwise you'll stay elsewhere and they'll lose a renter.

I hate to see our visitors or our locals taken advantage of, and in this case it looks like it's you getting the short end. I hope you're able to resolve it amicably and satisfactorily.

¡Suerte y saludos!

However, there are a couple of other scenarios too. Your rent possibly hasn't changed in years and it was low. Then, someone else rented the condo before or after you and really used the AC, putting the electricity use into the DAC rate. It's also possible that due to the potential difficulty in communicating, that it is simply a way to raise the rent and offer an easy explanation.

No matter what, hopefully you can find a place that you like at a price that you like too.

You can reason and argue with me all you want, but that is the way I have always felt about humans living on this precious planet we are unfortunately destroying with our collective ignorance and arrogance. It doesn't make me right or you wrong, it only means we have different points of view. Thanks for sharing yours.
Un saludo.

The problem is there is nothing any of us can do about it. The damage is done; and any minuscule improvement we make as individuals, is completely undone many times over with the next oil spill, or military action. We have been sold the idea that we as individuals can alter the course of climate change if we just buy an electric car, keep our house uncomfortably cold or hot, let our lawn die, and recycle everything, then making us feel guilty about it if we don't. Until major corporations and governments get serious about fixing climate change, we--here in Zihua--at least have a good perch from which to watch the world burn, and that, I'm afraid, is as good as it's gonna get.

Sure sounds like it. $50 USD per day ?? 1000 pesos per day? 30,000 pesos per month?? Just for the A/C? That owner should be charged with usury....or something.

Why? The owner stated clearly and in advance what the terms will be if this particular renter wants to book again. To me, the terms indicate that she and her party burned the owner with a huge electric bill in the past.

The renters can either agree to the terms or they can look for lodging elsewhere. Perhaps next time they rent, they will consider the amount of time they run the AC.

We have extremely efficient AC units and haven't had them on in over a year. Don't need AC! "

6_25_2022
@Talley Ho

There are some who (attempt) to sleep in temps in the upper 70s, & even a lot higher, and be Mr or Mrs. "tough guy/girl", and get buy with breeze fans. Some may accuse "gringos" to be wimps for not doing so, when those "gringos" prefer to get their rest in a more sleep-friendly temperature range, and thus use A/C. So be it for those folks.

Others may live in an area over the ocean, and are fortunate enough to usually get breezes, and as you say "Don't need A/C", lucky folks. The majority of people aren't blessed with those conditions.

I recently lived for 10 años in a "colonia popular" SIN "clima" (aka aire acondicionado).

That said, the point is that there many people who live in cement sweat boxes, that want to be comfortable and able to sleep well, so they use A/C. Should not blame them at all for doing so, IF they have that option available.

With our normal sunny & hot climate, my current rental easily gets up to the upper 80s minimum, and routinely up to 100°+ inside, for around 18+ hours per day.
While I do have A/C in the bedroom, the rest of the place gets to those inhumane temps I mentioned.

Yes, I certainly do feel that folks who can't acclimate here and MUST use A/C to sleep probably don't belong here because they're bringing here the same unsustainable overconsumptive U.S. lifestyle that's killing the planet.

You don't have to allude to me in such an indirect manner. My feelings won't be hurt, and I have no qualms about making my argument and holding my own.

The majority of people here, MEXICANS from this region, neither need nor use A/C either. Neither they nor I consider the temps "inhumane". My wife's family and I have lived here without electricity and running water, sleeping in hammocks at night and relying on their motion and any breezes to be comfortable. So we know what that's like.

Frankly my wife and I have commented about how mild the weather has been all year and especially this May and June, so I find your post somewhat amusing if not also a bit out of sync with local conditions, but I certainly understand where you're coming from. I simply believe people should live where they are comfortable with the local climate and where they need minimal consumption of energy to be comfortable. In my peculiar manner of thinking, a place like Las Vegas shouldn't even exist. It represents pretty much everything that's wrong with U.S. culture.

You can reason and argue with me all you want, but that is the way I have always felt about humans living on this precious planet we are unfortunately destroying with our collective ignorance and arrogance. It doesn't make me right or you wrong, it only means we have different points of view. Thanks for sharing yours.
Un saludo.

I have been renting the same condo for years, but for 2023 I have been asked to pay 50 USD more per night to run the AC in one bedroom. Is this reasonable?

6_26_2022
No Donna, sounds like a major rip-off and abuse.
My thought would be that in a roundabout manner, the people are trying to get you out of your condo, by making it unaffordable.

" The majority of people here, MEXICANS from this region, neither need nor use A/C either. Neither they nor I consider the temps "inhumane".

I was not referring to the outdoor temperature, rather to a room(s) inside a residence that gets up to the high 30s, and lower 40s (mid 80°F - 110°F) is comfortable for the majority of people in the area, that they don't seem to mind those extremes, and that it promotes a good nights sleep, and thus, they don't "need" A/C to get relief from those extreme temps, that's your opinion.

Sleep experts indicate that a comfortable temperature is an important factor in getting a good nights sleep.
Suggested ranges I've read are approximately 68 -74°F, and certainly not in the 80°+ range much less over 100°F.

Additionally, another factor that could be why "the majority of people here, MEXICANS from this region" don't use A/C is the cost of both the unit, and the electric bill, they just can't afford it on the typical incomes workers receive, as simple as that.
Have you taken that into account with your comments against my post?
My CFE bimonthly bills jumped around 1,600 pesos more with the A/C usage, than I had without A/C.
So again, for many people on low incomes, that could be their food budget for the month, so they don't use A/C for economic reasons, more than any other reason I suspect, bottom line is they just can't afford it.

Finally, about "how mild the weather has been all year and especially this May and June, so I find your post somewhat amusing if not also a bit out of sync with local conditions. "
.... el detalle that you didn't take into account is that the temp INSIDE one's residence, does NOT necesarily coincide with the outdoor temp, as is the case where I rent, it could easily be 20°F higher than it is outdoors. No breeze enters.
So yes, perhaps the weather has been "mild" OUTDOORS, BUT inside that's not the case, and THAT is precisely what I percieve to be the "inhumane" temperature, for myself, and the need for A/C.

The ecologic issue you mentioned is a valid one, BUT it's separate topic, and was not a part of my discussion, or of the lead post in the thread.

Unfortunately, it appears that your long time hosts don't want you to return.

Sure sounds like it. $50 USD per day ?? 1000 pesos per day? 30,000 pesos per month?? Just for the A/C? That owner should be charged with usury....or something.
The last place we stayed in Zihua, this past spring, from mid-Feb. to early April, we paid a daily equivalent of 575 pesos.....yes, $28.75 USD.... for a large, 1-room, with 1 king and 1 dbl. bed, little kitchenette with two-burner gas hotplate, fridge and microwave, cable TV, a great ceiling fan AND A/C, on a very quiet sidestreet, excellent security, 2 minute walk from Plaza Kioto and 14 minute walk from Soriana. No pool....who needs a pool when you have La Ropa?
We're shocked at what some folks are willing to pay for lodging in Zihua.

I clearly stated USD

I perceive the near unanimous verdict is that an extra $50USD/day is insane, preposterous, unreasonable, reprehensible and at best comically ludicrous. But just for giggles would you be willing to reveal any other details of the rental such as monthly rate, amenities, special features, privileges, etc...so we have a fuller perspective from which to express our strong feelings, hypotheses and advice...?

Unfortunately, it appears that your long time hosts don't want you to return.

OR

The owners do not want to be stuffed in the DAC rate for the next 12 months after a renter leaves.