They decided to change the rules for payment for housing and communal services again: they started talking about personal identification

A new bill directly related to the payment of housing and communal services by the population has been submitted to parliament and has already been posted in the State Duma’s electronic database. As reported in the explanatory note to the document, the maximum limit under which financial organizations may not identify citizens is proposed to be increased from the current 15 thousand rubles immediately to 60 thousand. Such a drastic step immediately gives rise to the suspicion that in the near future the cost of communal services will increase significantly.

Most Russians know about personal identification from the American thriller about Bourne. How they tracked him, but he evaded pursuit. But as for paying bills for heat and hot water, we did it through an ATM or at the management company simply with a receipt – without any passport. Without thinking at all that we are under some kind of “cap.” Only now is it becoming clear that there are certain limits, after exceeding which the state wants to know the face of the client paying for housing and communal services.

The maximum payment amount of 15 thousand rubles, which does not require identification of an individual, was introduced in Russia back in 2009. However, “even at that moment, certain payments for housing and communal services exceeded the maximum amount and required identification of the payer,” the accompanying note states.

We know firsthand what these moments are. This refers to the annual increase in tariffs and the cost of utility resources, which a certain number of Russians are simply physically unable to pay. For example, last year the price of utilities increased in two stages: in the summer by 4%, and in December by another 9%.

Already this year, according to the authors of the document, the average monthly payment for housing and communal services in certain regions of the country will reach a limit of 15 thousand rubles, which will require identification of about 50% of payers. But utility bills will continue to rise in price: next year the budget includes a tariff increase of 9.8%.

– The first thing that comes to mind is that in the near future housing and communal services tariffs will begin to grow so quickly that we will begin to pay up to 60 thousand rubles a month for services. Is there such a moment? – we ask Pavel Sklyanchuk, an expert in the field of housing and communal services, an analyst at the ONF’s “Housing and Urban Environment” thematic platform.

“These are completely groundless fears and they have nothing to do with the increase in housing and communal services tariffs,” he answers. – The proposed changes concern the payment process itself. The country has a federal law called anti-money laundering. According to it, financial organizations engaged in accepting payments, including utility payments, are required to notify Rosfinmonitoring to identify suspicious transfers that may be carried out to launder illegal funds.

Up to 15 thousand rubles, financial institutions had only operating expenses; now the limit will be raised to 60 thousand. This will not affect citizens in any way. This applies only to banks and other paying agents in terms of their financial reporting to Rosfinmonitoring.

– How much do Russians pay on average for housing and communal services today?

– According to the Ministry of Labor, 95% of the population pay an average of 5 to 7 thousand rubles per month. Even up to 15 thousand rubles, the reserve, as you can see, is large.

– I wonder what amounts the remaining 5% pay for utilities?

– For elite square meters the fee is 100 thousand rubles or more per month. There, the provision of public services includes: concierge, parking, lobby, doorman and everything else…

– Now it’s clear why show business stars often refuse to pay off debts for housing and communal services and go to court. There the sums run into the millions…

– Yes, if you have 100 square meters, then you will pay 15-20 thousand for utilities, even if there is no doorman or concierge. Apartments generally have different tariffs – not as for the population, but as for legal entities.

– If an ordinary person pays off his utility debt, say, in six months, does he need to identify himself? And if for some reason a person cannot come to the management company with his passport, let’s say. Ill or away – what to do?

– He can pay the debt in any available way. If not at the office of the management company, then through an ATM in cashless form. Next comes the exchange of information between the paying agent and the supervisory organization. This no longer concerns the payer himself.

Cancellation of identification up to 60 thousand rubles has a certain positive effect. Payment centers reduce operating costs for payment acceptance services. If their financial burden associated with the anti-money laundering law decreases, they can reduce their commission by a fraction of a percent.