We have collected your stories and questions about meters and utility bills in one article. Research your situation and take note of everything you learn. There is no theory in this article, but there are links to regulations And real stories from the lives of our readers.
Ekaterina Miroshkina
economist paying the bills
Question. What should the temperature be? hot water? If it is less than the standard, then where to go and how to recalculate the payment? If they raise the temperature, won't it have a side effect? Will water become more expensive?
Answer. The temperature of hot water at water points must be no lower than 60 °C and no higher than 75 °C. The water supply point is a tap in the kitchen or bathroom.
The rules for the provision of public services stipulate permissible deviations by hot water temperature:
If the water flowing from the tap is colder than required by law, the fee can be recalculated. For every 3 °C deviation, the fee is reduced by 0.1% per hour. If the temperature of hot water is below 40 °C, then the fee for it will be charged as for cold water.
There are also requirements for properties, pressure and uninterrupted supply of hot water. If the supplier violates at least one of the conditions, you can apply for a recalculation and even cancel payment for the entire period when water was supplied not according to standards.
In 2013, the Supreme Court declared the permissible deviations in hot water temperature invalid. At 60 °C dangerous bacteria die, so the water should not be colder - this is considered to be the provision of a service not of proper quality. In such cases, it seems that they should not charge for water at all. But this decision does not affect the recalculation of fees for hot water: it is used in other situations.
A common house meter can record the temperature. There are devices that save temperature data for every hour. They can be used to record violations. If there is no such device, you will have to call experts to measure the temperature and draw up a report.
You must contact the management company or water supplier with the device data or a report of violations. If they don’t count it voluntarily, the court will force it. Expenses for the examination are also reimbursed.
If the temperature is raised to the standard, there can be no talk of any increase in tariffs - this is illegal. If boiling water comes out of the tap, this is a violation and a reason for a recount.
If there are problems in the house hot water, install a common house meter that will record data. Don't forget to trust it and register it with the water utility. Otherwise, the testimony may not be accepted even in court.
Situation. I live in one house and am registered in another. There are no water meters in the houses: everyone pays according to the standards. I have to pay for myself twice: where I actually live and use water, and where I am registered with my parents.
Question. How can I refuse payment to one of the addresses?
Answer. The easiest way is counters. But if no one has meters in their homes, it is most likely technically impossible to install them. Then you have the right not to pay where you don’t actually live. But this needs to be proven.
The local water utility will tell you which documents are suitable as evidence in your case. If you can’t reach a peaceful agreement, go to court. They will assess the circumstances and force the water utility to recalculate the fee and not charge it in the future.
Even if there are no official documents that will confirm that you actually live in another place, the child’s medical history from the clinic, water payment receipts at the actual address, and even a statement with the signatures of neighbors will be useful.
Situation. I live in a huge cottage. According to the meter, I paid two thousand rubles for cold water. The meter's verification period had expired, I did nothing, and the water utility began to count according to the standard. It turned out that the standard does not take into account water consumption for watering the lawn, washing the car and facade, filling the pool and fountain. As a result, I pay the standard two hundred rubles a month.
Question. Is it legal to continue this way?
Answer. Sometimes, according to the standard, resources are cheaper. This happens if you actually live in the house more people than registered. Or is it wasted? more water than prescribed in the standards.
In fact, the law has standards for watering the lawn, for the pool, and even for feeding animals. Inspectors from the water utility go to households and record who wastes water beyond domestic needs.
If they come to you with an inspection and see an overspending, they may charge you additional fees for the previous months. But they may not come. You have the right to pay both according to standards and according to meters. The water utility is responsible for billing you, not you.
On the other hand, you must provide truthful information about how you use the water. If the water utility does not know that you have a pool and a lawn, then you need to inform them about this: otherwise they will have a reason to charge you retroactively. And then you will not only not save, but also overpay.
Situation. My mother lives alone in her own three-room apartment. A family of five lives in a one-room apartment nearby. They use the elevator more often, trample more in the corridor, and pay per square meter of one-room apartment.
Question. Why not break down the amounts on the general building meter by the number of residents, and not by the area of the apartments?
Answer. The elevator and corridor are part of the common property, for the maintenance of which all residents of the house pay. According to the law, the share in the common property is proportional to the total area of the apartment.
This may seem unfair in your situation, but it is written into law.
The owner of a three-room apartment with an area of 80 m² has a share in the common property that is twice as large as that of his neighbors in one-room apartment area 40 m². And the fee for its maintenance is twice as much.
If you have your own story about counters, interesting way save money or a difficult question about public utilities, send to [email protected]- we'll figure out.
Reading time: 6 minutes
Owner's utility costs square meters are growing every year. Of particular importance is the ability to save money and look at payslips with knowledge. And if inconsistencies are identified in them, demand recalculation of accruals. In addition, there are other reasons for increasing or decreasing the amount on the receipt. In this article you will learn how to recalculate utility bills for water using a meter.
Payment for water is a concept that includes not only the cost of the resource itself. It also consists of the costs spent on supplying and ensuring proper quality of water.
The final amount is also affected by the presence of in-house measuring devices at the consumer’s disposal. After they are installed, the fee is calculated by multiplying the readings by the tariff.
Section 7 of the Housing Code is devoted to paying for utility services. Russian Federation(hereinafter referred to as the Housing Code of the Russian Federation). In Part 2 of Art. 157 of the Housing Code specifies that water supply fees are calculated in accordance with the tariffs established by the region. Basic concepts in the field of water supply and sanitation are regulated by the Federal Law of December 7, 2011 No. 416-FZ “On water supply and sanitation”.
The key link in regulation is the Rules for the provision of utility services to owners and users of premises in apartment buildings and residential buildings (Resolution No. 354). They establish the rights and obligations of the consumer and the seller, and provide a scheme for recalculating the amount of water charges.
At the initiative of the supplier or management organization, the price of water may change upward in the following cases:
The consumer has the right to put forward a demand for a reduction in water charges. The Housing Code of the Russian Federation and Resolution No. 354 highlight the following reasons for recalculation downwards:
A specialist must record the violation. To do this, you should contact the dispatch service. The dispatcher is obliged to accept the message, register and report its number.
According to the regulations contained in section 10 of Decree No. 354, the inspector must arrive within 2 hours from the moment of the call. During the inspection, he will assess the temperature and water pressure and draw up a final report.
The inspection report is confirmation of the validity of the recalculation requirements.
Let us remind you that recalculation can also be performed if a technical error is detected in the calculations. Typos and inaccuracies are common. The fact of their detection should be reported to the management organization.
If the apartment has a water meter, the tenant has the right to report its readings. But it is not always possible to use this right. And if you haven’t submitted your testimony for a long time, the water fee may increase.
The accrual rules are determined by clause 59 of Resolution No. 354. In clauses. “b” is fixed: if the data is not transferred, the fee for the first 3 months is calculated taking into account the average consumption for the previous six months. If the tenant has forgotten about the meters for more than 3 months, then the payment is made according to consumption standards (clause 60), but without a coefficient.
When resuming the submission of information, the consumer may think about whether they should recalculate the water bill if they have not submitted the information for more than 3 months. There is no recalculation for the previous period. According to paragraph 31 of the Resolution, the supplier is obliged to use readings from apartment meters only for the billing period for which they were taken.
If readings were also taken in June for April-May, only the water used in June will be paid for on the meter.
Many payers have a question about what to do if the readings were reported incorrectly: the figure was changed upward, the readings for hot and cold water were mixed up, and so on.
When contacting the supplier, the fee will be recalculated, and the overpaid money will become an advance payment for the following months. Another option: the tenant will be credited for the amount underpaid for services in the previous billing period. This scheme of action is also valid if the electricity meter readings were reported incorrectly.
To receive a recalculation of water charges, you need to inform the service organization (MC, HOA, housing cooperative) or the service provider if the water supply agreement was concluded with him directly. The data from the payslip will help you understand where exactly to go.
Recalculation of water meter readings in 2019 is carried out upon written application. It is drawn up in free form, but requires the presence of mandatory information:
There are two ways to submit:
You have only 30 days to apply. Changes to the payslip will be visible next month.
It is also worth mentioning how to recalculate water meters if readings have not been submitted. Although the provisions of Resolution No. 354 do not provide for recalculation at the request of the tenant, in practice many management companies reduce the fee. In addition, after checking the meters, based on clause 61, the supplier will be obliged to recalculate based on actual consumption. In any case, it would not be superfluous to submit an application for recalculation.
To carry out recalculation, you need to provide documents. Their composition depends on the reasons for changing water payments. So, if you did not provide evidence due to temporary absence from your place of residence, you should prepare:
For recalculation related to low quality of services / lack thereof:
If there is no metering device, there is still a chance to save money. But recalculation is available only if there is a confirmed lack of technical ability to install a meter (section 8 of Decree No. 354).
There are other features of recalculation:
To reduce your payment you need:
It is important to remember: if the tenant submits an application before departure, the recalculation will be made within 5 working days or no later than 30 days after the end of the period of absence.
It is the responsibility of the supplier and management organization to change the amount of payment for water supply services depending on the circumstances. If the management company refuses to recalculate water costs, you can find leverage.
First, you should receive a written refusal from the company. You can complain about this refusal to the prosecutor's office and Rospotrebnadzor. An appeal, supported by a written refusal and a copy of the application for recalculation, will become a reason for verification. If the requirements are justified, a recalculation will be made.
If the instructions of the regulatory authorities do not find a response, there is another chance to restore justice -. It will also help in compensation for moral damage. You can go to court without going through the supervisory authorities.
Recalculation of payments for water according to the meter can be made either at the request of the resident or at the initiative of the supplier based on the results of checking the device. The cost may change upward or downward. To request a recalculation in your favor, you should contact the management organization or service provider, providing an application and documents confirming its validity.
Lawyer. Member of the Bar Association of St. Petersburg. More than 10 years of experience. Graduated from St. Petersburg State University. I specialize in civil, family, housing, and land law.
Citizens are required by law to install individual water meters in their apartments and houses. Of course, in the case where this can be done. If it is technically possible to install meters, but citizens refuse, then when calculating fees for using the resource, consumption standards with increasing coefficients are applied.
As a result, it is much more profitable to pay only for the amount that was actually consumed, without overpaying for extra cubic meters of water. And this can only be done if you have an individual meter.
The provision of public services, which also includes cold and hot water supply, is regulated by the Rules approved by Government Decree No. 354. They contain formulas that are used to calculate fees for water use in apartments where meters are installed and without them.
Standards for water consumption and disposal have remained unchanged for almost 30 years. These may vary slightly depending on the type of home.
Cost of one cubic meter water is installed by the regional authorities in compliance with standards Federal Law No. 210-FZ, regulating the application of tariffs in this area.
It was calculated that on average per month a person can consume 6,935 cubic meters cold water. What made up this figure? We regularly spend resources on daily needs, without which the concept of a comfortable life is impossible.
To calculate water consumption in general, both hot and cold, we took the average statistical indicators that a person needs daily for the following purposes:
There are also losses and other costs of water that may affect the entire residential building. This includes general house cleaning needs total areas, costs associated with unauthorized connections, leaks in the home water supply system and many other factors.
As a result, a decent amount comes in, from which an approximate amount of cold water was extracted. It was adopted as the consumption standard per person per month, if the housing does not have an individual meter.
This is a fairly large amount, which is difficult to cover without even saving water. But utility services have the right to increase it if necessary to cover their costs. At the same time, the upper limit is strictly limited - it should not be more than two standard sizes.
According to the standard, payment for the resource is taken from each person registered in the premises, regardless of whether he actually lives there. This also includes temporarily registered citizens. According to paragraph 28 of the Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation dated December 26, 2016 No. 1498 from January 1, 2017.
With absence individual meters and the availability of technical capabilities for their installation, legislators decided to use increasing factors to calculate fees for all consumed resources. This norm has been introduced since the beginning of 2017 and significantly affects the population’s expenses. On the other hand, this measure encourages citizens to install metering devices.
This applies not only to water meters, but also to meters:
Management companies must install common house appliances to control the consumption of resources throughout the house as a whole.
The question is often asked: If there is no water meter, how is it calculated per person in 2019?
The formulas for calculating water according to the standard are enshrined in PP No. 354 in Appendix No. 2, Section 1, paragraph 4a.
Formula for calculating the cost of cold water for the owner or tenant of an apartment that is not equipped with individual metering devices, if it is not technically possible to install a meter (RF PP No. 354 Chapter VI, paragraph 42):
P = n*N*T,
The tariff for those who do not have individual meters with a multiplying factor will be 1.5 times more than the tariff for those who have meters installed. Thus, one more component will be added to the calculation formula and it will become as follows:
P = n*N*T*K,
Through simple calculations, it becomes clear that installing meters is quite profitable. This will make it possible to control not only the monthly consumption of the resource, but also the family’s expenses for this item.
Important: Follow the date of verification of cold and hot water meters, otherwise they will be calculated according to the standard.
It has been determined that a person spends more cold water than hot water. Therefore, the monthly standard for it is slightly lower and amounts to 4,745 cubic meters. At the same time, calculations are made separately for water entering the heating system.
The standard includes only actual consumption figures for each person and it is believed that no more than 140 liters of hot water are consumed daily for all his needs. The same rule applies here as with cold water, when utility companies can increase the standard no more than twice. And you need to pay according to the standard for each citizen registered in the living space.
The formula for calculating the fee for hot water is similar to the calculation for cold water using the cost of 1 cubic meter of hot water according to the regional tariff.
Note that by dividing the consumption rate of hot and cold water by 30 days in a month, we get quite serious numbers. This more than covers all possible expenses, so meters will help significantly save your family’s water costs. This is especially true for those who have a fairly large family living and registered in their apartment.
The above standards are average. More precise figures are established by each region independently. Moreover, depending on various factors that are present in specific house, they are a little different. The cost of one cubic meter of water is also determined by the regional authorities; it depends on the characteristics of the territory and its location.
The table shows water tariffs in force in different cities. They are applicable for multi-apartment and private buildings that are connected to hot and cold water supply networks, sewerage, and are also equipped with plumbing fixtures (toilet, sink, bathtub or shower).
| City | Cold water supply | Hot water supply | ||
| cubic meters/person | rub. for 1 m3 | cubic meters/person | rub. for 1 m3 | |
| Moscow | 6,935 | 38,06 | 4,745 | 188,53 |
| Saint Petersburg | 5,36 | 25 | 3,89 | 100 |
| Samara | 7,9 | 27,1 | 3,6 | 130,2 |
| Permian | 5,6 | 31,6 | 3,4 | 152,2 |
| Kazan | 6,73 | — | 3,44 | — |
| Novosibirsk | 5,193 | — | 3,687 | 89,11 |
| Voronezh | 5,1 | — | 3,07 | — |
| Krasnodar | 4,04 | — | 2,65 | — |
| Chelyabinsk | 4,25 | — | 3,11 | — |
| Ekatermnburg | 5,62 | — | 5,04 | — |
| Ufa | 6,356 | 12,15 | 2,582 | 57,2 |
| Rostov-on-Don | 6,5 | — | — | — |
| Omsk | 3,510 | — | 5,472 | — |
Please note that prices may vary depending on the resource supplying organization. For each of them, tariffs are approved separately.
If you do not submit your water meter readings on time, do not panic; penalties will not be charged for this and the supply will not be cut off.
There is a grace period during which there are simply no accruals. This is the first 3 months.
After this, it is time to calculate averages. From 3 to 6 months, you will be given historical averages.
For those who have not paid for 6 or more months, payment will be introduced according to the standard (regional tariff without water meters), plus an increasing factor from 1.5 to 2.
The legal framework obliges owners to provide meter readings every month, but there are circumstances that prevent this. For example, long absence.
Payments will continue to arrive during this period, and no one will exempt the tenant from paying for utility services. However, the fields on the receipts will be filled in in a special way. They will return to the previous version only after a break and the resumption of transmission of readings.
After transmission is suspended, hot and cold water supply is first calculated according to monthly averages, and then according to the standard. The last method of calculating payments is used if, for some reason, the tenant was unable to resume submitting testimony on time and the break was more than 3 months.
According to the ruling of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation dated March 19, 2013 N APL13–82, you are not required to submit monthly water meter readings. There can be 6 such periods. For the first 6 months, you should calculate the water according to the average value (calculated over an annual period). If you do not transmit water meter data for 6 or more months, the accrual will be at the normal rate.
Possible reasons why the housing and communal services receipt indicates the norm:
After the issue is resolved, a recalculation occurs, but not in the first 2. The measure is not taken even in case of debt arising due to calculation according to standards.
Information about data transfer is indicated in monthly payments. If they are not available, you can seek advice from management company(UK). If this option is not suitable, then they are guided by the average terms in the country. In Russia, it is most often prescribed to transmit readings from the 18th to the 25th.
The first time, nothing bad will happen; cold and hot water will simply be calculated based on average monthly readings. The values will be taken from past payments. Indicators for the last six months will be taken into account. The data is summed and divided by 6.
The resulting average will be used instead of missing readings for 3 months. There is no need to expect any additional surcharge, fine or tariff increase during this period of time.
In case of long-term evasion of obligations to transmit evidence, an increasing factor of 1.5-2 is introduced. It applies to the regulation in force in a particular region.
When calculating the volume of water consumption according to the norm for a long time, a problem arises with sending meter readings over the Internet. This happens when the owner of a residential premises consumes resources in a smaller volume than he is credited with.
When filling out the online form, the site will indicate that the transferred values are less than in the previous period and they cannot be taken into account.
Resuming transmission of readings after a long break. To avoid renewal difficulties, you do not need to use the electronic method. It is worth resorting to others acceptable methods and transfer the testimony to the Criminal Code:
The situation is complicated by the fact that not all organizations that accept payments from the public send meter readings. This is definitely not the responsibility of the post office and small offices..
Based on rules 354, citizens have the right to control the correctness of charges, and also demand recalculation of water according to meters.
Moreover, if there is a significant discrepancy between accrued and actual meter readings, organizations themselves initiate the procedure. After which the consumer receives receipts that do not require payment for sewerage and water.
If the housing office has not taken any action on its own, then you need to contact the service provider or the housing office and write a statement containing a request to make a recalculation.
After 6 months of no data transfer, you have the right to recalculate. As a result, you will have to pay extra or receive a refund. If you overpay, the difference remains on the client’s balance and is written off in subsequent payments.
If the problem arose because the owner did not live in the premises, then the entire period of absence is taken into account. You must provide proof of travel. In other cases, recalculation is done only for the last six months.
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