Reduced rent if you don't live. How to legally reduce utility bills: practical advice

Yes, with a few simple steps you can significantly reduce your utility bills. For example, install meters, use energy-saving lamps, check what services you pay for without actually receiving them.

2. Apply for a subsidy

If you are a citizen of Russia, Belarus or Kyrgyzstan, you have a permanent residence in Moscow and more than 10% of your family's total income is spent on housing and communal services, and the income itself does not exceed the level established for receiving a subsidy, you can claim compensation for part of your housing and communal expenses . You can find out more about how to get a subsidy for paying utility bills in ours.

3. Make a recalculation

If it is technically impossible to install meters in your apartment and you have been absent for more than five full days, you can request a recalculation of utility bills at the center of public services or at your management company- depending on who sends you the utility bill. For recalculation you will need:

• an inspection report confirming that meters cannot be installed in your apartment;
• a document confirming your absence;
• an application that you can write at the reception at the My Documents center or at your management company.

You can read more about how to issue a recalculation in ours.

4. Install counters

• water meters will allow you to pay only for the water that you used, and, for example, not pay for hot water when it is turned off in the summer to prevent pipes;
• make sure you have a multi-tariff electricity meter. With it, you will be able to pay for electricity at reduced rates during the hours of the semi-peak zone (from 10:00 to 17:00; 21:00–23:00) and the night zone (from 23:00 to 07:00);
• building heat meters In accordance with Part 5 of Art. 13 of the Federal Law No. 261 of November 23, 2009."> must stand in all residential buildings if it is technically possible. If, in addition to such a meter, you put regulators on the radiators in the apartment, then in winter you can install in the apartment comfortable temperature not with the help of an open window, but with the help of these regulators, thus saving heat. Do not cover radiators with screens, furniture, thick curtains to allow heat to circulate freely in the room. Do not leave windows and doors in the hallways open. The more heat loss in the house is reduced, the less you will pay. Consult your management company about the possibility of installing regulators. You can find her contacts on the portal.

You can learn how to install and register counters from ours.

5. Turn off the radio

If a radio point does not work in your apartment, but the “radio and notification” service is indicated in the receipt for payment of housing and communal services, you can refuse to pay for this service by submitting an application to turn off the radio point.

If you receive a single payment document (UPD):

• apply to turn off the radio point in the center of public services.

If instead of the EPD you receive another receipt for housing and communal services:

• contact the Federal State Unitary Enterprise Russian Broadcasting and Alert Networks;
• check with your management company for the possibility to apply. You can find her contacts on the portal.

Attach to the application a receipt for turning off the radio point, a certificate from the public services center "My Documents" about the absence of debt. Be sure to take your passport with you.

6. Turn off the collective TV antenna

If you pay for cable or satellite TV, or don't watch TV at all, you don't have to pay for a community TV antenna. To do this, check with the management company who is the provider of these services for you, and write an application, be sure to take your passport with you. You can find the contacts of your management company on the portal.

The cost of paying utility bills is a standard item in the budget of every homeowner. It happens that the payments are so large that the funds are not enough, and the debts increase monthly. Naturally, many are looking for ways to reduce utility bills for an apartment. There are several of them and they are all completely legal.

Getting Social Benefits

The list and conditions for receiving social benefits are prescribed in a number of legislative acts. In particular, in the legislation on veterans of the Great Patriotic War and combatants, the disabled and the poor, etc. While the housing code itself does not regulate this issue. You can reduce utility bills for the following categories of people:

• having limited opportunities– 50% of the cost;
• over 80 years old - 30% of the cost;
• minor orphans - by 30%;
• large families - from 30 to 50%.

To reduce payment utilities Only one of the above grounds can be used by obtaining a benefit.

Registration of subsidies

Making a subsidy is another example of how to reduce utility bills. This is a scheme of state reimbursement of expenses for paying utility bills. The payment mechanism is detailed in Article 159 of the LC RF. The following persons may apply for grants:

• living in public housing;
• using residential space under a lease agreement;
• members of housing cooperatives;
• property owners.

The amount by which it will be possible to reduce utility costs is determined individually for each specific case, based on the share of costs in family budget and standards adopted for the region.

Decrease in cost due to poor quality of services

If the owner of the apartment is not satisfied with the quality of the services provided, he has the right to demand a recalculation of the cost. The reasons for such treatment may be: interruptions or complete absence of water supply, electricity supply, gas supply, as well as heating supply inconsistent with temperature standards. This is another way to reduce utility bills, but, unfortunately, they do not use it often, perhaps because each fact must be recorded by contacting the dispatcher or emergency service.

Reducing the number of prescribed

The number of persons registered in a municipal apartment directly affects the cost of housing and communal services. Therefore, if you want to reduce costs, find an opportunity to write out everyone who does not actually live on it. This measure is recommended not only to reduce costs, but also as a preparation for the transaction for those who are planning privatization. Otherwise, it is likely that after privatization it will be necessary to buy out rooms or shares in order to make the apartment completely your own.

Paying monthly rent on the account, not everyone realizes how much you can save if you approach each item of expenses with all responsibility. But it’s enough just to spend a little time analyzing the costs of all types of services and thereby highlighting those for which, perhaps, there is an overpayment.

Further, in order to verify your assumptions, you need to draw up an action plan for at least a month, which will be taken in order to reduce the cost of utility bills. If you competently approach the matter and stick to the established plan for a month, the new amount in the next payment can be a pleasant surprise.

Dear readers! The article talks about typical ways to solve legal issues, but each case is individual. If you want to know how solve exactly your problem- contact a consultant:

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The main way to reduce the cost of housing and communal services, as a rule, is their more economical consumption. If you follow certain rules and develop established habits in everyday life, you can save a lot. This is quite easy to achieve: you just need to constantly monitor whether appliances in the apartment are used unnecessarily.

Payment Methods

You can start saving directly from the utility payment method. Considering that there are a lot of possible types of payment for these services, it is necessary to choose the most profitable one.

Some banks do not charge a commission for utility payments, as they enter into an agreement with management companies. By opening a card in one of these banks (for example, at Sberbank), you can conveniently and without commission make monthly rent payments in your personal account or through.

How to save on rent

The cost of utilities, as a rule, increases annually. Unfortunately, not all groups of the population experience wage increases with the same frequency. Therefore, for many citizens, the question of how to save on rent is constantly relevant.

However, not everyone can reduce costs, because, in addition to individual payments, there are also fixed ones.

The latter include payments:

• for the maintenance of the elevator;
• for maintenance and repair of the intercom;
• for the maintenance of the building and repair work in the house;
• for waste collection and disposal, etc.

However, you can save on such a significant part of the costs as individual payments.

They include payments for:

• electricity;
• water heating;
• cold and hot water supply.

The right choice of apartment

It is possible to foresee forthcoming payments for housing and communal services even at the stage of acquiring housing. In different houses, the cost of services can vary significantly. As a rule, in private houses, the costs will be significantly lower compared to multi-storey residential buildings.

There will be a big difference in payments depending on the heating system. If the heating in the apartment is individual, and not central, the costs will be less.

Sometimes adjoining territory provides for parking, so if you do not need it, you should choose houses without paid parking.

Installation of counters

Metering devices for monitoring the consumption of services will help save a lot of money. It is recommended to install individual meters for all possible types of utilities.

In the water supply system, meters are installed directly after the shut-off valve, which can be closed in the event of a water leak in the apartment.

To control the cost of electricity, you need to install a meter for electricity. Considering that the meters are different, you should find out about the type of appliance suitable for your home at the settlement center.

When using gas supply in an apartment, it makes sense to install a gas meter, when choosing which you need to take into account its main technical specifications(maximum load, optimum temperature etc.

Commission

Some points that accept payments for utilities charge a commission. The percentage may vary. So, at the post office you will need to pay about 5% of the payment amount. Therefore, in order to save money, it is advisable to find a reception point,.

Refusal of unnecessary services

Significant savings in annual terms can be made by abandoning unused and rarely used services.

A striking example is a landline telephone, which in most cases is not used on a daily basis, but requires a monthly subscription fee. The same applies to radio and fixed antenna.

Correctness control

In order not to overpay, you need to develop the habit of constantly checking bills for their correctness. The individual part is easy to check, since counters are installed everywhere, the readings of which are transmitted independently. As for general house expenses, not everything can be so transparent.

If the next invoice for any item contains an amount that differs significantly from the previous ones, then most likely there has been a recalculation by the management company.

In this case, the reason for the formation of a new amount may be related to:

• mistake of the management company;
• adding the previously unpaid part of the accrued amount for services;
• closing the financial holes of the housing administration by increasing the tariffs for the residents of the house for the services provided.

Since the payment order does not provide comments on the increase in the amount payable, the reason can only be found out by contacting the management company by submitting a written request, to which the applicant must receive a detailed reasoning answer.

The application is submitted in two copies indicating the name of the director of the management company. The applicant must be provided with a response no later than 20 days, and if the application was sent to email companies, then within two days.

Saving Highlights

With economical consumption of services, you can significantly reduce the cost of rent. The main thing is not to go too far, giving up almost all household amenities for this purpose. We share secrets on how you can save on various types utilities without resorting to illegal methods.

In case of departure for a long time, it is recommended to use the service. To do this, you need to write an application to an authorized organization with a request not to accrue utility bills, since no one will live in the apartment within the specified time frame. Based on the application, the rent will be charged only at the minimum.

Subsidy

- This is a state benefit aimed at partial repayment of the payment for housing and communal services, to which citizens with low incomes or those who are unemployed for valid reasons (for example, due to limited opportunities) have the right.

At the expense of the subsidy, you can receive compensation for the costs of housing and communal services if the costs for them exceed a certain percentage of officially confirmed income (depending on the region of residence - from 10 to 22 percent).

An application for a subsidy can be submitted directly to the social security service, as well as through the MFC or the public services portal on the network

You can qualify for the benefit:

• , Chernobyl victims;
• relatives of the dead soldiers;
• , parents of disabled people;
• and large families.

Heroes of the USSR (including the heroes of Socialist Labor) and Russia receive full exemption from payment of housing and communal services.

If the family leaves for a long time or lives in another city

If the family leaves the apartment for a long time, then you can save on housing and communal services through recalculation. This is especially true in summer time years, when people go to their country house or on a tourist trip, and when it makes no sense to overpay for unused services.

Recalculation is possible if the family does not live in the apartment for 5 or more calendar days, not including days of departure and arrival.

To receive a recalculation, an application is made to the organization involved in the calculation of rent. In most cases, this is the Unified Settlement Center, and when organizing a partnership, it is a management company, the details of which are indicated on the receipt. Documents proving the fact of departure for the specified period are attached to the application.

Supporting documents may include:

• a copy of the travel certificate certified by the personnel department;
• a copy of the permit to the sanatorium;
• copies and originals of travel tickets, hotel bills;
• temporary registration at the place of stay in another city;
• a copy of the pages of a foreign passport with marks on crossing the border;
• a certificate issued by a gardening partnership (in case of staying in the country).

Of course, when leaving, you should turn off all energy-consuming appliances in order not to pay for electricity.

You can get recalculation for the following types of services:

• cold, hot water, sewerage - provided that individual meters are not installed on the water;
• gas (also in the absence of a meter in the apartment);
• elevator service.

Regardless of the fact of residence in the apartment, services are subject to payment for:

• heating;
• maintenance of the housing stock;
• city ​​telephone, TV antenna, radio.

Calculation example

Initial data: a family consisting of two adults and two children paying for gas monthly 45 rubles. per person, for hot water - 260 rubles, for cold - 100 rubles, for sewage - 120 rubles.

Calculation: for four, as a result, per month it turns out: (45 + 260 + 100 + 120) x4 \u003d 2100 rubles. In one day it comes out: 2100:30 = 70 rubles.

In the event of the departure of the whole family for a 28-day vacation, the rent can be reduced by 70x28 = 1960 rubles.

Required documents

For some reason, a person may not live at the place of permanent registration. However, according to Art. 153 of the Housing Code of the Russian Federation, the obligation to pay rests with all owners. However, in some cases it is possible not to pay for the services provided or to recalculate the amount indicated on the receipt. We will tell in the article how utility bills are paid if a person is registered but does not live.

The obligation to pay payments for the provision of utility services rests with the owner of the housing from the moment of its purchase. This means that even if no one is registered in the dwelling, but it belongs to some person, the utility service is considered to be provided.

The regulations for payment of utility bills are regulated by Section VII of the Housing Code of the Russian Federation. Specific instructions for paying for housing and communal services are prescribed:

• in Art. 154 LC RF - regulates the structure of payment;
• in Art. 155 of the LC RF - establishes the procedure for making payments and regulates the terms of payment, the purpose of the payment and its recipient;
• in Art. 157 of the Housing Code of the Russian Federation - fixes the rules for calculating payments if measuring devices are installed in the residential premises and if there are none.

The amount of payment for utilities increases if the number of registered persons increases. Only payment for heating and rent remains unchanged.

Thus, if a person is registered in an apartment, but does not live, the payment for utilities (except for heating and rent) will be calculated in proportion to the number of registered persons. That is, it does not matter whether a person lives in an apartment or not in fact.

The owner can influence registered tenants and force them to pay their share of utility bills. There are three levers of influence: to divide personal accounts, go to court or threaten with eviction.

The basis for the court will be Article 61, Part 2 of the Code of Civil Procedure of the Russian Federation. The court can make a decision in which it will be recognized that the citizens registered in the apartment have lost their rights, and also demand that the debt on utility bills be paid by force. To do this, you will need to provide a receipt from which it will be clear that all payments were made by the owner of the property. Before starting litigation, you should consult with a professional housing lawyer.

How not to pay utility bills if you do not live in an apartment?

It is possible to reduce payment for utility bills if a person is registered in an apartment, but does not live, and peacefully. We'll tell you how to do it.

How can I reduce my rent and heating bills?

In any case, you will have to pay the rent and heating payments. This is because it is the responsibility of the owner.

Heating bills are inevitable. It cannot be turned off, as in winter this is fraught with serious consequences. The payment can be reduced by installing a meter.

You can reduce the payment for gas if you put a seal on the gas valve. To do this, you need to contact the company responsible for the gas supply, and write there a corresponding application with a request to block access to gas. This option is possible if the owner has no debt for gas supply.

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This service is provided for a fee. Specialists from the gas service, based on the application of the owner, will shut off the gas the next day. When necessary, the owner will be able to write a statement asking him to remove the seal.

But on payments for garbage disposal will not work. If someone is registered in the apartment, then even the fact of his non-residence is not a basis for canceling the payment. Only an extract or confirmation that the person lives at a different address, where he pays this payment, will help.

If no one is registered or lives in the apartment, how to pay for water and electricity according to meters?

If measuring devices are installed in the apartment, then you need to pay based on these readings. Accordingly, if no one lives in the premises, payment will not be charged.

Regarding payments for water supply, we can say that in the absence of meters, it is necessary to do the same as with gas. The management company writes a statement on the basis of which the flow of water into the apartment is blocked. If there is a meter, but no one lives in the apartment, then you should also notify the service provider about this.

It is also better to turn off the electricity. This will avoid misunderstandings if it occurs to someone to “twist” the counter.

Thus, if there are no meters in the apartment, the best way out in order not to pay for the provision of water and light is to contact the supplier. You will need to provide:

• statement;
• certificate of ownership of the apartment;
• certificate of registration at a different address.

This will help achieve exemption from payment for water and electricity supply. If for some reason it is not possible to obtain release, you should go to court to resolve the issue. We recommend that you consult with a real estate lawyer first.

How to reduce utility bills if a person is registered but does not live

If a citizen has not lived in an apartment for more than five days, utility payments can be recalculated.

Thus, it will be possible to reduce the amount of payment for gas, water and electricity.

The long-term absence of a person registered in the apartment must be confirmed by one of the following documents:

1. Information about being on a business trip.
2. A medical certificate confirming the fact that the person is in the hospital.
3. Tickets confirming the fact of departure and arrival.
4. Another document, according to which it is clear that the person lived at a different address.
5. Certificate confirming the presence of registration at the place of actual residence.

Recalculation will be made within five business days. The result of the recalculation will be reflected in the payment receipt for the next reporting period.

In any case, in order for the payment of utility bills, if a person is registered but does not live, to be reduced, it is necessary to provide a document confirming the fact of being in another place of residence. The installation of meters will also help reduce the amount of payments.

How you can save on utility bills in 2020, current ways.

Dear readers! The article talks about typical ways to solve legal issues, but each case is individual. If you want to know how solve exactly your problem- contact a consultant:

APPLICATIONS AND CALLS ARE ACCEPTED 24/7 and 7 days a week.

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How to save water, gas and electricity to reduce your monthly utility bills.

Payment for utility services

Payment of utility services refers to the necessary monthly expenses.

The amount of rent increases not only with the onset of heating season, but also annually, after the July increase in prices for utilities.

Therefore, the question of how to reduce the cost of resources is relevant for all segments of the population.

You can act logically - consume less electricity, refuse to wash dishes hot water and taking a bath, write out persons not living in the apartment, etc.

There are many ways to save on utility bills legally, without the use of magnets on meters and other frauds.

The amount of utilities used is indicated in the form, which is sent monthly to property owners.

In it is necessary to enter meter readings for the calculation for the current month.

And the first way to save on rent is to pay the entire amount on time, that is, no later than the 10th day of each month.

If the delay is allowed, interest will be charged relating to additional and absolutely unnecessary expenses.

Payment Methods

In Russia, several methods of paying for utilities have been introduced:

Each of these methods has both advantages and disadvantages. All of them have one thing in common - a commission for making a payment.

Video: how to save on utility bills

In this case, you can save money by trial method, registering on different sites and contacting several banks.

Reflection in law

regulates the rules for calculating and paying rent:

Most importantly, the law provides for liability for incorrect accounting of data on meters.

It is forbidden to indicate the wrong amount of consumed resources, remove the seal and install magnets.

If a violation is detected, then a fine is imposed on the user and the meters may be withdrawn with subsequent payment according to the standards.

How to reduce utility bills

Efficiency and frugality do not belong to human vices, but on the contrary, it allows you to save some money to fulfill an old dream or simply get rid of debts.

Therefore, it is worth starting to solve the problem of reducing the rent now, using one or more methods for this.

To begin with, we note that it is not possible to save on utility bills for all types of services.

There is a so-called fixed fee, that is, equal for everyone:

• elevator;
• overhaul, etc.

You will have to pay for these services in any case, even if you are a supporter of a healthy lifestyle and do not use the elevator, preferring to go up and down the stairs.

The amount payable is calculated based on the cost of 1 service unit multiplied by the number of registered persons.

And if all citizens are discharged from the apartment, they still have to pay, but at the minimum rate.

Therefore, it is possible to reduce the amount of rent by deregistering persons who do not live in the apartment or those who can register in another place where the payment for housing and communal services is much lower (for example, in a private house or in an apartment with no elevator and trash can).

Choice of housing

If the question of saving on rent arose even at the stage of buying a home, then you have the opportunity to solve the problem before it occurs.

The cost of housing and communal services differs, depending on the type of house, its age, location and other factors.

Old low-rise buildings lack an elevator and a garbage chute, which reduces utility costs.

Also pay attention to heating. If a boiler room is built near the house, that is, residents use an individual heating system, then this increases the cost of the service (sometimes, on the contrary, reduces the cost).

When choosing housing and communicating with owners, you need to pay attention not only to planning and repairs, but also to payments for housing and communal services.

After analyzing several apartments, you can determine where accommodation is cheaper.

Also, when looking for housing, consider:

It is most advantageous in terms of payment for housing and communal services to live in a private house.

Despite the need to pay land tax annually, the rent in a building of an individual structure is much lower than in an apartment.

Installation of metering devices

Benefit from the installation of counters is noted after the first month of use.

The costs of housing and communal services are reduced by at least 20%. It is advantageous to install metering devices in apartments where many people are registered, that is, the calculation of the rent is carried out regardless of the number of residents.

Meters make people economical, make them conserve natural resources (for example, turn off the lights in a room where there is no one).

The installation of appliances is especially relevant in the question of how to reduce utility bills if no one lives in the apartment.

For example, a home is being prepared for sale or the owner is temporarily residing elsewhere.

In this case, you will have to pay only for fixed services, which we talked about above.

Savings after installing meters are noted after the introduction of the rule that citizens who do not use meters will pay 2 times more.

In the future, it is planned to toughen the punishment for those who ignored the requirements of the law.

Payment without commission

Paying utility bills without a commission is now quite problematic.

An additional fee is charged at postal and bank branches, at ATMs and on Internet resources as well.

The only way to save on commissions is to cooperate with a bank that has this service.

To do this, you will need to open an account, either replenish it regularly, or receive a salary.

Cancellation of some services

Many citizens pay for services they do not use.

For example:

1. Landline phone.
2. Intercom.
3. Radio, etc.

If you can call such services unnecessary, then terminate the contract, which will allow you to save a certain amount every month.

Checking the correctness of the calculation of the rent

High utility bills are not always the result of high water or electricity consumption.

Sometimes the reason lies in the incorrect calculation of payments:

Starting from 2012, in the forms of receipts for payment of housing and communal services, the name of the service, the cost of 1 unit and the total amount are indicated.

In payment orders, information is provided in expanded form for the payer. Therefore, it is not difficult to calculate the amount of the rent.

Consumption saving mode

If all of the above methods are used, and the amount for housing and communal services is not significantly reduced, it is worth acting radically - saving on resource consumption.

This does not mean that you should give up hot water or in the evening, light candles instead of lamps. But a certain mode is still worth introducing.

Electricity

To save on electricity, it is not necessary to give up the usual daily activities and entertainment.

It is enough to follow a few simple rules:

And don't forget that romantic evening by candlelight will make you and your loved one closer and help you save on rent.

Hot and cold water supply

If you began to notice that the amount for hot and cold water supply in the payment for utilities has become higher, analyze the condition of the faucets and plumbing.

Perhaps the faucet or toilet bowl is leaking. The breakdown should be repaired immediately to eliminate the risk of neighbors flooding and leakage of large amounts of water.

An important point - you can reduce utility bills at the time of departure by blocking the risers.

Restricting water access to plumbing is required to prevent pipe breaks and other troubles that can result in high costs for repairing the apartment of neighbors from the lower floors.

There are several ways to save water:

The main focus should be on saving hot water, it is several dozen times more expensive than cold water.

If you have a lot of free time, then it is better to heat the liquid in a kettle on a gas stove (gas is cheaper than other resources).

If possible, install gas water heater.

Be sure to keep an eye on children - they are the ones who spend the most water. Teach from early childhood to turn off the faucet after washing hands and brushing teeth.

Often, children forget about this, subsequently causing parents to be surprised at the utility bill.

Heating and gas

It is easiest to save on heating in a private house, adjusting the temperature at your discretion.

AT apartment buildings the situation is different. But there is a way out here too. First of all, it is worth replacing old windows with plastic ones, which better retain heat in the room.

The service is expensive, but in the future you will not only feel the comfort of using these windows, but also start saving.

And for this, special radiators with a built-in valve are installed in the apartments.

When the air temperature rises, it is blocked, and heating is consumed less.

In order to save money, apartment residents install a meter and this species services. This possibility is provided in new houses.

Gas in 2020, as in past years, is the cheapest resource.

Therefore, it is advantageous to install a gas water heater and use a conventional kettle rather than an electrical appliance. But gas should not be wasted either.

To save money, you need to cook at the level of fire that is recommended to be maintained according to the cooking recipe.

Existing benefits

The state of the Russian Federation provides for benefits for the poor and in social support for segments of the population.

It provides for the payment of housing and communal services, compensation of part of the funds spent.

This is the most effective method savings, but it is quite difficult to achieve participation in social programs.

Benefits may be eligible for:

• the poor;
• members of the liquidation group at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant.

To apply for a grant, you will need to prepare a number of documents:

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