Russians criticized the work of management companies: do residents need the Ministry of Housing and Communal Services?

Pavel Sklyanchuk: “some organizations have become more cunning in their ways of cheating citizens”

Russians are dissatisfied with the quality of work of management companies (MCs). According to the results of a Popular Front survey, about 60% of respondents talk about problems in housing and communal services precisely due to the fault of the management company, and about the same number complain about the lack of positive changes in their home or the deterioration of its condition. Can residents change the situation on their own, and how can they reduce the amounts on their bills? An expert from the Popular Front told MK about this. Analytics” Pavel Sklyanchuk.

– The survey results are only a harmless part of the results obtained. Overall, this is a verdict in the failure of the multi-apartment building management market. For many years, they tried to build work on market principles, which presuppose competition and improvement of services, as well as customer focus and maximum return in terms of feedback from residents. However, people still do not observe this.

– Are the problems that citizens focused on really particularly acute?

– Yes this is true. Deputies often say that citizens approach them with complaints. How to solve problems? The issue of creating a separate ministry for housing and communal services is currently being discussed. Perhaps this can move the issue forward. It is not entirely normal that now there is only a housing and communal services department, in which only 30 people are engaged in the development of regulatory legal acts by which a huge country lives.

– Are there bona fide management companies on the Russian market?

– There are, of course, conscientious companies. Ten years ago, a reform was carried out related to the introduction of licensing in the business market in the field of residential real estate management. Some unscrupulous and outright fraudulent companies have left the market. But some simply became more modest than others and more cunning in their ways of shortchanging citizens. Total transparency has not yet arrived. The GIS housing and communal services system has special requirements for the disclosure of reports on the results of the annual management of the house, on all the work that was performed. So another monitoring of the Popular Front a couple of years ago said that we do not have this information today. It is closed because management companies ignore this rule. The rate of profit in this sector is unknown, how much money the management company receives from one house. The market participants themselves, commercial organizations, of course, say that they are working at a loss. But this is hard to believe. When they are offered to leave home, they cling with both hands and feet to the opportunity to stay and continue to manage. And this despite the accumulated debts, as well as strict requirements from housing inspectors.

– What to do if you don’t like the quality of work of the management company?

– If you don’t like the service of the management company, then there is a procedure for changing it through a meeting of residents. Recently, digital services have been launched where you can hold a general meeting electronically. The meeting can also be held in the traditional way.

– How to reduce the monthly payment?

– The monthly payment is reduced in two ways. The first is related to individual consumption. Here we need to remember numerous tips for increasing the energy efficiency of household appliances. The second method of saving is associated with common house metering devices, which will eliminate the possibility of manipulating the figures for the costs of maintaining common property (according to meters). Public control over management companies is also necessary. For example, an elected house council can monitor the activities of management companies and accept their work.