Utilities Payments in Latvia - Important Information

When purchasing an apartment in Riga or Jurmala, it is important to understand what amount you need to spend monthly on apartment maintenance, i.e., what utility payments will be charged each month.

Specifically for its clients, KOM-INVEST has prepared detailed information on utility service rates.

An apartment owner in Latvia will receive a payment receipt by email each month showing the amount due for payment. In some buildings, receipts are delivered to mailboxes by representatives of the management company.

This receipt will include several items:

1) Payment for apartment maintenance services.

This is usually a fixed amount calculated proportionally to the apartment's area. The average price in Riga is 70 euro cents per sq.m, in Jurmala 1 euro per sq.m.

• For example, if you have a 100 sq.m apartment, the monthly maintenance fee could be 70 euros.
• This amount includes cleaning of the territory around the building and entrance ways, issuing payment receipts by the management company, solving all issues related to uninterrupted operation of external utilities and heating networks. If the building has 24-hour security, the maintenance of security personnel is also covered by the building maintenance fee, which is collected from all residents.
• The maintenance fee depends on which management company has a contract with the residents of the building. Usually the developer selects the service company, and at the time of apartment purchase, maintenance contracts for the building already exist and are signed simultaneously with the apartment purchase agreements.

If you are buying an apartment where the maintenance fee is 0.35-0.5 euros per sq.m, these projects are very advantageous in terms of monthly maintenance costs. In luxury class buildings, the per sq.m fee is higher.

2) Each building collects a small contribution to an accumulative repair fund.

From each apartment, depending on the area, approximately 0.05 euros per sq.m can be collected.

• These accumulated funds are used for roof repairs, facade repairs, landscaping, replacement of external utilities, entrance repairs, etc.

3) During the heating season, a heating fee is charged.

• In most new projects, individual heat meters are installed with readings calculated separately for each apartment. In apartments, heating devices have regulators allowing you to set the desired temperature in each room depending on weather conditions. If an apartment or room is unoccupied, regulators are set to minimum.

If outdoor temperature is very low, down to -20°, the heating fee in such months can be up to 1 euro per sq.m. If winter is mild or heating is set to minimum, the figures can be lower, around 0.30 euros per sq.m.

• Apartments with individual gas heating are highly valued, meaning the apartment has its own gas boiler. Heating and hot water expenses in such apartments are approximately 2 times lower than in other buildings. Such apartments are not found in new projects; individual heating is usually found in renovated buildings and apartments in Riga's historic center.

4) Cold and hot water are paid according to meters.

1 cubic meter of cold water costs approximately 1 euro, hot water 5 euros

5) Garbage removal

Approximately 3-5 euros

6) Elevator

Approximately 5 euros, this depends on the number of apartments and elevators in the building.

7) Electricity

The tariff is approximately 12 euros per 100 kWh, paid according to meters.

Overall, the maintenance of a 3-room apartment with an area of approximately 80 sq.m can cost between 50 euros in summer and 200 euros in winter. The exact amount depends on the building's status, heating system, outdoor temperature, and water and electricity consumption.

Specialists from KOM-INVEST will help you select the most advantageous and economical apartments in terms of maintenance, will assist you in concluding contracts with the management company, paying utility bills, and translating payment receipts into Russian. We will also help resolve all issues related to property insurance and annual tax payments.

If you want to know whether payment amounts for apartments have changed over two years, see the review of utility payments in May 2016.