How much does it cost to seal an electricity meter?

One of the mandatory aspects of recording electricity consumption by apartment residents is the installation of an electricity meter. The device must be sealed to eliminate the possibility of illegal interference with its operation. Also, the presence of a seal confirms the serviceability of the device and its compliance with technical requirements. The owner of the premises is responsible for sealing the electricity meter. All processes related to this are regulated and must be strictly followed.

When to use energy sales services

This service is required:

• If the meter has just been purchased and is being installed for the first time.
• A decision was made to move the mentioned device to another location.
• Removing the meter in case of malfunction.
• If you need to repair switching equipment installed in the same panel under the same seal with the meter.

There are 2 types of seals installed on electricity metering devices:

1. From the manufacturer . The presence of such means the integrity and working condition of the device, passing all necessary tests, compliance with the passport accuracy of accounting and technical characteristics. In the absence of a passport, there is a risk of refusal by the energy supply organization to install and register a new meter, since the release and verification dates of the product are not indicated. The bolts of the meter body are secured with a proprietary seal. A wire threaded into the existing holes in the inspection cover prevents the penetration of electricity into the device. This filling can be internal or external. In any case, it should have the date of filling on it.
2. A seal installed by the energy supply organization . It is attached to the terminal box. The terminals of the current transformer should also be sealed when installing it. In such cases, a plastic seal or a wire with a compressible lead seal is used. The most modern option is sealing stickers .

Depending on the type, the filling is divided into:

1. Lead , used most often. A wire is threaded into the unit to be sealed, to which the seal is attached.
2. Plastic number seal . The energy sales company keeps strict number records for these. It will not be possible to open it unnoticed, since it is equipped with a rotary mechanism.
3. Seal clamps . They are a plastic tape, the end of which is threaded into a bracket. This tape moves only in one direction, otherwise the clamp will be broken.
4. Filling stickers of bright colors , when removed, about.
5. Anti-magnetic seal . When the metering device is exposed to a magnet, the suspension located in the seal fills a special capsule.

Types and methods of installing fillings

There are two types of seals on meters.
The first ones, installed by the manufacturer of the metering device, confirm the operability of the device and its compliance with the characteristics of the passport. The latter are established by the authority providing electricity supply services at the time the electric meter is put into operation. The inspector-controller who is present during the startup of the equipment has the right to seal the installed electricity meter. The seal can be in the form of a wire securing the terminal box, or an adhesive holographic tape. In the first case, it is held together with a plastic or lead coupling element. In the second, the date of the procedure and the code of the organization that provided the service must be indicated on the surface of the material.

Who should seal electricity meters?

Only a representative of the energy supply company has the right to seal the electric meter. To call it, you need to fill out an application for sealing and receive a mark confirming the order on your copy of the document. Electricians for hire, the owner of the premises, the management company or other services do not have the right to put the electric meter into operation. Violation of the rule threatens with serious fines and the refusal of electrical networks to calculate based on the readings received.

Features of primary filling

For the first time, the master seals the electricity meter after its installation, replacement, transfer at the request of the energy or management company, or damage to the device. To do this, it is enough to submit an application to the electricity supplier, pay the cost of the meter and its installation. Regardless of the reasons for sealing, this procedure is carried out free of charge.

If an employee demands payment for services that fall under free services, the following must be done:

• refuse to pay in cash, requiring a receipt with all the details and purpose of payment;
• require a price list, which should indicate that sealing is paid separately from replacement and connection of the meter;
• file a complaint at the office of the company providing the service;
• file a claim in court, attaching copies of all listed documents.

When drawing up a claim, it is necessary to refer to the regulatory documents that govern the procedure. Additionally, you can submit a request and complaint to the Antimonopoly Committee.

Re-sealing regulations

If the meter has already been in operation, and its seal was damaged due to the fault of the owner of the premises, it must be resealed. The same manipulation is carried out if it is necessary to move the device without direct indications, but at the request of the customer. In such situations, the consumer must pay for the resealing based on the energy company's pricing policy.

What affects the cost

• Service organization decision : in some regions this service is provided free of charge.
• Reason for providing the service . Thus, the initial installation of a new or replacement of an old meter will cost free if they occur at the request of the service provider - Energosbyt. If it is necessary to carry out the procedure due to circumstances beyond the control of the consumer (the product or protective equipment has failed), then the service is already paid.

Why and in what cases is sealing the electric meter needed?

Operation of an energy meter in an apartment building or private property is only possible if there is a seal on it. This rule also applies to replacing or connecting a three-phase device, which only needs to be additionally programmed.

The electric meter can be sealed:

• when moving the device to another place;
• during its initial installation;
• in case of planned replacement or repair of equipment;
• if the seal is damaged - at the request of the owner of the premises or the management company.

When submitting an application for sealing in your own home, you must prepare a plan for organizing the electrical supply of a private building for the master.

Regardless of the type of property, three days are allotted for sealing, during which accrual is carried out based on data on average daily consumption.

Regulatory documents on filling

The verification of equipment being installed and put into operation, the process of sealing the meter and the procedure for collecting fees for this are regulated by law. Sample documents must be provided by service providers upon request. Thus, paragraphs 8, 9 and 14 of clause 8 of Resolution No. 354 indicate that it is necessary to seal electric energy meters immediately before they are put into operation. In this case, the customer is not charged for the work. This is also confirmed by paragraph 8 of Resolution No. 442. According to it, no fee is charged for sealing equipment put into operation. The owner of the premises must pay for sealing only if it is repeated due to damage to the device.

approximate cost

• In Barnaul they will charge 500-600 rubles .
• In Severodvinsk, sealing a product will cost 590 rubles .
• In Ussuriysk you will need to pay 630 rubles .
• Secondary installation of a filling in Moscow and the region varies from 400 to 800 rubles .
• In the Leningrad region, the tariff varies between 300-600 rubles .

The seal is broken: what to do?

If you find that for some reason the integrity of the seal is compromised, then you should perform the following steps:

1. The metering device is photographed and inspected for unauthorized interference in the existing circuit (indicating the date of discovery of the malfunction);
2. The service provider is notified in a specific manner of identified violations. To do this, a statement is written in 2 copies, which indicates the readings of the meter at the time of detection of the violation (broken seal). The first copy of such a statement is transferred to the service provider company, and the second (with the appropriate signatures) remains with the consumer.

The occurrence of such situations, as a rule, necessitates the creation of a commission. It should be taken into account that such a commission is initially determined to consider the service consumer to be the culprit for breaking the seal. This is when all the photographic evidence you took can come in handy.

How are the fines determined?

They depend on whose fault it was and how the breakdown occurred and why the damage occurred. The company responsible for the inspection takes the device for examination to determine the cause of the incident more accurately. No fines can be imposed on consumers if no irregularities in the operation of the device are detected.

The average consumption of services for the year is the amount of penalties that are established if intentional damage was detected. Calculation may be based on the date of the last inspection.

If serious violations in the operation of the device are detected, the calculations will be completely different. Consumers are charged the maximum daily household electricity consumption for all appliances. For each outlet, the calculation is made for an indicator of 600 kW. You can order an examination from a third party if the results of the inspection are not satisfactory.

Sealing the electricity meter - legal component

The meter is sealed.
The sealing of the electric meter has a legal aspect and is regulated by the following regulatory documents:

These legislative documents stipulate the procedure for providing services, namely:

1. The sealing process is carried out before the electric meter begins to be used, and this process is paid for by energy service providers.
2. The cost of launching a metering device falls entirely on the energy organization.
3. In the case of secondary sealing, this process is paid for by the electricity consumer. In addition, in the event of a device breakdown, repairs also occur at the expense of the customer of these types of services.
4. If the energy supply company carries out verification activities, no payment is required.

Consumer liability for failure or other violation

Attention.
The legislation of the Russian Federation provides for liability for breaking or breaking a seal. Thus, if the breaking of a seal was intentional, then liability for this can be expressed by a warning or a fine.

The amount of the fine depends on the person who committed the offense. For individuals, its amount will be from one hundred to three hundred rubles, and for legal entities - from three hundred to five hundred rubles in accordance with Article 19.2 of the Code of Administrative Violations of the Russian Federation of December 30, 2001 N 195-FZ (hereinafter referred to as the Administrative Code of the Russian Federation).

In cases where the fact of illegal withdrawal of water is discovered and recorded, the owner of the property is subject to liability in accordance with Article 7.27 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation. In this case, the amount of penalties depends on how much resources were stolen. According to the law, the fine is calculated at five times the amount seized. In addition, administrative arrest for up to fifteen days or correctional labor for up to ten to fifty hours is possible.

In case of large volumes of theft, exceeding two and a half thousand rubles, criminal liability arises under the one hundred and fifty-eighth article of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation of June 13, 1996 N 63-FZ (hereinafter referred to as the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation).

Unscrupulous residents who illegally connected to the water supply or use magnets may receive a fine of up to three hundred thousand rubles or imprisonment for a period of two years in accordance with Article One Hundred and Sixty-Fifth of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.

Along with a fine in situations where the seal is broken, the water supply organization may require payment of the amount without taking into account the meter. The day from which the period of operation of a meter without a seal will be counted can be determined either by the date of the last check of the meter, or by the date of filing an application for the installation of a new seal.

Important! The payment amount is calculated as the product of the meter's capacity, the service life of the meter without a seal (number of calendar days) and the water tariff. In the event that a seal was accidentally broken, it is necessary to write a statement about the fact that the seal was broken and submit an application for a new seal.

In the application, it is important to indicate the reason why the seal failed. An inspector from a water supply organization who comes upon request will check the device and determine whether an attempt was made to illegally change the meter readings. After that he will install a new filling

In the event that a seal was accidentally broken, you must write a statement about the fact that the seal was broken and submit an application for a new seal.

In the application, it is important to indicate the reason why the seal failed. An inspector from a water supply organization who comes upon request will check the device and determine whether an attempt was made to illegally change the meter readings

After this, he will install a new filling.

If the inspector has not established the fact of an attempt to illegally change the testimony, then the owner will not have to pay a fine. You will only need to pay a fee for the new sealing.

Practical method: how to remove a plastic seal without damaging it

If you have a meter installed that has automatic charging, then there will probably be a plastic seal installed on it. The technique for removing a plastic seal is almost the same as for a lead seal, but there are a number of differences.

So, in order to correctly and accurately remove the plastic seal, first, using tweezers or a blade, you need to discreetly peel off the plastic strip that secures the seal to the meter. Next, you need to bend the end that was torn twice into a hook, 0.5-1 mm each. Using a needle or pin, pick out the entry point of the wire into the seal until it forms an oval, into which you can easily insert a bent hook. The oval hole should be located as deep as possible. Next we fuse the tip and clamp it. At first glance, everything looks quite simple and the problem can be solved with the help of a soldering iron, but this cannot be done without outside help, because in one hand there will be a seal, in the other, with the help of thin clamps, in common parlance, the “beaks” will have to be held wire, and use a soldering iron with a “third” hand.

If we couldn’t find an assistant, then a regular cigarette inserted into our mouth will help us. Using its burning end, it will not be difficult to heat and push the wire. Next, while the plastic is still hot, as in the case of a lead seal, we apply rubber pieces on both sides of the seal

We place two coins on the elastic bands and, using pliers (this is important, since it is the pliers and coins that will give uniform compression), we compress the resulting “sandwich.” The rubber bands act as a protector and minimize excess pressure, scratches and chips on the plastic.

If everything is done correctly, the wire will be pressed to the very depth, and the bent end will prevent it from slipping out. Before using this technique, take a good look at the filling. Perhaps you were lucky and the inspector did not press it too hard, then there will be some play. If this is the case, then you will be able to pull the wire through even before the hook formation stage. The tip can be bent after, it will be even more reliable.

How to remove the seal from the meter

So, let's look at the procedure for removing the seal. Answering the question “Do I need to pay for violating the safety of the seal?” - Yes need. They do not require anything for sealing. The fine for breaking a seal ranges from up to 300,000 rubles. In addition, if during the accounting it turns out that too much energy was spent, then you may be sued. As a punishment, you will have to pay for the estimated amount of all energy used and legal costs.

If we talk about unsealing the electric meter, then first of all you need to take into account the differences in the models, because there is no other way to understand how to do it correctly. Not every filling can be removed, and therefore we will use only proven options:

1. Lead. This is a method on how to remove the seal from a lead type electric meter. Please note that this must be done carefully, without damaging the applied designation. Subsequently, it will not be possible to add it manually, because it is done using a sealer. Procedure:
2. We take any wire to make two small hooks from it.

We expand the hole of the seal with any convenient tool: a needle is best.

3. We put hooks in them.
4. Place small rubber plates to protect against damage, and place coins on top on both sides.
5. We clamp the washer with pliers.
6. We tighten the wires. When you return the seal back, you will need to squeeze it a little.

If something was damaged during the process, there is no need to put back the fake under the guise of the original. The law establishes a fine for breaking a seal.

If you find a slight play that appears when installed incorrectly, this will only work to your advantage.

What to do if it doesn’t work out: it is recommended to immediately take a photo and contact the energy supply company. The photo should show how many values ​​are “wound” on the meter, which will eliminate the payment of a fine. There is no need to try to carefully put the seal in place. There is a high chance of ruining it so that everything will look as if there was an attempt to change the values ​​in the installed electric meter.

Legal consequences

Will there be anything for withdrawal? Will. After re-registration, a fine for missing a seal may be up to 300,000 rubles, but the court may also require payment of all legal costs for the company and an approximate bill for the energy used. The period for such payments is also limited, and if it is not met, the apartment may be cut off from power.

If the violation is carried out by a legal entity, the fine for interfering with the operation of the device will be up to 500,000 rubles, the period for payment of which will directly depend on the lawyers and the volume of stolen energy. By the way, the cost of the initial sealing is zero and the installation period after filing an application is less than a week, which is many times more profitable than fraud.

Breaking any type of seal on an electric meter is an offense and you need to be prepared to bear the corresponding legal consequences when removing them. However, this knowledge will make it possible to understand when the seal is broken or installed incorrectly. This will have the opposite effect, since a timely appeal will be drawn up, which in the future will free you from high legal costs.

Problems that may arise

People, due to ignorance of the law, are forced to pay for the sealing of the meter even during the initial installation or when replacing the device at the initiative of the electrical networks. Such requirements are easily disputed, because the Russian government has decided to seal electric meters free of charge in these cases. This is specifically stated in Resolution No. 422 of May 4, 2012, namely paragraph 8 of the general provisions. Resolution No. 354 of May 6, 2011 also allows the device to be sealed at the expense of the electricity supplier.

For consumers living in a private home, energy workers require that an electricity meter be installed only outside in a switchboard. They can be denied this based on the requirements of clause 1.5.27 of the PUE. It establishes that the consumer is responsible for maintaining the meter. Therefore, the resident is only required to place it in an accessible place and in compliance with installation standards, one of which is to install the electricity meter at a height of 0.8-1.7 m from the floor level.