Hostel Fee and Electricity Bill Saga: Something You Don't Want To Experience

Every undergraduate and graduate (especially Nigerians) can relate to hostel fee and electriciry bill. Sometimes, it is not a thing you pray to experience at all because it can be ugly in some situations.

I packed into my current hostel (named Opulent) early February, last year. I have always been visiting a friend in this hostel before I got a room for myself in it. I have never heard of these crazy issues from my friends, they pay up electricity bill before it's too late.

Currently, the hostel is owing electricity bill of about 300 thousand naira plus ($300) ....like what the heck are we using in the hostel.... I will break it down a bit. Few students are owing for October to December and their bill is roughly $70. And most of these guys packed out without paying up their electricity bill. Initially, the bill for last year November and December was $2 each (per room) but just yesterday the landlady sent a new bill that the electricity consumed for December is now $6 per room. Also, those with air condition pays twice the price. We have about 24 rooms in the hostel.

I have been racking my head about this issue, I really do not know how we consumed so much in December when 50% of the students were not around as they traveled back home to celebrate Christmas with their families, including me.

The hostel line was disconnected around 2pm yesterday and while I was in school but the students at home were giving updates via the hostel Whatsapp group. I really did not believe the new electricity bill for Decemeber until I got home.

The security who is also in charge of pumping of water into the tank and reserviour messed up big time. This man did not pump the water into the tanks up and the 2 reserviours : now there is no water in the hostel. It is more annoying that water has finished from the reserviour tank which is supoose to be a back up in this kinda situation. I do not know where to get water from to bath, wash and cook. I could still charge my electrical gadgets from the those that have generators in the hostel. (Guys with generator have refused to use their generator to pump the water because the power of the submarine pumping machine is much)

The ones owing for 3 months have refused to pay and there is a slim chance that they would pay up.

Just 3 weeks ago, we got a message from the owner of the hostel that the price of the room is now $145: the initial price was around $115 when I packed in around this time last year. We the students are yet to agree to that but we haven't gotten any reply from the landlady: she was even insisting that some new guys that packed in paid her for the new price. Of course, new comers will pay that amount but she should not expect the old tenants to pay the new price when renewing the contract.

At this point I am considering moving out of this hostel because of the new price and the nonchalant attitude of some debtors. But, I can not guarantee getting a new hostel so soon and I need to consider the distance from school gate, the size of the room, the area where it is located, the agent fee and how soon I will get the money for the new hostel . All these are the only resasons why I am yet to move out of this current hostel.

And about taking my bath, washing clothes and cooking, I think I would have to stay with a friend till there is a better solution.

Thank you for reading till end