"It's warm in the bedroom, cold in the living room": where residents of Tatarstan can complain about heating

      The State Housing Inspectorate of the Republic of Tatarstan tightens control: management companies will be fined for lack of heating

      "The consumer must inform that something is wrong"

      The heating season in Tatarstan has been declared, so heat should be supplied to every home. If it is not, residents should contact the management company, Alexander Tygin said. "The consumer must, without fail, inform their management entity that something is wrong. As a rule, at this time it sounds something like: 'The bedroom seems fine, there's no heat in the living room.' That indicates that one riser 'worked' and the other did not," said the head of the State Housing Inspectorate of the Republic of Tatarstan.

      Tygin noted that complaints to the management company or homeowners' association in such cases must be registered. Moreover, it is necessary to ask for the application number. "We must receive a number; this is required by law. This allows us to respond later. If there is no feedback from the management company, then go to the local self-government authorities responsible for heat, the State Housing Inspectorate or the prosecutor's office. Depending on that, we make decisions," he emphasized.

      Tygin added that there are three "echelons of responsibility": resource-supplying organizations, managing organizations and the consumer, who is responsible for the condition of the radiators. "If all three are in order, there will be no problems," he remarked.

      "There will be an administrative response"

      If residents' complaints are confirmed, management companies or HOAs will bear administrative responsibility, Tygin said. "We will make official decisions. This means that if there is no heat, there will be an administrative act. There will be no lenient or conciliatory approach by the inspectorate toward those who failed to provide heat on time. There will be an administrative response. And on such a principle: one confirmed complaint — one fine," said the head of the State Housing Inspectorate.

      He stressed that small children and elderly people living in an apartment without heat cannot wait for weeks. "After all, the inspectorate is not a management body but a supervisory body. And we have come to the conclusion that we must act more promptly and strictly. Therefore, I want to address homeowners once again: there must be an application to the management company, the number of that application, and if there is no feedback — an appeal to the State Housing Inspectorate," Tygin noted.

      This year the State Housing Inspectorate of the republic has already received 18,000 citizen appeals on various issues. More than 3,000 warnings have been issued to violators and 1,000 administrative protocols drawn up.

      "Many complaints about both underheating and overheating"

      The head of the State Housing Inspectorate explained why heat is being supplied gradually rather than to all houses at once. "Until stable subzero temperatures set in — around minus 5–10 degrees — the hydraulics work very poorly. That is, heat may not reach a particular building. Nevertheless, resource-supplying and management companies are obliged to do everything in their power," he emphasized.

      Tygin added that the minimum indoor temperature should be plus 18 degrees, and the maximum plus 22 degrees. "A temperature above 24 degrees is already subject to recalculation. For each degree there is a 0.15 coefficient reduction in payment. There are such complaints, and it cannot be said that they are few. We have many complaints about both underheating and overheating," he reported.

      If the temperature in an apartment is plus 27–28 degrees, this, he said, is an abnormal situation. "The family is forced to open windows. And what if there is a small child? It turns out that the humidity regime in the apartment is disturbed and there is a draft. We immediately have a sick child. Therefore, the indignation is justified. 'Heat won't break your bones,' as people say. Nothing of the sort — this is a bad situation," noted the head of the State Housing Inspectorate.

      Tatarstan residents can submit an appeal in the state housing information system or to the management company if it is necessary to measure the temperature in an apartment. Refusal or inaction in this case will be an administrative violation on their part. "The management bodies have a very large volume of tasks — not only to ensure supply, but also to respond in a timely manner and react quickly. Even if the dispatcher's phone line is busy, you must be called back within 10 minutes. You should not have to call there 20 times in a row. You can even file a complaint with us that no one answers and does not call back. You will only need to provide a screenshot of the call log from your mobile phone," Tygin clarified.

      "Control everything: you pay for this — and demand it from your management entity"

      The cost of utilities is set by the State Committee of the Republic of Tatarstan on Tariffs, including for cold and hot water supply, heat supply, gas supply, electricity supply, solid waste management, and wastewater disposal, the head of the State Housing Inspectorate reminded.

      "A separate line on the bill — maintenance of the residential premises — is established at the general meeting by the apartment owners. If this function is not implemented, the management company uses the executive committee's decree. In that case it cannot add a single kopeck to it," he said.

      Tygin clarified that the decree is published and available for viewing. Residents can check whether the amounts in the bill for this line correspond to the executive committee's decree. "We see that the executive committee's tariffs are mostly used. This is bad. This tariff should be set by the residents. Why didn't they set it, why didn't the meeting take place? Why haven't the management companies received from them a list of works and services for the building?" he emphasized.

      Summing up, Tygin expressed a wish to Tatarstan residents — "always be active homeowners." "If there are at least some active, competent people in each building, we will get a different quality. All management bodies will comply with your demands if you are not passive and you care about the fate of your building. And it doesn't matter what it's about: heating, gas, electricity, snow clearing. Control everything: you pay for it — and demand it from your management entity," he concluded.

      Photo: © Vladimir Vasiliev / Tatar-inform