Frequently Asked Question on Migration Issue.

The 'Migration' & F.A.Q

MIGRATION OF BULK METER WATER SUPPLY ACCOUNTS TO INDIVIDUAL METER WATER SUPPLY ACCOUNTS AT ALL HIGH-RISE RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS AND GATED COMMUNITIES (MIGRATION PROGRAMME)

Introduction

Syabas introduced this Migration Programme in 2007 with a set of guidelines approved by the Selangor State Government. This migration programme was specifically introduced to assist Joint Management Bodies (JMB) or Management Corporation (MC) in the collection of water bills from individual unit owners or occupants and to alleviate the problem of bulk meter disconnections due to mounting water bill arrears. Subsequently water supply to all new high-rise, residential buildings and gated communities are equally approved based on individual meter water supply (Auto-Migration).

Migration provides for direct billing from SYABAS to the individual units although water supply remains going through the bulk meter registered under the name of the respective Joint Management Body or Management Corporation (JMB / MC). The migration programme is only applicable for the bulk meter accounts under tariff codes 17, 18 and 21.

Due to poor response from the JMB/MC and the individual unit owners themselves, Suruhanjaya Perkhidmatan Air Negara (SPAN) with the enforcement of Water Services Industry (Water Reticulation and Plumbing) Rules 2014 on 1st February 2014, in Peninsular Malaysia including the Federal Territories of Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya and Labuan, made it mandatory for all unit owners of high-rise residential buildings (such as condominiums, apartments, flats, etc.) and gated communities to apply for Parcel Water meters (“Individual Water Meter“) at its parcel (”Unit“) through their JMB/MC and open an individual water supply account with the public water supply operator. This is in accordance with Rule 85 of the Rules. Failing to abide by this rule will render the individual unit owner, JMB/MC liable to a fine not exceeding ten thousand ringgit (RM 10,000).

For further information, please visit SPAN's website at www.span.gov.my.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) a) What is the benefit of this meter Migration Programme ? Consumers can enjoy the 3 tiered residential (domestic) rates of water charges, i) Code 10 (RM 0.57 for the first 20 cubic meters) similar to landed properties as compared to the bulk meters, ii) Code 17 for condominium (RM1.38 per cubic meter), iii) Code 18 for low cost Apartment / low cost Flat (RM0.80 per cubic meter) iv) Code 21 for Government Quarters (RM1.00 per cubic meter). Based on average consumption, individual unit owners/occupants can now save up to 50% in their water bills. Through meter migration programme, residents of high-rise buildings will be able to pay directly to SYABAS and will not be penalised if their neighbours in the same building fail to make payment. However, after migration the water supply is still subjected to supply disconnection if JMB/MC fails to make payment for bulk meter water bills. b) At present, the Internal Water Distribution System (”IWDS”) which includes the pump house, the storage tank and the distribution pipes up to the individual meters is being operated and maintained by the Management Corporation (MC) or Joint Management Body (JMB). After the ”migration”, will SYABAS be responsible towards the operation and maintenance of the IWDS? No, SYABAS is only responsible to read the meter, bill and deliver the bill to the individual account holders. The operations and maintenance of IWDS remains with the Bulk meter Water Supply Account Holder i.e. Joint Management Body (JMB) / Management Corporation (MC). c) If after the migration, there is water supply disruption to the individual consumer in the apartment/condominium due to the internal leakage or problems with the Main Water Tank, who is responsible to remedy the situation? The Bulk meter Water Supply Account Holder i.e. the respective JMB/MC is responsible for the maintenance of the Internal Water Distribution System. Accordingly, it is the responsibility of the JMB/MC to rectify any pipe leakage or Main Water Tank problems and to restore water supply to the individual units. d) Who is responsible for the payment of water bill for water supplied to the Common Areas (swimming pool, club house, etc.)? The Bulk meter Water Supply Account Holder (JMB/MC) is responsible for the payment of water supplied to the common areas including the hydrant. This is by way of billing the difference between the bulk meter reading and all the individual meter reading to the JMB/MC. e) If the Joint Management Body (JMB) / Management Corporation (MC) fails to settle the water meter bill for the Bulk meter and common areas, will the bulk meter supplying water to the condominium be disconnected? If so, will the water supply to the individual unit owner be affected? With the migration programme, the water bill to the Management Corporation (MC) / Joint Management Body (JMB) is expected to reduce substantially since JMB/MC is billed for the difference between the bulk meter reading and the individual meter reading. Hence the JMB/MC is expected to settle the water bills promptly. However the bulk meter will be subjected to disconnection of water supply if water meter bills are not paid by JMB/MC. The account holder of the individual meter (condominium unit occupant) has been made aware of this in the terms and conditions for water supply to individual meters through Bulk meters, that the individual meters will be affected if bulk meter water supply is disconnected. f) Can the individual unit owner of an apartment/condominium apply for individual water supply account without going through the Bulk meter Account Holder ? No, all applications for individual water supply account has to be applied through the Bulk meter Water Supply Account Holder (JMB/MC). g) Can the current arrears of the Bulk meter account be transferred to the new Bulk meter account that will be opened upon approval for the application for "migration"? According to the rules, the JMB/MC is required to pay any outstanding amount of any existing bulk meter in full or instalments as agreed. However, settlement of any outstanding amounts can be discussed on a case to case basis prior to giving approval on migration. h) The individual unit owners have paid the water meter deposit to the Bulk meter Water Supply Account Holder previously. Can the deposit for new individual water supply account be off set against the existing Bulk meter Water Supply Account deposit? Each individual application must have its own deposit payment. However, if the Bulk meter Water Supply Account Holder had given consent for new individual water supply accounts deposit to be off set against the existing deposit, SYABAS may proceed to accept the application. The amount to be off set must be sufficient. If insufficient, the individual owner or Bulk meter Water Supply Account Holder must bear the difference. i) If there is a leakage in one of the individual units, who is responsible to repair? If the leakage is in any of the individual unit, the unit owner is responsible to rectify it. If the leakage is not being rectified, the unit owner will be receiving high water bill. j) If an apartment consists of 100 units and only 90 units applied for individual meters, what happens to the balance 10 units? The non-applicant is subjected to enforcement measures by the authority for failing to abide by the Water Services Industry (water reticulation and plumbing) Rules 2014. In this situation, where the water supplier has migrated the 90 units, the consumer through the Management Corporation (MC) or Joint Management Body (JMB) is required to apply for the water supply accounts directly to the Water Supplier upon the sale and ownership of the 10 units. The new owners are required to forward the application of water supply accounts, together with the necessary documents to Migration Section, at SYABAS Headquarters. They may submit their applications after the apartment is migrated but consumers are required to submit application forms with relevant documents to SYABAS through JMB/MC. k) What is the submission procedure of the migration application for Warden / Penghulu / Ketua of Government Quarters upon the completion of the Migration Request Form (SYA/M2/1) and meter information cum Checklist Form (SYA/M4/1)? The same procedures apply where the bulk meter account holder shall be responsible for the submission of application. l) What is the cost involved for the application? The following table shows the rates to be paid for the meter Migration Application.

Type	Deposit	New Connection Fee + GST	Stamping Fee	Processing Cost	GST on Processing Cost	Total
	RM	RM	RM	RM	RM	RM
Condominium / Apartment (Code 17)	70.00	40 + 2.40	20.00	2.08	0.12	134.60
Low Cost Apartment (Code 18)	50.00	40 + 2.40	20.00	2.08	0.12	114.60
Bulk Meter	2,000.00	80 + 4.80	20.00	2.08	0.12	2,107.00
Hydrant	200.00	80 + 4.80	20.00	2.08	0.12	307.00
Common Area	200.00	40 + 2.40	20.00	2.08	0.12	264.60
Swimming Pool	750.00	40 + 2.40	20.00	2.08	0.12	814.60
Surau / Religious Premise	100.00	40 + 2.40	20.00	2.08	0.12	164.60
Community Hall / Centre	100.00	40 + 2.40	20.00	2.08	0.12	164.60

Migration as One Stop Centre can be contacted at:-
Pejabat Seksyen Migrasi, Ibu Pejabat SYABAS,
Suite C-17-1 Tower C, Wisma Goshen,
Plaza Pantai, No. 5 Jalan 4/83A, Off Jalan Pantai Baharu, 59200 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03-20885238 Fax: 03-20885623

Email: migration@syabas.com.my

Ketua Seksyen Migrasi, Bahagian Pembangunan Teknikal 
Tel: 012-2963076/03-20885260
Email: krishnamoorti@syabas.com.my 

Seksyen Migrasi

Tel: 019-2839872/03-20885159

Email: firdaus_j@syabas.com.my