Documents
Documents and procedures
A dispute over charges almost always comes down to one question: what can you show to back up your position? Verbal agreements with a dispatcher and unrecorded phone calls prove very little, while a bill with a receipt, a meter replacement report or an application marked as received prove a great deal. Below is what papers are worth keeping and what to check in them.
A folder of bills looks dull right up to the day you are told you owe money you never ran up. On that day it becomes your strongest argument.
Below are general tips on keeping paperwork and a plain summary of the Russian Housing Code without the legal fine print. The documents issued in your building, their names and their forms may differ. If you are not sure whether you need a paper, it is better to keep it than to have to recover it later. Rules differ in other countries, so if you live outside Russia, check your own rules.
Which papers to keep
| Document | Why | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Bills and payment receipts | Prove that a payment was made and for which period | Whether the account number, period and amount on the receipt match the bill; whether the payee and the transaction date are shown |
| Reports on meter verification, installation and replacement | Show from what date the meter counts as working properly and from which readings it started | The meter's serial number, the date, the opening readings, the signatures of both parties and the next verification date, if stated |
| Applications marked as received | Prove that you made an enquiry and exactly when | Whether your copy carries a date, a reference number or the signature of the person who accepted it; whether the attachments are kept |
| Replies from the management company | Record the company's position and the actions it has promised | The date of the reply, the decision, the reference to your enquiry and the deadline for correcting the charges |
Meter or consumption standard
Article 157(1) of the Russian Housing Code sets a simple rule: utility charges are calculated from consumption measured by meters, and where there are no meters, from consumption standards. In other words, a meter lets you pay for what you actually used, while a standard is an average figure for those who have no meter.
The detailed calculation procedure, including cases where readings were not submitted or a meter has broken down, is set out in the Rules for the Provision of Utility Services approved by Russian Government Resolution No. 354 of 6 May 2011. If the calculation on your bill is not what you expected, ask the management company for a written explanation of the method used.
Related sections
- Guides
Step-by-step guides: how to check a monthly bill, submit meter readings on time, ask for a recalculation and keep your payments straight when you move.
- Examples
Hypothetical examples: someone else's readings on your bill, a standard despite a meter, a long absence, double billing, old arrears, cold "hot" water.
- Terms
A resident's glossary: account number, billing period, recalculation, single payment document, meters, consumption standard, verification and who is who.
Sources
- Housing Code of the Russian Federation, Articles 155 and 157
- Rules for the Provision of Utility Services (Russian Government Resolution No. 354 of 6 May 2011)
These materials are based on the Russian Housing Code and the Russian Rules for the Provision of Utility Services. Deadlines, billing methods and tariffs for a particular building also depend on the management contract, decisions of the general meeting and regional regulations, so check important questions against official sources and your own documents. Rules differ in other countries: if you live elsewhere, check the rules that apply to you.