Consequently, due to this heat, we wake up up five or six times a night with dry throats gasping for water. The air inside the flat is hotter and dryer than the Namibia desert, sometimes I think I can see a rattle snake slither under the bed. Soaking towels placed in front of the radiator, are bone dry in under an hour. I have resorted to putting small plastic Tupperware containers (that I knew would come in useful one day), full of water under all the radiators in every room and opening all the windows at night and in the day. When we asked the landlord about it, he just said turn the air conditioning on. Fine, but then we would use up electricity and we only one unit and that's in the living room. I should explain, that Russia has lots of energy and oil and so electricity is not so expensive and there is lots if it.
A lesson to the wise, If you rent a flat in Moscow check the the heating has an on and off switch. We take this as normal in our country but in Russia, many flats have centrally controlled communal heating. As I have said before, its turned on and off at set times by a centrally controlled, invisible state hand. You the flat dweller have no control and will roast like a chicken on a spit until "they" turn it off. I swear I don't make any of this stuff up, its all true and happens to us in Moscow.
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isn't there a way to open the boxes and regulate each radiator manually
ReplyDeleteNo they are solid and sealed!!! I know its stupid.
ReplyDeleteSadly true, I've experienced it myself - and know I will experience it again soon as I'm due in Moscow next Monday for the whole holiday period. It partly (though not only) explains this tendency most Russians have to undress immediately when they're coming home, as they'd be overdressed to survive in the Desert of Gobi/interior indeed. I know I'm going to suffer too.
ReplyDeleteThose radiators often look like nothing I've seen before : like giant and primary heating resistance things, the unaesthetic kind you'd find in your boiler if you'd look into it. There is no way you could possibly add a thermostat to these things, they're not designed for that at all....
Traveling Nico what brings you to Moscow? Business? Yes its cold outside but baking inside !!!
ReplyDelete"Devuchka" and her family is bringing me to Moscow, where I have no particular business. She thinks I ought to spend more time in Moscow, and I believe she is secretely planning on trying to have me stick around in the foreseable future - which I am not so keen to do, as I now know the city better (it'll be my 12th visit in about a year, yet I usually stay long weekends only). I'm a bit worried about possible business outcomes in Russia too, as I'm unfamiliar with outrageous bureaucracy and corporate theft - and so I'm considering coming only if someone offers me a real expat job (I mean, I now comfortably live in Paris and am, at 39, already one of the directors of my company - in commercial real estate/asset management). I like this one particular Devuchka very very much, and what saves me is that I speak some Russian (and she speaks English quite well). Reading your blog is interesting for me because you seem to be experiencing the same experiences I am when I go there, yet with more depth as you are stuck there....
ReplyDeleteHi Traveling Nico I dont understand are you in love with a Russian girl and visit Moscow a lot to see her?
ReplyDeleteAs It happens I am looking to buy in Paris can we exchange emails? My contact is on this blog under about me section.
Yes, "devuchka" (девушка) means "girl", "Miss" (notably when talking to a sales clerk or a waitress), and also "Girlfriend". And yes, I travel already too much to Moscow.... :)
ReplyDeleteDid not know that word. Many a man has fallen under the spell of a Russian woman, some even give up their country and move to Russia. Only the brave or the mad I say. Internet dating seems to be the main magnet to these guys.
ReplyDeleteI actually met my "devuchka" (girlfriend) here in Paris, when she was arguing with a (typically Parisian) waiter who pretented not to speak English and I helped her out (understood what she complained about in Russian with the girl she was travelling with, which helped too....).
ReplyDeleteI would never have tried Internet dating, and probably never will - I think it's the most ridiculous thing in the world (and a dangerous one too in Russia, if I refer to many scam reports....).
Hi!
ReplyDeleteIf thoughts of installing the thermostat manually will ever cross your mind (f it didn't already, given the conditions), I recommend to exterminate them with EXTREME prejudice. Reason? Simple - since it's centralized heating system for each house, than, by turning off even one of the radiators (provided you'll successfully install the device)you could create a jam in the entire system, which means that you have a decent chance of turning off( or rather holding off) the heat fr entire buiding. Which would, in turn, lead to a visit of technicians from service and maintenance company, reacting to the neighbor's complaints, who will demand (as allowed to by the regs) entry in the flat for inspection and repair. You could deny entry, of course, but if it's cold enough outsie to threaten the health of inhabitants, they will bring cops in. And you're in for the fine. Source? I had worked as a lawyer for one of those companies shortly and just this type of complaint had crossed my desk ( rather loudly, I might add)
Good luck!
PS - Only way out is controlled ventilation through windows, though I'd agree that at nighttime it's barely an option...
Hi Anonymous thanks for the warning. I know what you are saying although I have seen many flats who have installed a red leaver on the pipe that leads to the radiator. When it too hot, they just turn off the red valve. I have not heard of any issues that you describe but I believe you.
ReplyDeleteThis communal heating was OK in the past but now is inappropriate as the climate is not in the -30s/40s in Moscow as it was 20 years ago. As I said before in Moscow, you cook in the winter and bake in the summer
Nicolas It sounds like you met your lady in a romantic way and lost your heart to her. Nice situation.
ReplyDeleteMany men do meet their Russian wives via online dating sites. As you say, many of these sites are run by criminals.
I have met a few Russian women in their late 20's here married to Brits or Americans and these guys work here on big bucks and are in their mid 40s. Age seems to be no barrier. I can't help thinking many girls look for money and then love. Some of these foreign men have been married 1 or 2 times before they met their Russian women. This would make an interesting post in itself.
Well, it's only my knowledge, nothing scribed-on-the-stone) Other places might'operate by different rules . Afterall, said complaint was given by one flat owner in one building in one of the districts of St. Petersburg) It's not even Moscow) And besides, as I saidf, it is a CHANCE)))) It's not guaranteed outcome... and you know how Russians approach risk-managment) Russian roulette, anyone? :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Anonymous I wont be making any changes to the heating in our flat. Its up to the Russian owner to let it to standard, after all he takes enough money of us each month and its over priced.
ReplyDelete>>Its up to the Russian owner to let it to standard
ReplyDeleteDo you mean British standard or what?
I'm Moscovite and I swear that you have Russian standard flat, moreover you are very lucky because many people are cold in their flats and you simply can't do anything about it except buying electical heater.
If your flat is hot, it's a big advantage and many Russians would definitely envy you as there are less chances to get gold and you don't spend all your evenings in the shower or in the kitchen turning on your gas stove to get warm.
About mirrors on the ceiling and windows in bathroom. This is just not "Russian". When I was for the first time in Europe I was shocked seeing windows in bathrooms. My husband even offered to find something without windows, but we couldn't. You know restroom/bathroom/toilet is a very private space, so don't expect any big mirrors or windows in typical Russian bathrooms :)
Anonymous I mean its up the owner to let is to a normal standard that's international. If they want a crazy rent price they cant let it at all. With respect, many flats in Moscow are over priced and awful.
ReplyDeleteHow can many people be cold in their flats in Moscow?? Many apartment blocks have communal heating that they cant turn on or off. I would rather not have heating at all and just use blankets or gas heater.
Have you looked at many flats that Russian landlords want to rent to foreigners??? If you have you would have seen some awful ones and many mirrors on the ceilings. Very tacky and bad taste. "Westeners" dont want that
Hey, English Man :)
ReplyDeleteI've come across your blog through a link on livejournal, and I can understand your frustration with the heating :) I've recently returned to Moscow after 2yrs+ backpacking around Asia, the first month was a torture - sandpaper skin, permanently parched swollen sinuses etc... urgh.. and then we got a humidifier! you mentioned tupperware under radiators so I assume you havent got one. Go to any sizeable home appliances store and ask for "uvlazhnitel vozduha \ увлажнитель воздуха", seems like they're pretty common nowadays.
What does your wife do over here?
On a different note, the 20+ yo girls married to 40+ expat guys might well be golddiggers, but if you knew what an asshole an average Russian guys is, how few eligible guys are in Moscow for all these women, etc etc... we're thinking about organizing a lesbian commune with my friends, it's really sad.
If you have any practical difficulties living here, drop me a line and I'll try to help - kkarpunina at gmail :) Good luck!
Hi kkarpunina
ReplyDeleteHmm... a lesbian commune can I join? does it matter I have a cock. Seriously I will buy a humidifier asap but a good one was over 12000 rubles !!! I would not like to female here most Russian guys look like bank robbers.
>>With respect, many flats in Moscow are over priced and awful
ReplyDeleteI agree especially if you are Russian and want to rent a "cheap" flat...
>>How can many people be cold in their flats in Moscow??
Quite a lot I think. It depends on the house. If the house is a brick one, it is warm and you have "jungles" in your flat, if it is a "panel" one, you won't be able to warm it with all gas and electricity. I haven't been in old Stalin and pre-Stalin era houses, so I don't know about them.
>>Have you looked at many flats that Russian landlords want to rent to foreigners???
When I was working in an American company I was searching for flats for our expats and I have seen many of flats.
Try likehome.ru - we used that agency.
Anna
ReplyDeleteThey are awful if you are foreign as well!!! many owners let flats at an awful standard but owners expect 5 star rents. This is wrong. I know it depends on price range and area but we looked at 20 flats, only about 3 were almost acceptable. The one we now live in has a very good and nice landlord which is vital in Moscow as rental agreements are not always respected. We insisted our rent to be fixed in price and in Euro. If we had not got what we wanted we would have looked again or left Russia.
Russians still wrongly believe that all if not most foreigners, get their rent paid for by the employers- this is a total myth.
I think the whole letting business is one big money machine especially for the letting agencies. I am not impressed at all.
>>They are awful if you are foreign as well!!!
ReplyDeleteHave you seen any flats for "Russians"? You would definitely change your mind if you saw any of them.
Foreigners actually get the best, all the rest is much worse, I suppose you wouldn't be able to live in typical Russian flat with Soviet fridge, broken furniture, taps etc.
The problem is that there's high demand and few offers on the market as "everyone" goes to Moscow from all ex-USSR and beyond.
As one of the landlords said: I won't repair anything and spend money just because I know that I'll find tenants for sure. And she is right.
Anna most foreigners would walk away from such flats. Many Russian flat owners are greedy and let substandard flats. They expect high rents only the mad would pay them!!
ReplyDeleteI was once asked by a neighbor who lives below me, how much I paid in rent when I told him how much, he said it was 'cheap' (my neighbor has been doing remont for 6 months below me!) When I told him it was not cheap, he said it is, he said you have 'new windows' and 'air-con'. Wow I though what a luxury I deserve to pay the price I pay!
What annoys me the most is we are the only foreigners in our block, everyone else is Russian and got their flat for free and pay no rent at all. Our rent is paying a family to live very well.
Sometimes, I think Russians think all foreigners are either stupid or very rich. This is a myth.
Sorry, but we wont agree on Moscow rents or on the standard of flats for letting.
The price for apartments in moscow suburbs (far from everywhere), just walls without furniture, starts from 80.000 euro. The same flat for rent would cost you 750 euro/month. It's easy to count that it takes 15 years just to cover the investments. And it's only in case you used your own money, not mortage. Do you still think the rent is too high? What are the prices you compare with?
ReplyDeleteI take it you work in real estate?
ReplyDeleteI cant comment on that I only know the prices in the central and surrounding areas of Moscow. I dont work in property development.
The standard of flats here goes from awful for a high rent to vulgar and a crazy rent per month in Euro. I know there is a shortage of quality flats but even so! I think because some get their rents paid for by their employers rents tend to go from 3,000 euro PCM (2010) in the central areas. Who would live outside the center when it takes hours by car or train to get back in?
Sort out the traffic and build cheap and affordable apartment blocks for rent and prices will go down but getting land in Moscow is hard and the corruption makes it harder.
I have looked at many flats and was horrified.
I dont think we can add anymore to this topic.
Dear English man
ReplyDeleteI'm a potential buyer of flat in Msk, so i was made to do some research.
I just wanted to explain why the rent prices are so independent from quality and reality.
And sorry for my offtopic in post which is originaly about central heating. Btw i've never seen a heater with switch off button in Russia. National feature :)
Regarding those radiators - just open the window and get some fresh air if you are too hot! It does not cost you (or anyone else) extra. Simple but unknown fact: local heating (steam) is a byproduct of an (efficient) turbine electricity generation, from natural gas, at every district of the city... Instead of being wasted, it is going to those gigantic pipes that span the city and heat all the houses in winter. Another important thing - if you get access to the radiator valves and start moving them back and forth, they will soon leak and it will get very wet and steamy inside, and then you will want to turn it all off for all the building, and everyone gets cold and upset and blames you. So do not touch it. Open the window!
ReplyDeleteAnastasia I would love to own a flat here renting is burning money. Good luck with your flat buying I am sure you will find one you like.
ReplyDelete