All utility charges are regulated by legal acts with reference to the region. An unauthorized increase in tariffs is classified as an administrative offense and is punished in accordance with the law. If illegal charges are revealed, you must contact certain authorities.
Require recalculation
In case of going on vacation, to the dacha, accidentally getting to the hospital for a long time, the homeowners could not transfer the meter readings or stock up on certain documents for the Criminal Code, and the services assigned payments not according to the indications, but at the average established rate.
If the error occurred due to misunderstanding or forgetfulness, the problem will be resolved within 30 days.
When the company does not agree to recalculate, insists on its own or ignores the application, an appeal to the Housing Inspectorate will be required.
This supervisory authority is charged with resolving housing disputes. In the case when payments are regularly overstated, services are provided of poor quality or money is charged for nonexistent, that is, funds are stolen, it is necessary to file a collective complaint with the prosecutor's office.
Read the documents before buying
Especially often, apartment owners are forced to pay for other people's utilities, because they were inattentive when buying a home.
It is important to check all receipts before entering into a sales contract.
Additionally, double-check the information in the subscriber department of the UK and be careful when taking meter readings. Otherwise, the problem will have to be solved only in court.
Calculate yourself
In order to calculate payments for sewerage, cold water supply, heat supply and electricity, it is enough to go to the website of the Federal Antimonopoly Service, to the utility bills calculator. And then enter the following data:
- municipal district and formation;
- calculation period;
- type of house;
- apartment area;
- number of registered;
- counting method;
- supplier.
Then press the "calculate" button and get the result. If it differs significantly from the one indicated on the receipt, this is a serious reason to think.
Go to court to defend your rights
If, after going through all the previous instances, a positive result was not obtained, you will have to go to court. At the same time, it is desirable that the statement of claim was collective; in addition, the maximum number of supporting documents must be submitted.
In some cases, you will have to attach not only payments and independent calculations, but also acts of inspection of residential premises, complaints to the Housing Inspectorate and the prosecutor's office with positive decisions. In the presence of complete documentation, the court will have enough 2-3 sessions to understand everything.
