No hot water in kitchen - what to do

Beesknees · Post by **Beesknees** » 30th Mar, '10, 16:24

So I just got this reply from my agent

"I went to the apartment together with xxxxx. Unfortunately, there is no hot water supply and it seems not able to install a heater too. There is no power point or space to cater for the hot water tank."

Do we just walk away? We've already transferred over 7k as intention to rent, accepting all other issues.

Scrummy Mummy · Post by **Scrummy Mummy** » 30th Mar, '10, 16:27

Just boil a kettle. Seriously, it's really no hassle. We did it for 10 years pre baby/dishwasher/maid. Certainly not worth losing $7k over.

Beesknees · Post by **Beesknees** » 30th Mar, '10, 16:29

We wouldn't lose 7k would we??? I thought that was just put down as our intention to rent and was refundable if we couldn't agree on terms. We haven't signed the TA yet.

Flip this is like going back to the dark ages boiling kettles for hot water.

Beesknees · Post by **Beesknees** » 30th Mar, '10, 16:31

I mean WTF why would someone build a block of apartments (5/6 years ago) and not put in hot water in the kitchen. Insane.

Scrummy Mummy · Post by **Scrummy Mummy** » 30th Mar, '10, 16:31

You get used to it very quickly. THere are many things in Singapore that will annoy you a lot more..........

nev · Post by **nev** » 30th Mar, '10, 16:42

I've lived in Southeast Asia most of my life (25+ years), hot water in the kitchen is definitely not the norm. Even in new buildings. There's hardly any need for it because the water is never too cold to wash dishes (or even to shower with), and dishwashing machines that need hot water are even less common. Even when I was living in Australia I rarely used the hot water in the kitchen. I only used it during winter.

Good dishwashing liquid can de-grease pots and pans just as effectively as hot water.

Just my 2-ct worth.

Beesknees · Post by **Beesknees** » 30th Mar, '10, 16:51

Even if I accepted the cold water in kitchen thing how do I believe their agent who told me the switches outside the bathroom were for heating up water. What if they aren't??!!

Nev - I'm in Australia and I always use very hot water. A lot of Australians here only wash their clothes in cold water - I find that hard to understand.

Scrummy Mummy · Post by **Scrummy Mummy** » 30th Mar, '10, 16:57

There is an "Asian style" of washing up which is different, certainly, to "UK style". Presumably I'll have to learn "Aussie style" when I move there.

On the subject of washing machines, have you checked that THAT uses hot water? Ours is a cold water one (very effective too).

Beesknees · Post by **Beesknees** » 30th Mar, '10, 17:04

SM - No I haven't checked re the washing machine although that wouldn't bother me too much. By choice I would certainly wash in hot water ( I wonder how they keep their whites white?)

I think "Asian style" washing up is similar to "camping style" washing up - yeah? I have done that...lived for 3 months in a tent in USA, washing up like that, and "showering" standing in a basin with Mr B pouring water over me in the middle of the woods. Was absolutely great fun at the time.....but don't really feel the need to try it again when I'm living in a (very expensive) flat in Singapore.

Am I being difficult? Honestly, please tell me. I just am so surprised that Singapore seems so backwards. Am I the one that's wrong and moaning when I shouldn't be?

slinky · Post by **slinky** » 30th Mar, '10, 17:06

We only wash clothes in cold water - much better for the life of the clothes for sure and they're certainly clean.

I'd suggest you read the fine print on the $7k deposit and make sure you won't lose any of it if you don't sign before you try to opt out.

BoD · Post by **BoD** » 30th Mar, '10, 17:08

Yes, the method here is to basically wash everything under a running cold tap and to use copious amounts of dishwashing liquid. It might be a little wasteful, but in some ways it is more hygenic than washing a whole load of dishes etc in the same bowl of water.

You should be pretty safe with the bathrooms heaters

As for losing 7k, no you wont. The LOI is another basically meaningless document

slinky · Post by **slinky** » 30th Mar, '10, 17:09

Just saw your comment about keeping whites white -- for some ridiculous reason, my kids' school has chosen white shirts for the uniforms

You can certainly imagine the mess that ends up all of those things with primary school kids

Anyhow, a soak in the Vanish powder before washing seems to do the trick. Here we are with about 2 months left in the school year and their uniform shirts are still looking quite decent.

sundaymorningstaple · Post by **sundaymorningstaple** » 30th Mar, '10, 17:13

Been here since chris was as corporal and I've never had hot water in the kitchen. Cold water and the detergent here works a treat. The instant water heaters in the bathrooms also work well and are a lot easier on your water bill that having a storage type heating unit. A loth of the washing machines here have heating units built into the machine. I have had whirlpools and am currently using a electrolux front loader (all have been front loaders) with inbuilt heaters. You can set the wash cycles accordingly although we never use hot water either.

Burbage · Post by **Burbage** » 30th Mar, '10, 17:34

Many Singaporeans don't use the kitchen. Either the maid uses it (and who's going to pay for hot water for a maid?) or they eat at the coffee shop.

FurBaby · Post by **FurBaby** » 30th Mar, '10, 17:38

personally, i just go down to the river - swish my plates in the water, and beat my clothes against a rock.

BoD · Post by **BoD** » 30th Mar, '10, 17:45

FurBaby wrote:personally, i just go down to the river - swish my plates in the water, and beat my clothes against a rock.

Jedi · Post by **Jedi** » 30th Mar, '10, 17:50

Hot water in the kitchen... what's that?

Spike · Post by **Spike** » 30th Mar, '10, 18:05

No hot water in my kitchen either and no facility to connect a heater. It's a normal practice here. I find that washing up liquid sold here is designed to work with cold water and foams up same as hot water. As for the washing machine, it doesn't need a hot water feed. It heats up the water itself, unless I've been fooling myself by setting the temperature control on the machine. Whatever, I've never had a problem getting clothes clean. Whites do tend to go yellow here for some reason. I cured that problem by chucking some Vanish whitening powder in with the normal Persil.

Fat Bob · Post by **Fat Bob** » 30th Mar, '10, 18:19

Beesknees wrote:
Am I being difficult? Honestly, please tell me. I just am so surprised that Singapore seems so backwards. Am I the one that's wrong and moaning when I shouldn't be?

Yes, you are being difficult. Singapore is not backwards, it's just a different way of life. In this case, and the case where you are now asking about the buttons outside the shower rooms are for hot water, you are wrong, and you are moaning when you shouldn't be.

But overall, you seem a nice chick, so please come back to all your questions in 2 years time and have a good chuckle at yourself.

BoD · Post by **BoD** » 30th Mar, '10, 18:32

Oh FB, you old charmer you

Morrolan · Post by **Morrolan** » 30th Mar, '10, 18:45

no hot water in the kitchen is not a problem, coffee either comes from the espresso machine or from freshly boiled water (and never from the hot water boiler) and for cooking you have the stove (you do have a stove, do you?) and a washing machine heats up the water itself. don't see the issue, really.

BoD · Post by **BoD** » 30th Mar, '10, 18:49

You don't get the maid to wash the floors with hot water, M?

BoD · Post by **BoD** » 30th Mar, '10, 18:51

I have hot water now, and I do quite like it. But I didn't before, and as others have said it isn't a problem. These days I would much rather be without hot water then go without the fridge water cooler though

Morrolan · Post by **Morrolan** » 30th Mar, '10, 18:55

BoD wrote:You don't get the maid to wash the floors with hot water, M?

no just cold water with hospital grade disinfectant.

Beesknees · Post by **Beesknees** » 30th Mar, '10, 19:14

That's the thing isn't it...I'm a bit of a clean freak. I suppose I'm so used to having hot water on tap to wipe surfaces, wash the floor, do handwashing (ok I try not to do that very much)

I just phoned my brother who lives on an island in the Philippines and asked him if he had hot water and he laughed, thought I was joking, couldn't believe I was talking about this in Singapore.

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