Is it possible to refuse to install a gas meter: what does the law provide?
Have you ever had to refuse to install a gas meter? The step is quite desperate, because according to the law, every owner must install a gas meter inside his home. This obligation is imposed on every citizen of the Russian Federation who owns real estate, so ignoring the need to install such a device will have unpleasant consequences for him in the form of a fine.
At the same time, the user of the new equipment receives an invoice to pay for the meter, and, accordingly, its installation. Agree, a paid service should imply the possibility of choice, which is why it is so important to find out how to refuse to install a gas meter in your own home and whether this can be done legally.
Many residents of private and apartment buildings are outraged by the new rules for the forced installation of such a device, so the question of the possibility of refusing the service is becoming more acute every day. We will help you understand the specifics of the law and understand whether it is possible to refuse the service without consequences.
The content of the article:
What does the law say?
According to Federal Law No. 261 “On energy saving and increasing energy efficiency and on amendments to certain legislative acts of the Russian Federation”, owners of private houses and apartment owners who use gas are required to install gas meters.
As an exception, all residents of the house who use gas only for cooking may not install expensive meter. In other words, owners of private housing or apartments who do not use gas equipment to heat their premises are exempt from complying with the law.
In this case, payment for gas is made in accordance with the standards, and the amount to be paid is calculated based on the number of persons living in the apartment. The law also does not apply to residents of apartments and houses where the consumption of gas used for heating does not exceed 2 cubic meters per hour.
In addition to these cases, all residents of the country who own real estate were required to install a gas meter before January 1, 2019. Before refusing to install a gas meter, you should understand that the device will be forcibly installed by utility workers in any case.
Refusal to install a meter
If the owner refuses to voluntarily install a meter, then employees of the gas distribution company have the right to force it. In this case, the owner is obliged to provide specialists with the opportunity to carry out installation of a gas flow meter in an apartment.
Regardless of whether the meter is installed with the consent of the owner or not, all costs of its installation will be collected from the consumer.
At the moment, the gas distribution company has not established any fines for failure to comply with the law on installing a gas meter.
If the owner is in no hurry to submit an application for the need to install a parting to the territorial office of the gas service, he will not bear any responsibility for ignoring the law, which cannot be said about obstructing installation work by gas service specialists.
There are also preferential categories of the population for which free installation of gas meters is provided. Read more in this material.
Fine for obstructing the installation of a meter
If the owner does not agree with the need to install a gas meter, he will have to allow gas company employees into his home and not interfere with the installation work.
If the owner of the property refuses to carry out the above actions, service specialists have the right to file a lawsuit for obstruction of mandatory maintenance.
The homeowner is obliged to provide gas workers with access to maintain gas equipment. It is during the process of carrying out scheduled work that the absence of a gas meter is discovered.
It is for refusing to let gas service workers in to carry out maintenance that the home owner is subject to a fine of up to 2,000 rubles.
Cost of work
Today, installing a gas distribution meter is classified as an expensive service, which is why many consumers refuse the service.On average, including installation, a new gas meter will cost a resident of Russia about 8,000 rubles, depending on the chosen model of the device.
The approximate cost of gas meters suitable for an apartment starts from 2,000 rubles, although most models are in the price category of about 3,500 rubles. That is, if you want to purchase a high-quality meter, you will need to pay additionally for installation, including the cost of the necessary materials.
Since this amount turned out to be too high for many citizens of the country, which is why not all consumers can pay at one time, the gas companies met their customers halfway. Now the gas distribution company provides installment plans for the service, allowing consumers to pay a set amount in several payments.
The promised installment plan will be provided to the gas consumer at 7.75% per annum. The maximum payment period is five years, but if the buyer wishes, it can be reduced.
Is it profitable to install a meter?
If previously payments for gas were calculated depending on the number of registered residents, then with the installation of a meter, the user pays for the actual consumption of energy resources.
The volume of gas consumed is indicated on the meter reading, which means that many consumers will no longer need to pay random amounts displayed on receipts. Thus, each citizen can independently regulate the amount of gas consumed.
Gas service workers are conducting mass instructions to the population about the need to install meters and the responsibility for using such equipment. The possibility of obtaining an installment plan makes it easier for many citizens of the country, so there are fewer and fewer people who want to refuse to install a meter.
Responsibility for operation of metering devices
The owner of the premises where the gas meter is installed is responsible for the condition and operation of the device. Immediately after installing the gas meter, the home owner must sign maintenance contract gas appliances with the relevant organization, whose responsibilities include periodic gas meter verification.
The procedure for signing an agreement with a gas company is a mandatory condition for every home owner with gas equipment connected to it. In this case, an agreement can be concluded with the organization installing the meter, or any other energy supply company.
When found problems with the counter, specialists remove it for repair work. Often the manufacturer repairs the device. After all faults have been eliminated, the device is installed in its original place, and company employees are required to recheck its operation.
Conclusions and useful video on the topic
You can find out who still has the right to disagree with the installation of a gas meter from the video:
The article presented the most important points regarding the installation of a gas meter, including the cost of services, and revealed the main question of whether a citizen of the Russian Federation can refuse to install a gas meter. The law states that all homeowners must install the device, with a few exceptions.
Any obstruction of gas company workers in carrying out installation work will result in fines and even legal proceedings. As a result, installing a gas meter will cost much less.
You can talk about how you managed to refuse to install a gas meter or share your own experience of installing the device. Please also tell us about the costs that you had to cover during the installation process. Tell your story in the comments below. There you can also get professional advice from our regular experts.
I am 73 years old. I am registered with my daughter, who does not live with me. 3-room apartment for 2 owners. I'm not the owner. I pay gas for my daughter and myself all year round. 2100. Gas stove. Old Swedish stove with gas. We turn it on for the winter. pension 10500 5 thousand I pay utilities. The daughter has been living with her husband and their children (3) for 15 years. Where can I get money for the counter? I barely have enough pension for three weeks.. I can’t even get a loan.. I think this is a law for those who need to make money by selling these accounts. We think not about people, but about private companies. I feel sorry for us pensioners...
Mom lives in a private house, there is no meter, the gas workers agreed on the condition that she would simply pay a certain amount per month, everything was ok, but then a fine of 60 thousand rubles came, but if paid today or tomorrow, the fine could cost completely 20 thousand rubles. Please tell me what kind of system this is and are such “fines” legal?
Good afternoon. Payment for gas consumption without a meter depends on two indicators:
1. The number of people living in the house.
2. Number of gas installations.
It should be taken into account that one person consumes 10 m3 of gas per month if only one hob is used in the house. This figure is average, because each republic, territory or region has its own indicator.
If, in addition to the gas stove, a water heater is also used to provide the house with hot water, then the amount of gas doubles. It's the same with the heating boiler. That is, the more equipment that runs on gas, the more you will have to pay.
The same goes for the number of people permanently living in the house. Guests and temporary residents are not counted.
In short, whatever one may say, the owner pays for everything, although gas workers need meters.
How to understand all this and where in the Constitution are there such provisions providing for violence with benefit?