All-Russian obiralovka: local authorities uncontrollably inflated utility bills to the skies

– From December 1, in Russia, for the second time in a year, tariffs for utilities were raised: heat supply, electricity, cold and hot water. They promised that the indexation level would not exceed 9%. Now it is already possible to estimate how much the tariffs have actually increased?

– In almost all regions there was an increase in tariffs above 9%. The most benign growth was 12%, but an increase of 24% was also recorded.

An unpleasant surprise of the indexation that took place is that the 9% target meant nothing. There are regions that can afford to increase the tariff above the established bar. The fear of violating the limits established at the federal level has practically disappeared from the municipal authorities. The interests of the resource monopolies are more important to them than the indignation and disagreement of the people.

A prohibited technique was used. The main burden in the payment system is not the tariffs, but the volume of consumption. Over the past two years, the authorities have in fact canceled the prohibitive consumption standard, for example, for general house needs, and also allowed the use of calculations not by meters, but by standards. It is beneficial for resource providers to charge amounts according to the volume of consumption, according to the standard. They are in a privileged position.

Since last year, the number of consumer swindles has multiplied, and this continues to this day. It does not matter that the authorities promise not to raise tariffs above 9%. In fact, people receive payments, the amounts of which are one and a half to two times higher compared to the previous month. I repeat: this is not because of the tariffs, the dynamics of which is formally observed, but because of the volume of consumption.

– Is it possible to single out the services that have become the main drivers of the growth in payments?

– Definitely the leader of the anti-rating was warm. People are forced to pay, in particular, for heat that they did not order or consume. An increase of up to 52% was recorded.

From the point of view of the percentage in the total volume of utilities, heat occupies a dominant position – it is 40-50%. The payment was also greatly aggravated by contributions for capital repairs. This is also a very serious equity component of the entire receipt. In some regions, the increase ranged from 40% to 60%. The most serious growth was recorded in Mari El, Arkhangelsk, Sverdlovsk regions. These regions have long maintained low tariffs. They did not help the implementation of plans for overhaul and, I believe, at the federal level, it was decided to adjust the tariffs in these regions to the overall picture for the country.

This is a centralized story so that everyone has the means and can report to the president and report that the pace of major repairs is not slowing down.

– Why is the sums for heating recalculated every year, and most often not in favor of the residents?

– Regions can choose the order in which heat bills are calculated: either 1/12 every month, or according to the actual season. Most choose the 1/12 scheme, since pensions and benefits for the population, as a rule, do not change from month to month. Previously, new buildings had the right to charge seasonal fees. It turned out that consumers forgot that in summer they did not pay for heat, and when in winter receipts arrived with amounts two or three times more than those of the residents of the neighboring house, they were indignant.

Let’s stop on charges on counters. If we talk about metering devices, then by law, since 2012, all houses must be equipped with common house meters for water, electricity and heat. It is assumed that today there should not be houses in which there are no such devices (an exception is emergency buildings). It turns out that during the year, this system charges for heating based on the data of the general house meter for the past year.

Invoices are issued throughout the year on a 1/12 system so that payment is even throughout the year, so we pay for heat in the summer as well. For example, you consumed 1200 units of heat in 2021. In this case, in 2022, you will have to pay 1200/12=100 units per month for the service.

But in January 2023, resource workers, based on data from common house meters, calculated that in 2021 we consumed 1,600 units of heat, and paid only 1,200 units for the year. 1600-1200=400 units to be paid. It is the amount for this difference that we see in the February payment of 2023. For apartments and owners of non-residential premises, the amount is distributed in proportion to the area. I call this method pseudo-calculation, since the calculation is not real-time.

– How to make the January heat bills fair?

– To do this, in January, on the basis of the final readings on heat costs for the past year, it is necessary to recalculate. Based on the results of the reconciliation, the actual costs of heat energy will be visible. If it turns out that less energy was consumed, then for January the column for heat should be zero. After all, the recalculation can be in favor of both one and the other side. It turns out that sometimes they have to take more from consumers, and sometimes vice versa – suppliers must return the money to them. For a conscientious managing organization, this is a normal mechanism.

– But in fact it turns out that the recalculations are very often not in favor of the residents. Why?

– It would be naive to believe that a monopoly (and it is such in any locality) will work efficiently and charge mere pennies for its services. Any company strives to reduce costs for itself and to make a profit. Tariff increase is the way of its existence. There is nowhere to even complain about natural monopolies, because the activities of such structures are permitted by the state. Consequently, they can increase the tariff and reduce the quality of the services provided.

Accruals are often overestimated: on average by 20%. The tariff is the same for everyone, but the volume of consumption, I repeat, for some reason is increasing.

Or another example. Traditional overheating, when in spring consumers have to open the windows due to the impossible heat. Nothing can be done about this either, since the residents themselves cannot regulate the heat supply. It turns out that the overpayment is automatically included in the payments. People pay some kind of dues!

– Let’s talk in more detail about the overhaul fee, which will increase this year in several regions of the country at once …

– 72 regions have already carried out the increase. It can be assumed that if there is another increase, the contribution will increase again in the same regions. But over time, other people will take the same step. Tariff growth is one of the indicators of social and economic development.

At the end of 2022, it became known that more than 200 billion rubles of the balance was on special accounts for the overhaul of apartment buildings (MKD). Many specialized organizations are trying to prove that this money does not work. They believe that it is necessary to raise the threshold for transferring into a common “boiler” in case of insufficient collection from 50% to 75%, and also to give regional operators the obligation to collect debts free of charge. In this case, they themselves will set the tariff, the order of overhaul, the list of houses. This is a “perpetual motion machine” for pumping money out of the population.

Consumers are not entitled to take and refuse the contribution. I can say that these contributions will continue to grow, because it is beneficial for resource providers and regional authorities. It is difficult to believe the promises that in the conditional year 2049 someone’s house will definitely be repaired. Meanwhile, every resident of Russia has to pay for overhaul already today. As a result, this money goes into the pocket of the regional authorities. It is the municipalities who decide which houses and when will be affected by the program, what types of work will be done. Not owners, but deputies.

The “common boiler” system will not solve the problems of overhaul. She is defective. Only old houses (Stalinka), which are first on the list, will be repaired. In the end, there will simply not be enough funds to repair all the other, newer, fresh buildings by the required year. Meanwhile, money is collected from all tenants without exception.

Already in five years, there will be a deficit with fees. Stop running out of money. In 10 years, we will come to the conclusion that the “common boiler” system and the overhaul program will completely stop. Young houses will suffer more than others, and their residents will give more money to the “common pot”. Old houses will benefit: at least they will be painted.

– From March 1, the changes will affect the consumption of resources for general house needs (ODN). The changes will affect the cost of cold and hot water, sewerage and electricity. Will the new rules help bring the calculated values ​​closer to the actual consumption of utilities at the ODN? Will the amounts in payments become more or less due to the new rules?

– How was the norm previously determined? Until September 1, 2022 – based on long-term consumption statistics and building codes. For example, for water at ODN there was a maximum standard of 5%. That is, all estimates included 5% of the water that goes to general house needs: washing floors in entrances, elevators, etc.

From the first of September last year, the standard was canceled. Now managing organizations have the right to charge ODN according to common house metering devices. It turns out that the managing organization has no incentive to save water. If earlier it was 5% and that’s all, now how much water the house has consumed, based on the readings of the meters, so much can be billed to consumers for ODN.

An argument to increase the cost could be, for example, the following: “We washed the floors very well, and in the summer we watered the asphalt to cool it down.” Already, there are cases when bills include indicators of water consumed by all residents of the house, all beauty salons and sports complexes located on the ground floors. Everything according to common house metering devices – everything is “honest”. There are no violations. Meanwhile, as they spent less than 5% of water on washing floors, they continue to spend. There are examples when one house paid 10 thousand rubles a month, and then once again – and they put up a payment for 450 thousand!

The government has come up with an alternative. The standard will be set, taking as a basis the amount of resources that are consumed in another similar house. But the question arises: which house will be taken as a model? The worst? Nowhere is it written who will be responsible for the choice. It is clear that it is beneficial for managing organizations to take as a basis the indicators of the most “leaky” house, which spends the largest volumes. Because of this innovation, the amounts in payments can become even larger.

– The next increase in tariffs, as the authorities promise, will take place as early as July 2024. But it turns out that the amounts in our bills are already growing, right before our eyes – from month to month. Why?

– The domestic market is a source of growth for monopolies that have lost the foreign market. Business has realized that the housing sector is manna from heaven. There are no independent players in this market, all tariffs are calculated. What amount will be put up, this is what the consumer will have to pay. If the population begins to resent, it can be appeased by promising targeted support.

True, this assistance does not work in a number of regions. Payment discipline in housing and communal services is the highest of all industries – 95% in the country. People obediently pay, fearing that in the event of a conflict with the state, they will find themselves without a roof over their heads. Therefore, the tariffs will continue to grow both for one-time heating, and for heat, and for overhaul. For the authorities, the housing and communal services sector is a reliable source of stable cash flow.