On September 24, 2021, new meter verification standards came into force. Many consumers are concerned about this issue, as they fear both an increase in the price for undergoing the procedure and an increase in the amount of payment for the consumption of resources.
Amendments have been made to the Law “On Ensuring the Uniformity of Measurements” and, it should be immediately noted that they do not pose any special difficulties for owners of measuring instruments. In accordance with the amendments to the Law, only the procedure for confirming the fact of verification has changed: from September 24, 2020, only the entry in the electronic Register of Rosstandart is relevant
. At the same time, at the request of the consumer, a documentary (paper) version can also be obtained, but its role and significance are reduced to reference information; it no longer has legal force.
However, all owners of metering devices who received documents before September 24
, do not have to worry, since all the evidence is valid until the end of the verification interval. That is, the transition occurs simultaneously, but the interests of all consumers are taken into account.
In accordance with the introduced standards, after checking the meter, the responsible person - the specialist carrying out the work - must enter data into the Register of the Federal State Information System "Arshin". In this case, it is mandatory that the procedure must be carried out within 24 hours after the work has been carried out, and the consumer can access the information after entering the meter number into the system. Thus, everything happens quickly and transparently, but for the consumer there is a kind of “threat” in the form of “forgetfulness” of a specialist who simply may not provide the necessary information within the allotted time frame. Therefore, it is recommended to enter data in the presence of the client. In case of an oversight by a specialist or an oversight by the customer, it will be necessary to prove the fact of verification and, accordingly, the reliability of the data obtained using the measuring device in court.
Why is it necessary to check the water meter and how is it carried out?
In accordance with paragraphs. dp.34 of section V of the Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation dated May 6, 2011 No. 354, one of the responsibilities of consumers of utility services is to ensure periodic inspection of the water meter.
The only exceptions are those cases when the contract with the contractor stipulates that this procedure must be carried out by him.
This need is dictated by the provisions of the Federal Law of the Russian Federation “On Ensuring the Uniformity of Measurements”. Thus, over time, certain changes may occur in the operation of the meter, which ultimately affects the reliability of the displayed readings for hot and cold water consumption. In this regard, the main purpose of examining water metering devices is to avoid significant errors in measuring the volume of resource consumed. Why? Because it has a direct impact on the amount of water charges.
The general procedure for conducting an inspection in relation to meters is disclosed in Order of the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation dated July 2, 2015 No. 1815. This procedure is carried out in the following sequence:
- First of all, the owner of the premises must call the employees of an accredited organization with which he has an agreement to provide such services.
- The further course of action depends on the level of equipment of the company that checks the measuring instruments. There are two possible options:
- if technically possible, the meter will be inspected on the spot;
- If the called specialists do not have suitable equipment, the water measuring device will be removed and taken away for inspection.
It is worth noting that in the second case, the consumer must first notify the contractor about the date of removal and installation of the meter.
If during the inspection it is discovered that the meter is faulty, it will be repaired or replaced.
- After carrying out all the necessary manipulations, the specialists who verified the device will perform the following actions (clause 4 of Section I of the Order mentioned above):
- they will put a special sign on the meter itself;
- prepare an inspection certificate;
- will make a corresponding entry in the technical data sheet of the equipment.
- After completing this procedure, the apartment owner must send a copy of the inspection certificate to the contractor (management company or water utility).
What is more profitable - to believe or replace?
There is no clear answer.
To determine what is more profitable to do - replace or verify water meters - you need to analyze all the information.
Checking the water meter is simple, but there are some nuances:
- Suitable for large cities or large settlements where there is at least some competition among accredited metrology companies. In small towns, due to the lack of competition, the cost of the study may be equal to or higher than the cost of purchasing and replacing the meter.
- The check can be done with or without removing the device. If it is planned to hand over the device with dismantling, then the owner will face additional expenses:
- dismantling the water meter at your own expense;
- delivery of the device to metrologists, including travel costs and research fees, also at your own expense;
- installation of a water meter in place at your own expense if the results of the study are positive.
According to statistics, only less than half of the meters are tested for compliance with the information stated in the passport. The remaining metering devices are considered unsuitable for use because they distort the data. It turns out that their owners wasted their money on verification. True, now some (not all) meter verification companies do not take money from the consumer if the device turns out to be faulty during testing.
The replacement procedure follows almost the same scenario, starting from the moment of installation, but in a shorter time.
Everyone has the right to decide what is more profitable to do on their own. For residents of large settlements, verification is preferable, but before that you will need to check your water meter for:
- no damage or fogging;
- presence of all fillings;
- rotation of the star indicator when opening a water tap.
How to find out the verification period
The specific timing of testing devices for metering water consumption is established depending on its type and model. In this case, such information must be recorded in the meter’s passport.
However, in addition to studying the technical documentation, there are other ways to quickly find out the exact date of such verification. This includes:
- Receipts for payment of utility bills. Typically, this document also includes information about the upcoming meter verification date.
- Official websites of city mayor's offices (for example, the Mayor of Moscow). Information about the timing of the meter inspection can be obtained by submitting readings online.
- You can call the organization with which you have entered into an agreement to provide services for assessing the condition of water meters.
In addition, in addition to the mandatory periodic inspections, the property owner has the right to do additional meter inspections.
Important! If a seal is broken or verification marks are violated, then calling specialists is mandatory.
And one more important point: do not believe any suspicious letter from your mailbox telling you to check your meter. Check the information with your management company (or HOA, etc.)! Companies that check meters often appear to be scammers!
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Your water meter verification period has expired - what to do?
In practice, situations often occur when citizens forget to check their water meter regularly. In such a case, a completely logical question arises - what to do? How to correct the situation if the verification period has expired?
So, if the date for the mandatory inspection of water meters is overdue, you need to call a metrologist as soon as possible so that he can carry out all the procedures.
If, as a result of this check, it turns out that the existing errors are within normal limits, then there will be no significant changes. The specialist will perform only standard procedures (preparing a certificate, marking the device itself and recording it in the technical passport).
If it turns out that the meter reflects incorrect readings or is completely out of order, then you will need to replace it with a new one.
Penalty for late verification
For untimely verification of utility metering devices, incl. and water, no fines are established at the legislative level.
The main consequence that awaits the owner who has delayed the scheduled meter inspection is payment for water according to general standards, and not for the actual volume consumed.
Possible consequences and penalties
The main consequence of delay is an increase in utility bills for water. At first, payments for the supplied resource will be calculated by payment centers based on its average consumption over the last six months.
In the future, the amount of payments for water will increase, since the calculations will begin to take into account the standard along with an increasing coefficient.
There are no penalties for delaying the verification procedure .
The consumer may incur a large debt as a result of recalculation for the entire period when the flow meter was not verified. Such a debt can be challenged in court. Fines can only be imposed when the consumer has damaged the seal on the water meter or torn it off.
Water meter verification is overdue: judicial practice
In judicial practice, there are many proceedings related to the accrual of increased water charges due to the fact that the period for checking the device has passed and the owner of the premises is overdue for it. For example, the following cases can be cited:
- In December 2021, the Vachsky District Court of the Nizhny Novgorod Region received a statement of claim from a prosecutor acting in the interests of citizen M.V. Kotereva. The subject of the claim was a demand to the resource supplying organization to recalculate payments for hot and cold water and pay compensation for moral damage. The plaintiff motivated his claims by the fact that, due to the fault of the contractor, the deadline for checking the meters was overdue and therefore the cost of this utility service was calculated at the general tariff.
The court made a decision to refuse to satisfy the claims, citing the fact that the obligation to verify the heat exchanger measuring instruments lies not only with the contractor, but also with the consumer of such resources. The owner of the apartment, knowing that the verification interval was ending, was obliged to take care in time to prevent delays. (Decision No. 2-333/2017 ~ M-288/2017 dated December 17, 2017).
- In March 2015, the Izobilnensky District Court of the Stavropol Territory received a statement of claim from citizen A.P. Bushkovsky. to the State Unitary Enterprise SK "Stavropol Kraivodokanal" with a demand to invalidate the water debt, to allow payment for this utility service according to the meter readings and to compensate for moral damages.
The court, after listening to the arguments of both parties, decided to refuse to satisfy the claims put forward in the lawsuit. The motive was the absence of illegal actions on the part of the defendant (Decision No. 2-369/2015 ~ M-224/2015 dated 03/04/2015).
The legislative framework
The verification procedure is regulated by Federal Law No. 261, 102, and 354, so it is mandatory for all home owners. It is due to the fact that meters may stop working properly due to exposure to external negative factors:
- The water is of low quality, which is why large particles and heavy metals enter the meter.
- Failure of communication systems.
- The meter is worn out and needs to be replaced.
- The mechanism dries out if there is no water supply for a long period of time.
Water meters for cold water are checked every 6 years, and for hot water - every 4 years.
How do accruals proceed if the meter check period is overdue?
In accordance with paragraphs. a) clause 59 of section VI of the Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation dated May 6, 2011 No. 354 for the first 3 months the fee will be calculated based on the average monthly water consumption, and for subsequent months - according to the general standard for the consumption of utility services. It should be understood that with this approach, water bills will increase significantly.
If it is established that the owner of the premises has unauthorizedly interfered with the operation of the meter measuring the amount of water consumed, then payment will be calculated taking into account the increasing factor of 10 (clause 81(1) of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 354).
Is it possible to recalculate
The answer to the question posed is strictly negative. The current legislation defines two situations in which owners have the right to demand a recalculation of the amount for housing and communal services. These include:
- temporary absence from residential premises (more than 5 days);
- provision of utility services by the contractor of inadequate quality.
The owner of the residential premises will be denied a request to recalculate the water supply fee that was accrued after the meter verification period had expired.
The fact is that after the delay, such a premises is considered not equipped with metering devices and, accordingly, charges for water go according to the general procedure and cannot be recalculated.
You may also be interested in the article on recalculation for utilities: resolution 354, temporary absence of a tenant, etc. ⇐
Electronic certificate
From September 24, 2021, the record of verification of water meters has become electronic. The metrologist inspector makes a note about verification on the website of the Federal Information Foundation for Ensuring the Uniformity of Measurements. It will be possible to track it online on the Arshin website and through the State Services portal at any time.
It was assumed that digital recording would simplify the procedure and free the consumer from the obligation to transfer documents to utility companies. The management company itself will take the data from the Arshina website. But the way this is implemented, to put it mildly, raises questions. The system has not yet been debugged. Not all management companies received access to the data.
According to the rules, a metrologist has the right to enter data into the register not immediately, but within two months.
And so that the consumer does not face sanctions during this time, the owners still have to receive a paper document and personally deliver it to the resource supplier.
Responsibility for not installing water meters
The presence of meters is a prerequisite for consumers of utility services. The only exceptions are those cases when it is impossible to install such a device due to lack of technical capabilities. Moreover, this circumstance must be officially recorded in accordance with the procedure prescribed by law.
In this regard, citizens often have a question: is there liability for the absence of a meter? Can a fine be imposed for this?
No, the current legislation does not provide for any sanctions for failure to install devices that allow you to keep track of consumed housing and communal services. However, if such equipment is not available, you will have to pay much more for water.
In conclusion, to avoid a sharp increase in your water bill, you must ensure that the meter is checked by the due date.
If suddenly the deadline is missed, the situation should be corrected as quickly as possible. However, you should not count on receiving a recalculation.
