Lack of water meters

The rules for organizing and regulating public water supply have undergone a number of changes in recent years. One of the innovations was the mandatory introduction of meters in all regions of Russia. Although recommendations for installing calculation devices have been in effect for several years, to this day not all owners of residential properties have acquired them. In addition, questions remain about how profitable a water meter is, whether it is necessary or not to install this device. In some cases, its economic feasibility is questioned, and not everyone is familiar with the registration procedure.

What does the law say?

The development of a draft law affecting the need to install meters was completed back in 2013. At that time, the percentage of owners who provided communications with a payment device did not exceed 60%. For this reason, no sanctions were provided for other users of the resource. Since 2014, a project was launched, according to which the mandatory installation of water meters (Law 261) was carried out with the support of public utilities. Payment tariffs for those who did not have metering devices were regulated in accordance with standards established by local authorities. By 2020, the presence of a meter not only became mandatory - in case of its absence, percentage surcharges were allowed as a fine.

Sanctions against “deviators”

Since this year, the amount of utility bills for citizens who have not shown conscientiousness regarding the installation of a meter has increased by 10%. This surcharge applies to the consumer standard for each quarter. It is noteworthy that the absence of a meter negatively affects not only the water metering system, but also conscientious citizens. This is the reason why many private consumers support the law. The fact is that if the calculation is carried out according to the old model, then payment is made, roughly speaking, at average tariffs and does not depend on the actual volumes of consumption. That is, it is imperative to install water meters in order to optimize the distribution of costs between residents: everyone pays as much as they consume.

Is it profitable to install water meters in a private house and apartment?

Quite a lot of people continue to worry about the need to install water meters in their apartment. Therefore, let’s try to dot all the i’s.

What does the legal framework say?

Thus, following the Federal bill adopted in 2020, all citizens of the Russian Federation must install such monitoring devices in their homes and apartments.

Also, in order to, let’s say, spur on the irresponsible, the government decided to introduce special penalties. So, in case of failure to comply with the resolution, water supply tariffs will be raised by 10%, and after 1.5 years by 60%.

Therefore, it is not at all surprising that after the release of this regulatory document, there was a serious stir among ordinary people regarding the acquisition and further installation of such devices.

But even though a sufficient amount of time has passed, there is still a large part of people who do not quite understand whether it is profitable to install water meters in a private house and apartment in 2017-2018? Let's consider this issue in more detail.

The need to install water meters in 2016-2017

No matter how much talk there is around this topic, the Law clearly states that all citizens of the state, without exception, must install meters. Yes, at one point, after the decree was issued abolishing the mandatory installation of gas meters, one might have thought that this would also affect water meters, but everything remained without any changes.

In turn, the country’s population can be divided into two categories:

Homeowners, haven't thought about this yet.
The owners would be happy to carry out the installation, but they simply do not have enough funds.

It is also worth noting that installing such devices has its positive aspects. So, they include:

Significant financial savings
No possible penalties.

What meters are recommended to be installed?

Having decided to install such devices, many people find themselves in a rather difficult situation when choosing them. And this is not at all surprising, given the huge list of different options. This is how they happen:

Mechanical plan. At the moment, such meters are the most popular due to the fact that they register the water threshold due to the flow pressure on a turbine or wheel, which allows information to be transmitted to the device. And this is not to mention their cheapness.

Tachometer combined plan. As a rule, this type of calculating devices is not used so often. But this trend has begun to change slightly in a positive direction in recent months.

And first of all, such a positive shift was achieved by the combination of all the basic properties inherent in both turbine and vane devices.

Thanks to this approach, this device allows you to finance information regardless of the current water pressure.

Multi-tariff plan. Such devices are designed to significantly reduce costs for used water, counting only hot water. So, following the Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 307, you should only pay for water whose temperature exceeded 40 degrees. If the temperature is lower than the approved one, then payment will be charged accordingly as for cold temperature.

Also, before deciding whether water meters with a temperature sensor are beneficial, reviews are one of the good options for further decision-making. In addition, the positive aspects include not only significant savings, but also the ability to display the display in any convenient place, as well as increased resistance to contamination.

Situations preventing the installation of meters

Sometimes situations arise due to which it is impossible to install such devices indoors. So, installation is not recommended in:

Emergency and dilapidated buildings.
A residential building requiring major repairs or complete reconstruction.
A place that is unsuitable for using the meter or that causes difficulties in servicing it.
Premises with emergency engineering network.
Residential buildings with high levels of humidity, flooding or electromagnetic interference.

When should the meter be replaced?

Replacement of this device occurs in purely individual cases. In most cases, this happens when the meter breaks down or the period of its operation ends. As a rule, the latter is discovered during mandatory checks of the device.

If there is a need to replace the device, it is recommended to contact Rostest, not forgetting to first dismantle it. The procedure for replacing the device itself does not exceed 3-4 hours. Remember that the maximum period for using the meter is 10 years.

Who should install the meter?

Equipping the communication infrastructure with individual meters for hot and cold water concerns all owners of residential properties in Russia. The only discrepancy in the forms of carrying out this operation relates to the category of the population represented by tenants of state real estate. If the tenant has a social rental agreement in hand, then the implementation of the device should be handled by city utilities, using funds from the budget. In other cases, the installation of water meters is mandatory for property owners. It is important to note that in the first period of action of the law, assistance programs were provided for the technical and financial part of renovating the water supply system. Today, each owner bears all expenses himself.

How can smart meters attract Russians and is it necessary to install them?

With the development of modern technologies, new, more convenient and advanced metering devices are coming to us.

Smart meters for hot and cold water, smart meters for gas and electricity, which will operate completely independently, are already being installed in Muscovites’ apartments. There are completely opposite opinions on this matter.

Some people are sure that smart meters will only increase Muscovites’ rents. Others believe that these devices will help make our lives easier and more comfortable.

A huge number of ordinary citizens do not even understand how smart meters differ from conventional ones. “We just managed to get used to the metering devices, we understood how to transmit water meter readings, and now we need to change everything again,” this is what many residents of large cities say. And in some ways they are right.

After all, the need to enter meter readings every month has remained an unpleasant necessity for some. Some still forget to do it on time, others enter numbers incorrectly.

It is for this reason that the beginning was made of replacing conventional gas, water, and electricity meters with smart meters.

The installation of smart meters will become mandatory from July 1, 2019. The Ministry of Construction and Housing and Public Utilities of Russia submitted to the State Duma bill No. 139989–7 on smart energy metering. The measure proposed by the Ministry of Construction is designed to establish reliable accounting of consumed energy resources, make the payment system transparent, and minimize the risk of unmetered consumption.

Many residents tweak the meters, forcing other residents of the house to pay for themselves. It is impossible to steal with “smart” devices. Any interference will be recorded.

First of all, the installation of “smart” meters will be made mandatory for new buildings and residential buildings that are put into operation after major renovations. Conditions for the widespread introduction of metering devices with remote data transmission will be created by the end of 2020.

At whose expense will smart meters be installed?

This issue is under development. One thing is now known: Russians will not be required to install “smart” meters at their own expense.

Currently, the costs of installing smart meters are borne by developers and management companies. Moreover, if the latter do not have the funds to install smart metering devices, the Housing Code of the Russian Federation allows financing these activities from the capital repair fund (Article 166, Part 2 188-FZ).

Installing smart meters will not affect the pockets of consumers. The point is that they will be changed by market participants who are working today. These could be energy supply organizations or management companies; different models are being developed, but definitely not people.

According to the press service of the Ministry of Construction and Housing and Communal Services, about half a million smart metering devices have been installed in Russia. And earlier, Chief Housing Inspector Andrei Chibis stated that by 2024, 95% of Russians will switch to “smart” meters.

To speed up the transition to digital metering of consumed energy resources, the Federation Council on March 23, 2020 discussed the issue of shifting all costs of replacing metering devices to resource supply organizations. But parliamentarians failed to reach a consensus. The question remains open.

All the pros and cons of installing smart meters

There is an opinion that meters will allow you to save up to 30% on services. I don’t know yet, time will tell. But let’s try to figure out what residents will spend money on and where they will win. In search of the truth, I will try to bring all conceivable and inconceivable arguments.

In the course of the discussion, a huge number of nuances emerge, as we will see below. First, let's look at the obvious and hidden advantages:

Ease of use. Automatic sending of readings to the management company, HOA or EIRC. There is no need to check the readings every time, being in uncomfortable positions with a flashlight in dark places. Pay and that's it.
Savings are possible due to the fact that there will be no theft. Unlike old-type meters, you won’t be able to “cheat” anything with smart ones. And an individual honest payer will pay strictly for his consumed resources. And not for the guy who cheated.
It is possible over time to switch to a more profitable multi-tariff payment system for consumed resources.
Automated accounting and operational control of energy consumption in each apartment and throughout the house as a whole will be achieved. This will bring order to the supply organization.
Management companies can save on the number of personnel. There is no need to collect information, go to apartments, call residents, etc.

Minuses:

Metering devices – smart meters – are expensive. Where can I get the money? Who will pay? If the supply company is a plus.
Any device packed with electronics requires good quality power supply. Otherwise, it will not last long, for example, due to power surges. The problem of small settlements.
Additional monthly maintenance costs. Obviously, they will fall on the residents.
The need to ensure regular access of supervisors to the installed smart device.
Residents may quite reasonably have doubts about interfering with the device readings. Now it is serviced by people from the company, they have remote and direct access to the meters, but can they be trusted?
The need to provide large coverage areas with an Internet signal for the operation of controllers (modems).
Modems can freeze, control is needed. Rebooting modems.
The need for powerful servers, as the number of IP addresses will increase sharply, which will lead to a large increase in information. It must be stored.
It is necessary to protect large information flows from hackers.
Quite a long payback period for installing smart meters.

Source: https://pronedra.ru/chem-mogut-privlech-rossiyan-umnye-schetchiki-i-obyazatelno-li-ix-stavit-395097-pid-u.html

How much will the meter and its installation cost?

Specific numbers vary depending on the region and city. In large cities, which include Moscow, Yekaterinburg, Krasnodar, Samara, etc., water metering devices cost 3-6 thousand rubles. Oddly enough, in the provinces and small towns the cost increases to 8 thousand. Considering that it is in such areas that people with the lowest incomes live, regional authorities provide the possibility of an installment plan for purchasing a water meter. Whether or not pensioners and other beneficiaries must bear the costs of this part is another controversial issue. In some regions, installation for the owners of this group is paid for from the budget; in others, the coverage is provided precisely from the interest collected in the form of fines.

Unfortunately, as measures to combat “draft evaders” become more stringent, the rates for plumbers’ services also increase – high demand, accordingly, creates the conditions for an increase in tariffs in this area. Nevertheless, the question of whether water meters are mandatory does not arise even against the backdrop of rising prices for equipment and unfavorable installation conditions from local utility organizations.

How to make your meter truly profitable: nine ways to save on water

Many copies have been broken in disputes about whether it is profitable to install water meters. Moreover, both supporters and opponents of this device still ardently defend their point of view. Although the main motive for the debate is the same - how to save on paying for water in an apartment with a meter and whether there is any benefit at all.

Why do you need a water meter?

The water meter allows you to find out the amount of water consumed with an accuracy of up to a liter. This information, in addition to satisfying one’s own curiosity, is also of a purely utilitarian nature. The numbers indicated in the windows of the measuring device show how much the management company needs to pay for the consumption of water resources.

It is believed that installing water meters is beneficial. Citizens who refuse meters pay according to the standards established in their region of residence. And this leads to a significant overpayment. Is it so? Let's figure it out.

We consider how to pay more profitably: with or without a meter

According to current legislation, no one has the right to force a homeowner to install metering devices. If the tenant refuses to install a water meter, water charges are calculated at the average tariffs in the given region. For example, in the Kirov region the consumption standard for one resident is:

hot water - 3.5 cubic meters;
cold water - 4 cubic meters.

At the same time, the cost of a hot cube is 257 rubles, a cold cube is 13 rubles.

These are monthly norms. Accordingly, every day a citizen, in order to meet the standard, must spend:

hot – 116 liters;
cold - 133 liters.

What is water used for daily:

taking a bath – 150 liters;
taking a shower – 40 liters;
toilet flush – 40 liters;
washing in a washing machine – 50 liters;
household needs, cleaning, washing dishes - 20 liters.

Total - 300 liters when the established norm is 249. There is an overconsumption.

Of course, all data given is approximate. But they make it possible to understand where and for what water is spent. After all, it’s not every day that people take a bath and use a washing machine.

If you take a bath once a week, leaving all other expenses unchanged, you get 1.2 cubic meters with a standard of 1.73. Already savings. Such a water consumption system will give 4.8 cubic meters per month at a rate of 7.5. The difference will be: 7.5 – 4.8 = 2.7 m3. Assuming that cold and hot water are consumed equally, we get the savings:

for hot water – 346.95 rubles;
for cold water – 17.55 rubles;
total savings - 364.50 rubles.

This calculation is given for one tenant. What if there are three people registered in the apartment? Of course, if there is an infant, the family practically reaches the normative level. This is due to systematic washing and daily bathing of the baby.

To complete the picture, you need to estimate how much it will cost to install metering devices in the apartment. The price of the meter itself is about 500 rubles. The cost of installation with the purchase of all associated fittings, registration and sealing of the device is around 1000 rubles, depending on the region.

Taking the average indicators, we find that a set of installed water meters costs 3,000 rubles. With the monthly savings calculated above, one tenant will recoup the costs of purchasing and installing meters in less than 9 months.

Consequently, a family of three will gain profit 3 times faster, that is, in 3 months.

With such savings rates, the cost of mandatory verification of meters, which is required at least 4 years after the release of the water meter, is not terrible.

Despite the benefits that installing a meter provides, sometimes situations arise when it is more profitable to pay according to the standards.

For example, if a team of workers from Tajikistan came to visit the only tenant registered in the apartment for six months. Or there is a private house with a large garden plot that needs abundant watering in the warm season.

For residents who are professionally engaged in moonshine brewing, the meter is also disadvantageous - the water for cooling the coil flows continuously.

To encourage residents to install water meters in residential premises, some regions of the country have adopted increasing coefficients, which will grow from year to year. Along with these coefficients, water fees will increase significantly.

In some cases, it is simply impossible to install a water meter:

if the house is in disrepair;
if to install the device you will have to completely change the water supply system of the apartment;
if it is impossible to install a meter on the supply pipes in accordance with the documentation requirements;
if the room is too humid or the temperature regime is disturbed;
if the room is located in the area of powerful magnetic fields;
if access to the premises is permitted only to a limited number of persons.

To confirm that the premises are unsuitable for installing meters, a report is drawn up. Based on it, a person will pay for water consumption according to standards without increasing factors.

There is another negative point that haunts meter owners. When calculating the general house water consumption, all surpluses are assigned to the owners of water meters. This is due to the fact that residents who do not have meters are legally unable to pay more than the standard. In this case, it is necessary to look for leverage over the draft dodgers, otherwise you will have to pay for yourself and for that guy.

How to save on water with meters

Despite the fact that meters themselves make it possible to pay less, there are additional ways to save water:

System tightness. Money literally leaks out through a leaking faucet, mixer, or toilet cistern. If unauthorized dripping begins, it must be eliminated urgently.
Optimizing water consumption. Many people have noticed that when taking a shower, they leave the water running even when they wash themselves? What's stopping you from turning off the water at this moment? Why brush your teeth to the accompaniment of a jet gushing from the sink? Why rub dirty dishes with a foam sponge, turning away the water jet that is unnecessary at that moment? Many will answer that it will take a long time to select the required water temperature. So install a lever mixer! I set the required temperature, pressed the lever - the water was turned off. I soaped myself up, cleaned myself up, raised the lever - the water of the required warmth began to flow again. These simple movements save several hundred rubles a month.
Replace taking a bath with a shower. With the same effect, this will help reduce water consumption by about four times. And when you do decide to take a bath, you don’t need to fill it to the very top. Don’t forget about Archimedes’ law, which will completely waste half of the filled container, which is about 100 liters, down the drain.
Installation of throttles on mixer taps. Special attachments for the faucet and shower head significantly reduce water consumption by reducing the flow area.
Optimal loading of your washing machine with laundry will also save on the amount of water used. Since it washes with the same amount of water, whether it’s one thing or several.
Using a dishwasher will also provide serious savings, especially for a large family.

All these simple rules will help you save a lot on water with meters.

Illegal ways

Along with the generally accepted options, there are also illegal ways to save on water bills. The main and most accessible are:

use of a magnet;
unwinding the counter with a vacuum cleaner;
unwinding the meter with water.

The first method is based on the influence of a powerful magnetic field created by a foreign magnet on the magnetic coupling of the water meter. As a result, the torque from the impeller is not transmitted to the counting mechanism.

However, manufacturers have learned to combat such tricks by placing an anti-magnetic seal on the device body. When exposed to magnetic fields, this seal is deformed, making it clear to the inspectors that the water meter has been tampered with in an unauthorized manner.

The second method is based on spinning the impeller in the opposite direction using the air flow created by the vacuum cleaner. To do this, the water main is closed, the filter installed in front of the meter is removed, and the tap on the mixer is opened. Next, use a vacuum cleaner to unwind the counter through the filter tunnel.

The third method is used to wind up a hot water meter at the expense of a cold one. It is carried out during periods of seasonal shutdown of hot water. To begin, install a rubber plug on the faucet nipple. Then both taps are opened. Water from the cold pipe rushes into the empty hot water line, rotating the meter in the opposite direction.

You must be aware that the methods listed are illegal. Using them may result in administrative and sometimes criminal prosecution.

So, installing water meters will allow you to significantly save on paying for housing and communal services. At the same time, the costs of purchase and installation will pay off in the coming months.
Tenants who do not install a meter will pay according to water consumption standards adopted in a particular region.
In some cases, installing water meters is unprofitable.
There are many additional ways to save on water with installed water meters.
You should not resort to illegal methods of saving.

Source: https://oschetchike.ru/vody/vygodno-li-stavit-kak-ekonomit

Installation of meters by housing organizations

Abuse of local utilities is not uncommon in Russia. Almost every innovation in the rules for the management and operation of housing stock is accompanied by a lot of rumors and the appearance of false information. In this case, there are examples when housing associations, partnerships and management companies notify owners that it is necessary to buy water meters, be sure to install and register them strictly before a certain date. This is partly a fair recommendation, but organizations do not have the right to impose their services, offering to conclude an agreement with them on the purchase of meters from a specific manufacturer. Moreover, installation through independent companies is cheaper.

How to install the counter?

You can purchase a meter yourself or on the basis of an agreement with a specialized company. The second option is more convenient, since the list of services specified in the contract can also include an analysis of the characteristics of the water supply system and installation itself. A modern installation of water meters necessarily includes a whole set of additional components with consumables - you should also prepare for these expenses, otherwise the quality of the installed device will suffer and it will not be accepted.

Again, to save money, it is advisable to avoid cooperation with the management company and utility services, since their services are often more expensive and the quality is lower. A third-party organization will perform the same list of works, provide a guarantee and make the necessary adjustments to the device. At this stage, when examining in-house engineering, another question may arise: “Are water meters required if there is no common house meter?” According to the rules, this defect is not a reason why the meter cannot be installed.

In terms of formal nuances, it is important to note that the management company must still receive a corresponding application to install the meter. By the way, utility services, partnerships and governing bodies are aware that water meters must be installed in the house, so most likely there will be no additional obstacles at this stage. The owner is given technical documents, according to which specialists will select the device model and connect it. It is also necessary to agree in advance on the time to disconnect and connect the engineering system at the time of installation.

Advice from lawyers:

1. Please answer how rent is calculated now in the absence of water meters?

1.1. In the absence of an individual metering device, accruals are made according to the standard.

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1.2. In accordance with the Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation 354-2011, according to consumption standards established in your region, based on the number of persons living in the apartment.

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1.3. And with the application of INCREASING coefficients to consumption standards. Since January 1, 2016, this coefficient is already = 1.4! See RF PP No. 306.

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2. Is the lack of a water meter punishable? If yes, then under what article?

2.1. Hello. It is punishable only by increasing the standard under the Federal Law on Energy Saving and that’s all.

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3. How to charge organizations for consumed cold water and sanitation if they did not provide meter readings on time by the end of the month. What is the payment procedure under a water supply and sanitation agreement in the absence of meter readings. Can I link to the law? Thank you.

3.1. You need to submit an application to St. Vodokanal, on the basis of which you will need to invite a specialist to take readings, and an inspection report of the meter will be drawn up. The period for which the readings were not transmitted is paid at a rate according to the number of registered persons in the residential premises.

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4. Three people live and are registered in a communal apartment. Water meters are not installed. In my absence, the house manager came and, according to the testimony of two neighbors, recorded that there were supposedly 4 people living there. Accordingly, I did not find out about this immediately, but several months later, when I received an invoice for the debt. What should I do to prove the residence of 3 people and recalculation for this all the time?

4.1. Hello. Write a claim and provide a certificate f. 9 (7). All the best.

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5. My son and I are registered in a communal apartment, we don’t live there. It is impossible to rent out common shared property without the consent of neighbors; utility bills are high, because there are no meters for water consumption. The Criminal Code said that they would not do a recalculation even if we provided temporary registration at the address where we live. The question is, is it possible to recalculate water costs? I am ready to pay the coefficient for the lack of metering devices.

5.1. Good afternoon Do not pay utilities in the apartment where you do not live, because you live and have temporary registration in another place, perhaps. You need to separate your personal accounts. In the absence of counters, this is easier to do. When the bills are separated, you will be able to prove with documents (receipts, statements) that you are paying for services at your place of residence. Payment for electricity will also be eliminated, due to the fact that you do not live, which means you cannot consume electricity. It will be necessary to pay at the place of permanent registration for major repairs and maintenance of common areas.

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6. I do not live at my place of registration. The period for checking the mountain meter has expired. water. As far as I know, they will now begin to charge according to the average, and then according to the standard. I won't be able to do the verification anytime soon. My actions: Send a letter to the Head of the Criminal Code explaining the situation and asking not to change the latest testimony with reference to my absence. How to prove absence from an apartment if there is no registration at the place of actual residence? What else?

6.1. You will immediately begin to be charged according to the tariff. You can try or later prove in court that you lived in another place.

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7. Is it possible to recalculate the payment for utilities - solid waste, maintenance, etc. (water, electricity and gas are metered) if you have not lived in another region for more than 5 months. Do you have travel documents (round trip tickets), a rental agreement for the dates of absence? Thank you!

7.1. Hello, dear Svetlana! To do this, you need to be familiar with the following regulations. 1. Housing Code of the Russian Federation (in short - Housing Code of the Russian Federation). 2. Rules for the provision of utility services to owners and users of premises in apartment buildings and residential buildings, approved by Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 354 of May 6, 2011 (briefly - Rules No. 354). There will be no recalculation for the supply of heat to the apartment, I hope you know about this. Good luck to you.

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8. We bought an apartment using remote control. In February 2020, the transfer acceptance certificate was signed. The act of putting water meters into operation was not signed; the TC did not have passports for the meters from the developer. Passports appeared only in December 2020. As did the act of entry in December. All these months we paid for water at an increasing rate. Is it possible to study the recount, the Labor Code could not submit testimony due to the lack of documents due to the fault of the developer?

8.1. Maybe. Start by filing a claim for recalculation. You will appeal the refusal in court until you confirm the correctness of the calculations.

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9. In May of this year, I was on vacation abroad for 2 weeks, they just now told me that I can apply for recalculation due to a long absence from the apartment, but the year is almost over, can I apply for recalculation, how and where should I apply? application and what evidence should I attach? There are air tickets and an invitation for a visa. And what services are subject to recalculation in this case? I don’t have water meters in my apartment, I pay a fixed rate, I live alone.

9.1. The procedure for recalculating the amount of payment for certain types of utility services for the period of temporary absence of consumers in occupied residential premises is provided for by Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation of May 6, 2011 N 354 (Chapter 8).

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10. THE COLD WATER METER IS NOT OUT OF INSPECTION DATE YET, THERE IS AN INSPECTION REPORT. DOES THE GORVODOKANAL HAVE THE RIGHT TO BREAK OFF THE SEAL DUE TO THE LACK OF A PASSPORT FOR THE METER. INSTEAD OF A PASSPORT FOR THE METER THERE IS AN ACT FROM THE HOUSING AND UTILITIES FOR ENTERING THE METER WITH A PRINT. IF YOU CAN REPLY TO ( [email protected] )

10.1. No, it doesn't. Appeal the actions in court or to Ms.

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11. Five years ago we bought a new apartment. Payment for the water meter was carried out without sealing it. The management company recently changed and, due to the lack of seals, issues bills as unaccounted for water consumption and threatens with fines. There are no documents or signatures about the sealing. How to carry out sealings without fines and switch to normal metering of water consumption? Thanks for the answer.

11.1. Good afternoon, Alexander! During the 5 years that you lived in the apartment, were any other inspections carried out? No documents at all?

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12. According to housing legislation, who is charged an increasing coefficient in the absence of water meters in the apartment: owners or tenants?

12.1. According to the Housing Code of the Russian Federation, the owner must pay for the maintenance of housing and communal services.

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13. The question is, I don’t have water meters, so probably the payment goes according to the average according to the accrual in the receipts. As usual, a general receipt with a larger amount arrives to the question why the answer was that you were counted for the year 16-17 due to the lack of meters and to what extent is this legal? Thank you.

13.1. Good afternoon In the absence of meters, fees are charged according to the tariff established in the region, multiplied by the number of registered citizens. You can independently recalculate the amount you should have paid from 16 to 19 and the amount you actually paid. Compare them and find out if there is a debt. Tariffs for all years can be found on the official website of utilities.

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14. Is it possible to challenge the report on the inspection of the water meter if it was drawn up in the absence of the owners of the house. Only a minor child was at home. What are the rules for drawing up acts? And what can you refer to when filing a complaint?

14.1. For help in drawing up a complaint, you can contact any lawyer in private messages. Don’t forget to attach a scan or photo of the report.

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14.2. Non-year-olds are not entitled to sign the inspection report. If violations are discovered, appeal them to the organization. If you don't find a compromise, then you'll go to court.

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15. There is a water supply with a working meter. But the water project was lost. The water utility refuses to seal the meter after verification, citing the lack of a design. Requires a new project to be made with the installation of a meter on the street. (on the main pipe) The water supply has been in existence for over 40 years. what to do?

15.1. Hello! Write a complaint to the water supply organization about the need to seal the meter, and then resolve your dispute in court.

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16. Is it possible to install a hot water meter if there is no factory seal on it? I contacted the store where I purchased it, the seller said that it could be installed. Is it so?

16.1. Dear Alexey! Water consumption meters in residential premises must be sealed. For the management company, the absence of a seal on the meter is equivalent to the absence of the meter itself. The sealing procedure is carried out by employees of the resource supply organization (vodokanals and others). According to paragraph 2 of Article 9 of the Federal Law of June 26, 2008 N 102-FZ “On Ensuring the Uniformity of Measurements,” the design of measuring instruments must ensure that access to certain parts of measuring instruments (including software) is limited in order to prevent unauthorized settings and interference that could lead to distortions in measurement results. Thus, water metering devices must be sealed, about which a corresponding note must be made in the technical passport (form) of the metering device. Good luck to you in resolving this issue.

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17. I live in a house that was declared unsafe in 2014. Since 2016, I have been studying at a university in another city and living in a dormitory. I contacted the heating company to recalculate the payment for hot water, but they refused, citing the fact that the apartment does not have meters and we are obliged to install them. I provided them with all the documents confirming my absence. Are they doing the right thing? Thank you.

17.1. Write a complaint to the Criminal Code outlining your requirements, notifying the Criminal Code that if this issue is not resolved within 10 days, you reserve the right to file a complaint with the prosecutor's office and the housing inspectorate, with subsequent appeal to the court.

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18. A water meter was installed in a private house, it was out of order, I paid the tariff according to the number of registered ones. When selling the house, a certificate of absence of debt on water supply was provided. The new owners installed new meters. Vodokanal issued an invoice with arrears for the old meters, although readings were not given. There is a certificate of no debt.

18.1. Good afternoon Yulia. Write an application to the water utility, attach a copy of the certificate, if they refuse, appeal to the court.

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19. Can I not pay the debt for hot water that was incurred in 2020, when I did not pay k=1.5 for the tariff (due to the lack of meters)?

19.1. There is no reason not to pay the debt.

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20. No one is registered (registered) or living in the apartment, water meters are not installed. Question: is it legal to calculate water consumption and sanitation by the number of owners (according to the standard with a coefficient of 1.5), in the absence of registered ones?

20.1. According to paragraph 56 (2). Government Decree No. 354 of 05/06/2011 “On the provision of utility services to owners and users in apartment buildings and residential buildings”, in the absence of citizens permanently or temporarily residing in the residential premises, the volume of utility services is calculated taking into account the number of owners of such premises. Therefore, you should either install meters and not pay for utilities at all, or register one person so that the payment for utilities goes to one person.

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During a scheduled inventory, a water utility inspector discovered that there was no seal on the cold water meter,

I wanted to make a recalculation for water during my absence (2 years) I live outside of Russia, they refused me, there is no water meter.

The question is, is it really possible at the moment not to pay for gas, water, etc.

We live in the official apartment of the Minister of Defense in Bikin, we did not have hot water for a whole month; they refuse to recalculate us, citing the fact that

The fact is that we have been renting out an apartment for 7 years, in our absence and without our knowledge, the tenants let in inspectors of hot water meters,

1. If a participant in hostilities (in Chechnya) is entitled to benefits for the maintenance and repair of residential property,

I read on this site https://malina-group.COM/shtraf-za-otsutstvie-schetchikov-ucheta/ that they will be fined for the lack of cold and hot water meters,

Svyatoslav writes. What is the “temporary absence” of a housing and communal services consumer, in paragraph 7 of the RF Regulation No. 1498?

The question is next. The owner of the apartment, who lives alone, was undergoing treatment in another city for more than four months.

Why can't I get an answer to a specific question? It's a secret?

We bought an apartment. The previous owners paid off the debts under the property management agreement (there are receipts with the invoices issued).

Counter registration

All efforts to update the water consumption metering system may be in vain if the water meter is not properly registered. The device must be registered, since the result of its operation has no meaning if a representative of the company managing the house does not draw up the appropriate documents. The device must be registered within a month from the date of its installation. The inspector must record the results of the meter acceptance in a special report. This document is drawn up in three copies - for the representative of the inspection organization, for the owner of the house and the company that carried out the installation. The acceptance certificate is the basis for switching to a new procedure for calculating payments for water.

The feasibility of installing a meter

New requirements for the operation of utility systems, and in particular changes in approaches to calculating tariffs, rarely have positive responses from users. The innovation regarding metering devices was also accepted - many to this day do not know whether it is necessary to install a water meter. Mandatory or not? Unfortunately, citizens have no alternative - sooner or later it will have to be installed. However, its presence will not lead to increased water costs. For the authorities, the introduction of this device will allow optimizing the system for calculating resource consumption, but for the average person this is a very real saving.

According to various research companies, the meter, depending on operating conditions, can provide cost savings of up to 48%. It is for this reason that many water utilities are in no hurry to install meters, since their use will mean a reduction in income. But even despite these shortcomings, the question of whether the installation of water meters is mandatory is not raised. Federal and local authorities are still interested in the most accurate accounting of water consumption.

Calculation of a resident's expenses with a water meter

In order to keep track of the cubic meters of liquid consumed, you need to install a water meter. There are no restrictions on the models of metering devices; the important point is that the meter meets quality standards and has a certificate. Technical parameters must also match. That is, it is impossible to install a meter with an internal diameter of 32 mm and intended for cold water on a hot water supply pipe with a diameter of 15 mm.

The installation of a metering device is often accompanied by the replacement of distribution pipes in the apartment. Long-term operation of utilities reduces the thickness of pipe walls, which provokes gusts when working on them.

Often an apartment has several water supply risers, and metering devices need to be installed on each riser separately. In this case, the meter is installed in a package with a filter and a check valve, which are purchased in multiples of the number of water meters.

The water meter needs periodic verification. The period is determined [2] PR 50.2.006-94 for cold water water meters - 6 years, hot water - 4 years, the period may vary depending on the company producing the meter . Verification is needed to establish the accuracy of reading cubic meters that have passed through the device and to diagnose its overall performance.

Based on the Housing Code, all procedures related to replacing the water meter and maintaining municipal ownership in an apartment fall on the costs of the organization operating the housing stock. To exercise this right, the tenant must contact the utility office with an application for installation, and after the expiration of the regulated period, the water meter must be verified. In privatized housing, all expenses are borne by the owner of the property.

Owners of water meters are not exempt from sharing in expenses for general house needs, which are calculated as the difference in the readings of the house meter and the general apartment readings. These additional costs are borne proportionally by all registered residents of the apartment.

When is installing a meter unjustified?

In conventional calculation schemes and technical organization of water consumption, the operation of meters provides savings. But there are cases when the effectiveness of metering devices is called into question. One of the problems is related to the difference in the actual expense and the nominal one, which is the sum of the payment according to the standard. So, according to the old scheme, in an apartment where one person lives, the payment bill provides for the amount accrued per consumer. If in fact there are 3 people living in the house, then the fee will still be calculated for one.

The meter changes the system, making it necessary to pay according to the actual water consumption, that is, the number of people living does not matter - the entire volume will be recorded by the water meter. Is it necessary or not to install the device in this case? Yes, because the actual accounting of the resource is important. Another thing is that problems can arise in communal apartments, where it is impossible to calculate who used and how much water, and the meter readings will be presented in one figure.

Is it profitable to install water meters?

Is it worth installing water meters and is it profitable? This is the main question for those who hesitate. Some are even considering removing meters if they have already been installed.

Most often, water meters are beneficial and help you save money. Let's prove it with numbers.

Payment for water in an apartment is made according to the following scheme: the water consumption standard is multiplied by the number of people registered in the residential premises, then multiplied by a factor of 1.5.

In Russia, the average tariff for cold water is 39 rubles/cubic meter (each region has its own tariff, this is the average price), the average monthly consumption per meter is 4 m3, if one person is registered. According to the standard consumption for 2020, this figure is 7.8 m3 per month.

Let's give an example of a situation where one person is officially registered in a residential building:

39*4 = 156 rubles per month from meters

39*7.8*1.5 = 456.3 rubles per month without a meter

Total expenses for the year: with a meter: 1872 rubles, without a meter: 5475.6 rubles.

The device itself costs about 600-800 rubles. Installing it will cost 2-3 thousand rubles.

Thus, within a year you will be able to “recoup” the costs of purchasing and installing water meters. Interesting fact: when there are metering devices in the house, this contributes to rational consumption.

Savings depend on the number of people registered in the residential premises. For example, if 4 people are registered, the savings will be about 500 rubles monthly.

Problems of the old housing stock

There are also other types of problems associated with the operation of dilapidated communication systems. In houses of old housing stock, as a rule, pipelines are in unsatisfactory technical condition. Fundamentally, this aspect does not change anything, but the cost of installing an accounting device increases noticeably. And again, many doubt - is it necessary to install water meters in old buildings if the pipes themselves and the basic infrastructure are in poor condition? There is only one way out - to replace the water supply. Unfortunately, you will have to do this on your own and at your own expense. This is undoubtedly the main disadvantage of installing a meter, but the owner will be confident that the new system will not cause problems at the most unexpected moment. Updating communications is never unnecessary, but it reduces the risk of accidents.

At whose expense is the installation of common house metering devices carried out?

Comments

The owners of premises in an apartment building are responsible for maintaining all common property in such a building.

Accordingly, the installation of new equipment, including common house metering devices, which is mandatory according to the Federal Law of the Russian Federation of November 23, 2009 N 261-FZ “On energy saving and increasing energy efficiency and on introducing amendments to certain legislative acts of the Russian Federation” (hereinafter referred to as the Federal Law), falls on the shoulders of the owners of the premises.

Metering devices for all types of utility resources: cold and hot water supply, heating, electricity supply and gas supply had to be installed before 07/01/2012.

But as practice shows, not all property owners were ready to bear such expenses, because installing a meter for one type of utility resource can cost about 100,000 rubles today.

In addition, before installing a common house metering device, it is necessary to inspect the condition of the engineering systems in the house for losses , and, if necessary, repair or additionally insulate water supply and heating pipes in order to avoid unnecessary leakage.

The decision to install common house metering devices is made at a general meeting of premises owners . Here an estimate with the cost, scope of work and payment procedure is approved, and an organization that is ready to carry out such work is selected.

When the metering devices are installed, they must be put into operation or, in other words, put on commercial registration.

For this purpose, a representative of the resource supplying organization is invited. He carries out a visual inspection of the installed metering devices, checks their performance and draws up a report in which the readings are recorded, from which the calculations for such a metering device will be made in the future.

Many residents are already faced with the problem of a lack of funds for the installation of common house metering devices, because not everyone is ready to shell out about 10,000 rubles at once to comply with the new law, so funds collected for major repairs and maintenance and routine repairs of housing are often used to attract funds, if any are available.

It should be noted that no matter how costly the measures to equip a residential building with common house metering devices may be, it is not worth postponing for a long time .

According to the Federal Law, communal metering devices can be installed by resource supply organizations by force, and accordingly, payment for such work, together with interest for installment payments, may turn out to be much more than if the owners make such a decision on their own.