Tried looking at the CFE site online, their website sucks. Not much help and no phone number for the Peñasco office. We need to change the name on the electric account from the old owner to my husband's name. Does anyone know what the office hours are? Are they open on Saturday?
Anybody have any idea exactly what documents we need to bring? I'm pretty much going to bring every document we have, just in case, but any suggestions would be helpful. Thanks.
Office is open Monday to Friday until 3:00 PM. Closed on weekends. You will need a copy of the previous owners ID as well as the documents related to the sale of the property. You will also need your ID to start the new account.
Tried looking at the CFE site online, their website sucks. Not much help and no phone number for the Peñasco office. We need to change the name on the electric account from the old owner to my husband's name. Does anyone know what the office hours are? Are they open on Saturday?
Anybody have any idea exactly what documents we need to bring? I'm pretty much going to bring every document we have, just in case, but any suggestions would be helpful. Thanks.
It's been a couple of years, but I think I took my fideicomiso, a current bill (in old name) and my ID. It was pretty easy. I think there was a small fee?
LOL!!! That's exactly what I did at the Mexican Consulate in Phoenix last October when we needed to get a Power of Attorney! The snotty lady behind the desk kept asking for things that I kept whipping out of my folder!!!!!! I love it!
Back to electricity - I was just talking with someone who has a house in Las Conchas and they tell me there are different electric rates for gringos than for Mexicans? What's that all about? Is it even true?
Not true,
If you use less than 400KW(?) per 2 months you pay what everyone else pays in that consumption tier, (Mexican and Gringo's alike). (8-10 cents a KW)
If your use exceeds that then you pay for use at the next higher tier, (20 cents a KW).
And when you exceed that threshold you pay the next higher tier (30 cents a KW).
These amounts are approx. All customers pay the same rates.
There might be some subsidies for the poor.
If you go to the CFE site it will spell it all out for you.
The more you use the more you pay.o_O
Not true as far as I've seen and I've seen lots of electric bills. They charge in three levels according to usage. Cost climbs dramatically across the levels. Say first level cost is 7 per unit for say 50 units, second level is say 20 per unit for 75 units, third level is say 100 per unit to total usage. Most mexicans use electricity carefully and stay in the first level. US folk blast the AC and roar into level three most of the time. Result is Mexican's bill are low and US folk bills are high. The Mex. govt also subsidizes the electricity for everyone across the board. Study your bill it's pretty clear how they charge and you will figure it out.
makes sense why the rental rates are little higher in the hotter months. A/C running all the time in the condos
The absolute worst scenario is 100 degrees, 90% humidity, T stat all the way down, doors wide open, unit freezes, AC stops delivering cold air, irritated renter calls for repair, owner has a repair bill pus a big CFE bill. I would not rent without those kill switches. I think they are fairly inexpensive compared to a whopping CFE bill.
The absolute worst scenario is 100 degrees, 90% humidity, T stat all the way down, doors wide open, unit freezes, AC stops delivering cold air, irritated renter calls for repair, owner has a repair bill pus a big CFE bill. I would not rent without those kill switches. I think they are fairly inexpensive compared to a whopping CFE bill.
Any recommendations for someone to install them and where to buy?
Here is a user experience for Nest
"We have installed Nest thermostats (Home Depot or Amazon) and they paid for themselves in 2 months! These things are amazing! Very easy to install and user friendly on your phone.
We've had guests turn the A/C down to 65 and leave for the day when it was 100 degrees out! (We had electric bills of $1,800+ in the summer.) We monitor usage on our phones and lock it so they can't go below 69 in the summer or above 73 in the winter. It goes on "Auto Away" when they check out or when there is no movement in the house. (be sure to take it off of "learning mode" though). That only works on personal usage (with a routine). You can also monitor energy usage for the week....so cool!"
Thanks Estero. The Vera and The Nest ones look interesting, but The Piper one with the camera is too invasive for a rental. I like that I can control the temp from my phone, but it seems like I'd have to monitor it all the time when I'm not there but a renter is. I'd like to find something that shuts the air down all together after the door has been open for 60 seconds or more. We stayed in a condo at one of the Sonorans once that had that. There was a small sign next to the thermostat telling the renters that the air would automatically shut off if the door was left open.
Also, we have 3 thermostats - one for each bedroom and the living room/kitchen.
Thanks Estero. The Vera and The Nest ones look interesting, but The Piper one with the camera is too invasive for a rental. I like that I can control the temp from my phone, but it seems like I'd have to monitor it all the time when I'm not there but a renter is. I'd like to find something that shuts the air down all together after the door has been open for 60 seconds or more. We stayed in a condo at one of the Sonorans once that had that. There was a small sign next to the thermostat telling the renters that the air would automatically shut off if the door was left open.
Also, we have 3 thermostats - one for each bedroom and the living room/kitchen.
Back to electricity - I was just talking with someone who has a house in Las Conchas and they tell me there are different electric rates for gringos than for Mexicans? What's that all about? Is it even true?
I can't attest to electricity, but it's gospel truth for many things in Penasco. I've proved it in the past. We were going fishing and went to the beer distributor (Modelo) to buy Pacifico. Cans, not bottles, no deposits. I walked in and bought a case - $22 USD. We thought we'd get another because it was going to be a long hot day and Ruben said he'd buy it. His price? $17 USD. I asked him why the $5 difference and he flat out called it what it is - the Gringo tax. True story.
Yes, unfortunately, that happens with an alarming frequency. May be the reason you often see no posted prices. Old port is the absolute worst which is why I will never shop there. Shopping at the secundas, I always have a local friend make the purchase.
