How to reduce electricity meter readings: legal ways

Rational use of electrical appliances

Proper operation of household appliances helps to minimize energy costs. TVs, boilers, microwave ovens, laptops and other household items are constantly connected to the network in stand by mode and continuously consume energy.

Old induction devices, such as the CO 505 meter, did not take into account the low standby power of the equipment due to their low accuracy class. New high-precision flow meters allow you to directly measure electrical energy and voltage. They are highly sensitive and record all the current consumed by the equipment.

Therefore, it is necessary to de-energize the electronics, i.e. turn it off completely. This also increases the service life of the equipment and reduces the likelihood of it catching fire.

Economical lamps

The savings ratio of each LED lamp is indicated on its packaging . It is easy to calculate the number of kilowatts saved. For example, if instead of a regular 100-watt lamp you use an LED lamp of the same brightness with a power of 12 watts, you save 88 watts.

If on average one light bulb is on for 4 hours a day, the following results: 0.088 kW x 4 hours x 365 days = 128.5 kW With a conditional tariff of 5 rubles/kWh, it turns out: 128.5 kWh x 5 rubles. = 642.5 rub.

This is the annual economic effect of using one lamp. If there are a dozen and a half of them in the house, the amount increases to almost 10,000 rubles.

Monitoring the condition of electrical wiring

It happens that increased electricity consumption occurs due to the fact that the wiring in the room has deteriorated due to age or got wet.

The supply company is not to blame for this, because... electrician in an apartment (private house) is the responsibility of the owner.

The most common case is when, from under rotted insulation, a bare section of cable shorts to a reinforcing profile inside the wall. This problem has no external signs and can only be determined using special instruments. However, if you know that the wiring in the house is old or the room was flooded by neighbors from above, you should call an electrician.

Where to contact?

Please contact your service provider. It depends on who the contract for the supply of electricity was concluded with. Such an organization could be a management company, a homeowners’ association, a housing cooperative or an energy supply company.

Required documents

The interested party will need to prepare:

• Service agreement.
• Payment receipts.
• Documents confirming the fact of temporary absence from the place of residence, for example: travel certificate;
• travel tickets;
• invoices for hotel or hostel accommodation;
• certificate from private security.

Drawing up an application

The application must be made in writing . It states the following:

1. Name and address of the service provider.
2. Information about the interested party:
   Full Name;
3. passport data;
4. place of residence;
5. contact number.
6. Reasons for contacting, for example, temporary absence.
7. The period for which recalculation must be made.
8. List of attached documents.
9. Date and signature of the applicant.

We do not recommend completing the documents yourself. Save time - contact our lawyers by phone:

8 (800) 350-14-90

The appeal can be submitted in person, sent by mail or through a legal representative.

The application can be submitted in two copies , one of which the payer keeps. It must indicate registration with the service provider. If the application is sent by mail, it is better to send it by registered mail with notification.

Deadlines

The payment amount is adjusted by the service provider within 5 working days from the date of receipt of the payer’s request.

Folk ways to save

There are many techniques for saving electricity at home. It is enough to identify how and where electricity is wasted without benefit and eliminate the reasons.

The following rules will help reduce energy consumption:

1. Do not place the refrigerator close to the stove or radiator and protect from direct sunlight. The electric motor will operate continuously and create additional load on the network;
2. prevent ice from forming on the walls of the refrigerator and freezer;
3. clean lampshades transmit light better, so you should regularly clean them of dust;
4. To increase heat transfer, install a heat-reflecting foil screen between the wall and the radiator. This improves room heating without the use of electric heaters.

The above activities should be carried out regularly. Such methods do not require any costs. When used in a comprehensive manner, energy costs will be significantly reduced.

What to do if Mosenergo inspectors took incorrect readings of the electric meter

Mosenergo controllers take control readings twice a year. The indications used for the calculation can be viewed in the client’s personal account in the “Account Status” tab by selecting the “Account History” section, or in the receipt for the past month.

If you find a discrepancy, call the hotline +7 (499) 550-9-550. The specialist will listen to you and give explanations, correcting the data if necessary. If accrual has already occurred, then either an overpayment or a debt will form.

Reference! The overpayment will be credited as part of a future payment, and the debt will be paid on the next receipt.

How can I cancel or fix them?

There is no need to worry about the fact that incorrect testimony was submitted to Mosenergosbyt. If there is an overpayment, then exactly this amount less will be credited next month. And if you underpaid, then this will be taken into account in the receipt for the next month, and the difference will be added to the bill.

Payment at two rates

Energy companies provide their subscribers with the opportunity to use a multi-tariff electronic meter. These recorders can calculate consumption for several tariffs, store the numbers in memory and transmit them, for example, in automated smart home systems.

Two-tariff devices record readings according to the “day/night” principle:

• The time from 8:00 to 23:00 is considered daytime and electricity consumption during this period is charged more expensively;
• night time - from 23:00 to 8:00, the network load is minimal and the payment is less.

The cost of such devices is higher than standard devices. However, by correctly distributing the time of consumption, you can save a lot of money during subsequent use.

What to do if Mosenergo inspectors took incorrect readings of the electric meter

Mosenergo controllers take control readings twice a year. The indications used for the calculation can be viewed in the client’s personal account in the “Account Status” tab by selecting the “Account History” section, or in the receipt for the past month.

If you find a discrepancy, call the hotline +7 (499) 550-9-550. The specialist will listen to you and give explanations, correcting the data if necessary. If accrual has already occurred, then either an overpayment or a debt will form.

Reference! The overpayment will be credited as part of a future payment, and the debt will be paid on the next receipt.

How can I cancel or fix them?

There is no need to worry about the fact that incorrect testimony was submitted to Mosenergosbyt. If there is an overpayment, then exactly this amount less will be credited next month. And if you underpaid, then this will be taken into account in the receipt for the next month, and the difference will be added to the bill.

Multi-tariff system

There is a third energy consumption scheme. This is the installation of a multi-tariff meter.

This system involves dividing the day into 3 periods:

• peak;
• average;
• minimum.

With such a flexible tariff, electricity is most expensive from 7 to 10 a.m., this is the peak time of load on the power grid. Between 10 am and 5 pm and from 9 pm to 11 pm, electricity is cheaper.

And at night, from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m., the cost of electricity is almost 4 times lower than during the day. This is also convenient for those who have an electric autonomous heating system in their home. During the day, when no one is at home, it is possible to reduce the boiler power. In mild cold weather you can even turn it off.

A comparison of the monthly cost of energy resources is shown using the example of an average family of 4 people in Moscow:

The multi-tariff system is beneficial for power plants. It allows you to level out peak loads in the morning and evening, and at night power engineers do not have to reduce electricity production. It becomes most profitable to use electricity during off-peak times.

Responsibility for transmitting incorrect data

If the subscriber accidentally or intentionally sent incorrect meter data, he may be held liable. It consists of penalties. For distortion of data:

• for citizens - from 3-4 thousand rubles;
• for officials - from 6-8 thousand rubles;
• for organizations - from 60 to 80 thousand rubles.

We are not talking about a random one-time error, but about a situation where the owner deliberately reduces the data. If you yourself are the initiator and correct the mistake, you will not face a fine.

Choosing the right meter

Statistics show that even with high energy costs, the economic effect can reach 60%.

But this does not apply to Chinese-made electrical equipment. Their main drawback is the instability of operating parameters.

"Mercury" is a counter that allows you to reduce readings thanks to its technical capabilities:

• multi-tariff design allows you to reduce the cost of each kilowatt at night;
• a liquid crystal indicator simplifies consumption accounting, displays the date, time, tariff parameters, the current power value in the network, and the amount of energy consumed;
• the software controls the load and ensures stability of operating parameters.

The cost of such devices is higher than that of single-tariff meters. However, savings are achieved during subsequent operation if you use powerful electrical appliances at night.

Installation of a three-phase meter

In industrial enterprises where the current load is very high, the use of a three-phase electricity meter . Such devices have three phase wires instead of one. Each phase has its own tariff for energy consumption.

The principle of saving of these devices is that, unlike single-phase devices, where the consumer pays a single tariff, they carry out calculations in certain zones corresponding to the schedule for the day or even according to the seasons. When a certain time period approaches, the device automatically switches to the specified counting mode according to the tariffs of that period.

Huge utility bill: how to prove a mistake

Utility fees can be calculated based on meter readings, average values, and standards. The standards for the consumption of utilities, taking into account average monthly data, were determined by the Ministry of Construction. According to his information, the average resident of an apartment in Russia takes a shower 25 times and takes a bath four times a month.

But sometimes the numbers of resource consumed turn out to be far from “normal”. So, in a month, a resident of Lyubertsy found himself owing more than 180,000 rubles for utilities. The most expensive item of expenditure was water. For cold and hot water, as well as sewerage, the cost was 164,000 rubles. Water consumption for the month amounted to 1,200 cubic meters. m., this is usually what public institutions need. The reason, as it turned out, was a failure in data transmission, reported the Moscow Region Today publication. Inconsistencies began after the Lyubertsy City Housing Trust (LGZhT JSC) entered into an agreement with MosOblEIRTS on organizing payments for housing and communal services.

1,200 cu.m. m

these are 66 small pools

In such a situation, the subscriber has only one choice - to prove that the amount in the receipt was charged in error. Ivan Bychkov, head of the Tyumen branch of the Bureau of Lawyers Bureau of Lawyers "De Jure" Bureau of Lawyers "De Jure" Federal rating. group Arbitration proceedings (medium and small disputes - mid market) group Bankruptcy (including disputes) (mid market) group Dispute resolution in courts of general jurisdiction group Family and inheritance law group Criminal law group Natural resources/Energy group Land law/Commercial real estate/Construction 8th place by number of lawyers 13th place by revenue per lawyer (more than 30 lawyers) 15th place by revenue Company profile identifies the three most common reasons for overestimation of the amount in receipts: meter error, payment agent error or user error who transmits incorrect data or misses the deadline for checking instruments accounting.

What to do if the user is at fault

If a user deposited money for a utility bill, but made the wrong invoice, the error can be easily corrected, explains one of the management companies: you need to contact either the bank or the owner of the payment terminal with a check, fill out an application to cancel the erroneous transfer and redirect the money to the correct personal account number ( banks have a sample). There are situations when the owner makes a mistake not in the account number, but incorrectly indicates the data on consumed resources.

Example:

The receipt from a resident of the Moscow region indicated that she owed 68,000 rubles for the resources consumed, and 49,000 rubles. she was charged for hot water. It turned out that when giving her testimony, the woman put a comma in the wrong place. Instead of 2.770 cubic meters, she wrote 277.0.

Bychkov says that such a problem can be solved by contacting the management company. After this, the management company will send an employee who will take meter readings and make a recalculation based on this data.

If you do not submit meter data on time, you can also receive a receipt with an unusually large amount. In such situations, Alexander Titov, lawyer, National Legal Service AMULEX National Legal Service AMULEX Federal rating. , also offers to initiate a counter check. It is important that the device has all the seals and is in good working order. For example, in case No. 33-28813/2020, a consumer who was late in submitting meter readings was able to obtain a recalculation of the fee based on the data that was taken during the inspection of the meter.

Problem counter: how to avoid additional charges

If it turns out that there are problems with the meter, then Bychkov advises paying attention to how the management company will calculate the consumed resource in such a situation - according to the average value or according to the standard. Within three months, the calculation should be based on the average value; it is usually more profitable for the owner. “The meters show that residents spend much less water and light than is stipulated in the standards. So when calculating according to the standard, the fee is usually higher,” said a representative of Russian Utility Systems.

If an excess fee was charged due to missing the deadline for checking the meter, then the management organization will be in the right. So, Irina Averkova* was due to check her water meter, but she forgot about it. And for another two years I paid according to my testimony, but then Vodokanal found out about it. He recalculated the resource consumed. It turned out that Averkova owes almost 122,000 rubles. The plaintiff recovered the entire amount through the court (case No. 33-5985/2019, entered into force).

What to do if the management company made a mistake

Example.
“Our entire house received debt receipts at once,” a Moscow resident wrote on Facebook in the summer of 2020. According to her, these were debt notices for July 2022. And a resident of Zvenigorod on her page complained about heating bills: she was charged 4.07945 Gcal for heating, although according to the meters she consumed half as much - 1.9177 Gcal.

In such situations, you first need to calculate the actual amount of the payment. The owner can come with a payment slip to the management organization and demand clarification on each line:

• why this or that line is included;
• what are the standards and tariffs (why is this size, when, by whom was it approved, for what category of apartment buildings);
• what formulas were used to make the calculations?

Most likely, after calculation, the figure will turn out to be more familiar than the impressive amount indicated on the receipt. Then you can submit a claim for recalculation to the management company or HOA that services the house, or to the agent for receiving meter readings.

Claims due to inaccuracies in calculations can usually be resolved at this stage. The paying agent or organization chosen by your home as a form of management, if it discovers an error, can immediately recalculate.

Ivan Bychkov, head of the Tyumen branch of the BA Bureau of Lawyers "De Jure" Bureau of Lawyers "De Jure" Federal rating. group Arbitration proceedings (medium and small disputes - mid market) group Bankruptcy (including disputes) (mid market) group Dispute resolution in courts of general jurisdiction group Family and inheritance law group Criminal law group Natural resources/Energy group Land law/Commercial real estate/Construction 8th place by number of lawyers 13th place by revenue per lawyer (more than 30 lawyers) 15th place by revenue Company profile

In some cases, Bychkov continues, the Criminal Code may send a specialist to check the integrity of the seal and the serviceability of the meter and record the readings taken in the report. And based on it, adjustments are made.

If the management company or the HOA do not cooperate, you must file a complaint with the State Housing Inspectorate. Payments with which you do not agree must be attached to the application. Upon request, the housing inspection will be required to conduct an unscheduled inspection. If it discovers a violation, it will oblige the management company to recalculate. Bychkov recommends simultaneously sending the same complaint to the prosecutor's office.

According to Art. 156 of the Housing Code (“Amount of payment for residential premises”), if the procedure for calculating payment for housing maintenance is violated, the service provider is obliged to pay a fine to the owner of the premises (50% of the difference between the amount calculated by mistake and the correct amount), reminds Alexander Titov, lawyer at the National Legal AMULEX Service National Legal Service AMULEX Federal rating. . You must send a written application to the Criminal Code. Within 30 days, the company must check the accrual and make a decision on payment if it finds an error.

What if the reason is in the meter?

Example.
A resident of Moscow decided to reinstall the gas stove, called a technician, and he did everything without any complaints. And at the end of the month, the owner received an astronomical gas bill - 600,000 rubles.

There are many similar stories: for example, the water meter increased 60 cubic meters. m and even 180 cubic meters. m instead of the usual 2–3, or the electricity meter showed readings ten times higher than a month earlier. Companies that test and install water meters identify several typical faults that can affect meter readings:

• depressurization of the device;
• leaks;
• blockage in pipes;
• breakdown of the counting mechanism;
• incorrectly selected metering device;
• incorrect installation.

The situation is similar with gas meters. The device may show incorrect data in the following cases:

• breakdown of mechanisms;
• incorrect installation;
• Installation in the wrong location (for example, exposed to direct sunlight).

As soon as the owner realizes that something is wrong with the accounting partitioning, he must notify the management company (MC) or resource supply organization (RSO), says Titov. You need to ask them to check the meter. If the specialist confirms that it is faulty, then the resource will be accrued by calculation. But sometimes the owners find out that the meter was giving erroneous readings when they receive a receipt with a round sum. Bychkov says that in this case it will be necessary to conduct an independent examination of the meter.

Documents that need to be submitted for examination:

• technical passport of the meter;
• acceptance certificate;
• documents on previously conducted examinations;
• reports on repairs performed;
• data on technological indicators;
• information about existing failures or problems.

If the expert confirms that the meter is faulty, the service organization will have to recalculate the accrued amount, explains Bychkov. If the RSO or the Criminal Code does not do this, you will have to seek through the court a recalculation of the fee (exclusion from the personal payment account) for utilities.

Residents against high prices: how to save on utilities and defend your rights

Georgy Borichev* filed such a claim against the Yubileiny-6 housing cooperative. He disputed the accrual of almost 115,000 rubles. for water and insisted that the water meters in his apartment were faulty. This was confirmed by the organization for verification of measuring instruments: according to the expert, the error of the instruments is three times greater than the norm, which means they are faulty.

The first instance sided with the owner and not only ordered the housing cooperative to carry out a recalculation, but also exacted compensation for moral damages, a fine and expenses for a representative in favor of the consumer. But the appeal overturned this decision, deciding that Borichev should pay the invoice. The owner of the apartment is appealing the decision in cassation (case No. 2-1159/19).

A claim for an obligation to recalculate is a rather exotic way of protecting rights, and it does not always work, says Sergei Sergeev, head of practice in the field of housing and communal services, ecology and environmental management of the Moscow Bar Association "Arbat" Moscow Bar Association "Arbat" Federal rating. . He gives other advice.

It is better not to pay an amount that you do not agree with, but instead wait for RSO to file a lawsuit. And already in the process you can seek to cancel the accrual.

Sergey Sergeev, head of practice in the field of housing and communal services, ecology and environmental management MCA Moscow Bar Association "Arbat" Moscow Bar Association "Arbat" Federal rating.

The court, according to the expert, will evaluate the actions of the parties in good faith: how quickly they responded to the situation and whether there was any abuse of law. The second way for the subscriber is to pay the amount on the receipt in full, and then recover the money from the resource supplying organization as unjust enrichment.

*Names and surnames have been changed by the editors

• Anastasia Sinchenkova

Illegal ways to reduce readings

For the theft of electricity, fines are provided in accordance with Article 7.19 of the Code of the Russian Federation on Administrative Violations.

The methods listed are presented for informational purposes only.

1. Stopping the device by mechanical force. The technique is used only on older models: a hole with a diameter of 1-2 mm is drilled in the device body, into which a long thin object is inserted, which stops the counter disk.
2. Changing the locations of the phase and neutral wires at the input to the device. In this case, the device stops counting kilowatts because the current passes by it.
3. Neodymium magnet. For use on induction devices only. When it approaches the counter, the rotation disk slows down or completely stops. If the device is protected, a magnet of greater strength is used. However, if it is too powerful, the device will stop permanently.

The benefits with such methods are imaginary. If the intervention leads to equipment failure, subsequent repairs and fines will cost many times more than the kilowatts saved.

You don't have to go illegal to pay less for electricity. It is enough to correctly distribute its consumption and use household appliances correctly.

Advantages and disadvantages of Wi-Fi equipment

SAURES produces several models of Wi-Fi controllers. Most are assembled in enclosures with IP54 protection, which requires placement in external boxes with additional door sealing. The controller communication module operates at a frequency of 2400 MHz. The antenna can be located inside the case (on the board) or external.

The range of the Wi-Fi module is 25-100 meters. If there are walls between the device and the router, the signal level decreases. The maximum values ​​are recorded only when the router is placed in direct line of sight. The metal distribution board blocks the signal, so we recommend replacing it with a plastic analogue, moving the controller into the apartment using twisted pair cable, or using an external remote antenna.

Advantages of the company's Wi-Fi controllers:

• work with two wireless networks - main and backup;
• Autonomy - the device operates on regular batteries for up to 4 years;
• simple scaling - when automating an apartment building or village, you can update the meter fleet in parts;
• versatility - you can connect not only electricity meters to the module, but also gas, water or heat meters.
• simple installation - external devices are connected via quick-release terminals, and the controller itself is mounted on a special console;
• easy setup - to launch the controller you need any smartphone or PC with a Wi-Fi adapter.

A serious disadvantage of such equipment is its dependence on the owner’s Wi-Fi network. If the router is de-energized or Internet access is limited, data transfer to the cloud server will stop.

The first court sided with the utility provider

The first court made a decision unfavorable for the owner: it recognized the debt indicated by RSO and ordered the owner to pay it.

The court proceeded from the fact that the resource supply organization calculated the disputed charges based on the actual readings of the meter. The owner did not provide evidence of incorrect calculation of payments for electricity and their overestimation.

The plaintiff, of course, did not agree with this decision and prepared an appeal with the following demands:

• cancel the decision of the court of first instance and adopt a new one;
• recognize RSO charges for the amount of energy of 108,540 kW of 290,886.37 rubles as overstated;
• oblige RSO to recalculate the actual energy consumption - 13,047 kW.

The owner stated that he was not to blame for the incorrect transmission of meter readings; it was the RSO that did not explain the procedure for taking readings and did not conduct inspections from 2003 to 2022. In addition, RSO provided the court with an inaccurate history of charges on the meters from August 2014 to July 2015.

Accuracy class of electricity meters and its impact on the volume of CD on SOI
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