State Duma deputies proposed measures to combat illegal inflated utility tariffs

“It is necessary to prevent the arbitrariness of management companies”

State Duma deputies drew attention to the fact that in Russia the cost of housing and communal services increases every year. In 2024, this growth will be 9.8%. With the next bill, deputies want to establish mandatory annual financial reporting for management companies and other organizations that collect payments for housing and utilities with their publication in open sources.

The initiator of the bill, State Duma deputy Leonid Slutsky, said that it is necessary to conduct an annual audit of housing and communal services tariffs in management companies and other organizations that accept payments, with the mandatory publication of the results of such audits on the Internet so that citizens can quickly find out the information.

– Amendments to the Housing Code of the Russian Federation will prevent the arbitrariness of management companies and the unreasonable increase in tariffs. The measure we propose will not only allow us to control the work of management companies and other organizations involved in settlements, but people will also be confident that they are not overpaying, and the tariffs specified in the payment document are set in accordance with the requirements of executive authorities,” explained “ MK” leader of the LDPR Leonid Slutsky.

“Such an audit should be carried out by an independent audit organization (auditor), which will be selected by a constituent entity of the Russian Federation based on the results of a competition. Publication of the audit report in the public domain will allow citizens to more fully and effectively exercise the rights granted to them, including to choose the optimal way to manage an apartment building and to make decisions on the ongoing repair of common property,” says the explanatory note to the bill. It is planned that if adopted, the Federal Law will come into force on January 1, 2024.