One of the prerequisites for comfortable living in an apartment is maintaining a certain temperature.
To comply with this condition, during the cold season, residential premises in apartment buildings are heated using a centralized heating system.
The body is supplied on the basis of an agreement concluded by the consumer directly with the heat supply company or through the Management Company, housing cooperative, or homeowners association. According to the contract, the contractor must ensure the temperature established by legal norms, in which case he receives payment for the service according to the tariff.
Temperature standards are almost the same for all regions; maximum permissible deviations during the day and night are also established. If air measurements in a residential area show more significant deviations, the consumer has the right to a recalculation. The heat supply company may be punished for improperly fulfilling its obligations and terms of the contract.
IMPORTANT! To apply for recalculation, you must draw up a report on measuring the temperature in the apartment, a sample of which should be available in every management and heat supply company.
Why is the act needed?
When the apartment is still cold during the heating season, the air temperature is clearly different from the standard, residents begin to complain first to the Management Company, then to Rospotrebnadzor or the Housing Inspectorate. They want to achieve warmth in their home, as well as a repayment for low-quality services.
The application for recalculation must be accompanied by a document that will prove that the actual temperature does not correspond to the standard one. Such a document will be a measurement report, which should be drawn up and signed correctly.
To draw it up, you should assemble a commission, which includes a representative of the management company, the apartment’s tenant, and other persons.
If the management company does not want to send its employee to measure the temperature in the residential premises, apartment residents can draw up an act on their own, fulfilling the necessary requirements:
- The document will be needed to recalculate heating payments. Provided that the measurement actually shows a low temperature that does not meet the standards (even taking into account the deviation).
- The act will be attached to applications to various authorities - to the Criminal Code, to ZHI, to Rospotrebnadzor, the prosecutor's office, the court. Sometimes consumers of utility services sometimes have to go all the way with claims before the result is achieved - heat will appear in the house.
Special microclimate parameters
Your employees will be concerned about keeping warm or, on the contrary, reducing their body temperature, they will constantly leave the stuffy room, and consume huge amounts of liquid. Indoor microclimate parameters have a direct impact on the productivity and quality of work of personnel.
However, in this case, the act must be signed by the chairman of the board of the apartment building and at least two neighbors.
When the apartment is still cold during the heating season, the air temperature is clearly different from the standard, residents begin to complain first to the Management Company, then to Rospotrebnadzor or the Housing Inspectorate.
When can you complain about a low temperature?
Residents may simply feel the cold in the apartment, but this is not enough to write a complaint or demand a recalculation. You will need to study temperature standards in a living room, as well as measure real indicators and compare them with standards.
Only when the officially recorded temperature differs from the standard, when a measurement report is drawn up, can a complaint be filed. What laws regulate heating standards?
- This is SNIP number 2.1.2.2645-10.
- And GOST number R-51617-2000.
These official documents determine the permissible temperature for each residential premises, including the permissible deviations. According to the norms, the minimum temperature cannot fall below 15 degrees, and the maximum cannot rise above 30 degrees.
ATTENTION! Low temperature in an apartment is not always the fault of the heating company; it can also be caused by high heat loss in the house.
Rooms with poor thermal insulation cannot retain heat, even if the hot water in the radiators has the desired temperature. And in this case, you will first need to take care of high-quality thermal insulation, and only then check the temperature of the water in the heating pipes and the temperature in the apartment.
Hot water temperature measurement report sample
Do not let the meter open the tap at full power so that the splashes fly all the way to the ceiling and you end up measuring not the temperature of the water in your tap, but the temperature of the water in the supply line at the entrance to the house, or in the boiler room.
During one of the measurements, the meter and I grabbed the tap alternately - I decreased it, she increased it. As a result, I wanted to write down in the act the actual water consumption measured by the meter and the “measuring container,” but the commission snatched the act from my hands and took it away without my signature.
But when at the trial the housing and communal services lawyer tried to attach this act to the case, according to my statement that “... an act without my signature in accordance with “Rules No. 354” cannot have legal force..”, the judge refused this lawyer.
Be prepared for the fact that the chief engineer will show his knowledge and will respond by “poking it under your nose” with the text “...Before taking hot water samples, you should drain the water until a constant temperature is established.
Forum burmistr.ru - forum about housing and communal services (management of apartment buildings)
During the daytime, deviations are not allowed.
For each hour of deviation in air temperature in a residential area in total during the billing period, the fee is reduced by 0.15% of the fee determined for such billing period, for each degree of temperature deviation. For the purpose of recalculating utility bills for consumers, the results of measuring the air temperature in a residential area are sufficient.
Standard hot water temperature
Return to top Snake Zoyka eti18rus Activist Messages: 219 Registered: June 19, 2015, 08:21 Thanked: 19 times Thanked: 43 times act of measuring the temperature of hot water in the apartment
In general, we draw up a handwritten report with a representative of the housing and communal services department, and write that we let water through at the water collection point for 3 minutes and take measurements, the temperature should be from 65 to 70 degrees, then we sign the report and take it to the resource officers)))) and so on that's all, and all this is in accordance with the law, by the way Back to top eti18rus Rembo Veteran Messages: 4013 Registered: 01 Jul 2015, 17:29 Thanked: 5998 times Thanked: 5036 times act of measuring the temperature of hot water in the apartment
eti18rus wrote: The source of the quote is from 65 to 70 degrees, eti18rus wrote: The source of the quote and all this is in accordance with the law, by the way.
Sample complaint: hot water temperature is not up to standard
A report of a violation of the quality of a utility service can be made by the consumer in writing or orally (including by telephone) and is subject to mandatory registration by the emergency dispatch service. In this case, the consumer is obliged to provide his last name, first name and patronymic, the exact address of the premises where a violation of the quality of the utility service was discovered, and the type of such utility service.
How to use the resource
In this case, the consumer is obliged to provide his last name, first name and patronymic, residential address, and clarify what public service he is talking about. The ADS employee is obliged to inform the consumer about the person who accepted the application, the registration number of the application and the time of its acceptance.
If an employee of the emergency dispatch service knows the reasons for the provision of utility services of inadequate quality, he is obliged to immediately inform the consumer about this and make an appropriate note in the application log.
This mark is the basis for the contractor to recognize the fact of provision of utility services of inadequate quality (clause
66 Rules for the provision of public services to citizens).
Sample act of measuring the temperature in the apartment
It so happens that it is very cold in your apartment. And you absolutely don’t know what to do with it. For tips on how to deal with such situations, see here. In order to prove the fact of low air temperature in an apartment or living space, it is mandatory to draw up a report on measuring the temperature in the apartment.
: Sample minutes of a meeting with the manager
How to compose it? To do this, you need to agree with the utility service provider on the date and time of temperature measurement. If the contractor’s representatives did not arrive at the consumer’s premises to draw up a report, then the consumer has the right to measure the temperature and draw up such a report independently.
However, in this case, the act must be signed by the chairman of the board of the apartment building and at least two neighbors. An approximate form of the form for just such an act is contained below on this page. ACT No. on the provision of utility heating services of inadequate quality.
Act on discrepancy in hot water temperature
Details……………………. "….."……………… 20…..g. We, the undersigned, Representative ……………….………………………………………………………………………………., Representative ……………….…… ………………………………………………………………., Representative ……………….………………………………………… …………………………., Representative …………………………………………………………………………………….
, (name of the HOA, management company, heat supply organization, etc.) Applicant …………………………………………………………………………………… ……, (apartment owner, utility consumer) measured the temperature of the hot water supply in the apartment located at the address: st. …………………….…..…… house ……. bldg. ...... sq.
……, series of the house …………, year of construction ……… and drew up this act.
Validity period for measuring the temperature of hot water in the apartment
Well, in your apartment they intended what they wanted. Marina, did the “comrade wolves” draw up a temperature measurement report? And you signed it? Or was the act not drawn up?
If the act was not drawn up or was not signed by you, then carefully read the text that I sent earlier to the question of one of the visitors to this site:
“How long should it take for the hot water tap to reach the temperature according to the standards?
Question: The chief engineer of the management company claims that in order to achieve the standard temperature of hot water, a certain volume of it must first be drained (or for some unregulated time - the hot water tap must simply be opened).
Answer: The time for draining hot water before measuring its temperature is established by paragraph 5 (note) of Appendix 1 of the “Rules for the provision of utility services to owners and users of premises in apartment buildings and residential buildings” (approved.
How to make an application
If the thermometer shows low air temperature in the apartment, you need to contact the Management Company immediately.
First, you can simply call the management manager and leave a statement about this fact. The dispatcher is obliged to record the call and transmit the information to the appropriate employees. The applicant needs to write down the details of the dispatcher who received the call and the time of the call.
The next step is to write an application to measure the temperature in the apartment. It is submitted in the name of the Management Company, through which the agreement was drawn up with the heat supply organization. This application must be drawn up in two copies, both registered, one copy remains with the applicant. An application is drawn up taking into account certain requirements:
- At the beginning, the data of the head of the Management Company is written.
- Then you should provide information about the applicant, including his contact information.
- The main part is indicating the reasons for verification. The temperature in the apartment may differ from the norm, either down or up.
- It is imperative to indicate the regulatory standards by which the temperature must be maintained.
- In such an application for measurements, you can request to restore the temperature in the apartment, check the operation of the heating system, and recalculate the payment for heating.
- The application is signed by the person who submits it. You also need to set the date of compilation.
When developing the temperature regime for heating residential premises, as well as when drawing up a measurement act, several legislative acts are used:
- SanPiN number 2.1.2.2645-10.
- GOST numbers 30494-96 and R-51617-2000.
- Government Decree No. 354 on the rules for the provision of utility services for apartment buildings.
Methodology for measuring hot water temperature, sample measurement report
Poor quality provision of services by utility services leads to the fact that legally competent residents demand recalculation, including for the lack of SanPiN 2.1.4 parameters.
2496-09 in relation to DHW, for which it is important to measure the temperature of hot water.
Self-performed measurements cannot serve as a reason to reduce the charge for utilities, but they serve as a start for initiating a commission investigation of the problem that has arisen with the preparation of a hot water temperature measurement report.
Preliminary method for measuring hot water temperature
Initially, to confirm that you are right, you can perform a control measurement of the liquid parameters.
The method of performing actions is not very different from the manipulations that the authorized commission will subsequently carry out.
Measuring the temperature of hot water yourself should also not be difficult, since a household thermometer is quite suitable for these purposes. The action algorithm is as follows:
- After opening the hot water tap, you need to let it drain for 3 minutes.
- Without reducing the flow, you need to fill the liter container. At the same time, we do not reduce the fluid flow.
- Place a household thermometer in the center of the container.
- The last unchanged thermometer readings are the desired water parameters.
It is important to know that measurements must be taken at the point of analysis, that is, at the mixer or tap. Other random places may distort the indicators. To obtain more accurate data, it is better to perform these steps at three different water intake locations.
Further actions in case of temperature discrepancy
If, after checking the parameters, it is determined that the temperature is reduced, you need to perform actions in the following order:
- notify the utility service of any violations identified. It is better to leave the notification in writing with a mark on the consumer’s copy indicating the date of receipt and signed by the responsible person;
- if the moment the complaint arises does not coincide with the time of repair work on the hot water supply networks, then, according to Resolution 354 of the Government of the Russian Federation, 2 hours are allotted to verify the fact of the violation. But also, the time for the commission to visit him is agreed upon with the consumer;
- any inspection ends with drawing up a report on measuring the temperature of hot water in the apartment. The consumer and the utility company employee each have a copy of the completed act. The report form is typical and is used in any case of measuring the DHW temperature;
- The service provider provides a response indicating the reason for the reduced parameters and the time frame for their elimination.
Responsible employees of a utility organization, when performing their duties regarding how to correctly measure the temperature of hot water in an apartment, are guided by MUK 4.3.2900-11.
At the same time, according to methodological instructions, in order to accurately measure the temperature of the hot water supply, it is necessary to sample liquid at at least 4 points.
At the most remote points from the DHW input - for this purpose, water is taken directly from the apartment and those close to it - that is, from the control center of the house.
This regulatory document also regulates the temperature of hot water in an apartment building, which should be in the range from 60° to 75° Celsius.
The method established that a stable SI result is achieved after 4 minutes of draining the liquid and should not exceed a 10-minute period of time. From the regulatory document, the consumer should know that fluid is drawn from the control unit of the house from taps installed to discharge hot water in the event of an emergency, and not from random places formed by ruptured hot water pipes.
If the results of the commission’s work are disputed, first of all you should pay attention to the date of the last verification of the measuring device. This point is important because the verification period is limited and its expired date indicates that the error in the readings of such a thermometer may be higher than the error estimation range. Such testimony cannot be accepted as reliable.
Sample act: act of measuring hot water temperature
Actions of the consumer after receiving the act
Accurately performed actions and correctly executed documents will help encourage the utility organization to take the following actions:
In the absence of standard measured parameters after the expiration of the period specified in the response or in the absence of a response from the company at all, the problem can be solved with the assistance of Rospotrebnadzor, for which important evidence will be all the documents collected by you when working with the utility service. And an inspection for a utility company is fraught with a serious fine.
The legislation of the Russian Federation has developed many regulations aimed at protecting the interests of citizens. Negligent utilities need oversight from residents. Residents’ demands for their rights, in turn, help them avoid making mistakes in their future work and avoid penalties from regulatory authorities.
Source: https://zhilishhnyj-vopros.ru/zhkx/vodosnabzhenie/izmerit-temperaturu-goryachej-vody/
What to consider
When an application for carrying out measuring work in an apartment is submitted, it must be transferred to the heat supply organization or management company employees who have permission to perform such a service:
- To carry out the measurements, a commission must be created, which includes a representative from the management company or the heat supply organization.
- The measurement is carried out with special certified instruments. The presence of a certificate is mandatory; it should be checked with workers who come to the site.
- The commission arrives at the applicant at the time agreed upon with him.
- Outside, if it happens in winter, it should not be less than five degrees below zero.
- The temperature in each room should be measured separately.
Document requirements
The commission must have a form of the act. If it is compiled without it, the following points must be observed:
- The document indicates the full and exact address of the apartment. It is also necessary to record information about the owner.
- Then there is a list of housing characteristics. The number of rooms, the floor of the room, and how insulated the housing is.
- The technical characteristics of the heating system are also given. What should be in them? Wiring diagram, external temperature of heat exchangers, actual temperature of coolants (both supply and return).
- The temperature and humidity of the air and the temperature of the internal surface of the wall are indicated.
- As a result of the act, the reasons should be indicated (or indicated) that the temperature in the apartment is lowered or increased.
The drawn up and signed act is transferred to the Management Company or the heat supply organization, they must take measures to correct the situation.
ATTENTION! Actions after receiving the report must be taken within a week.
If there is no response, the consumer has the right to contact the prosecutor’s office or Rospotrebnadzor. In extreme circumstances - go to court. But it is important that the lawsuit be filed after appeals to other organizations have failed. It is important to have evidence of attempts to resolve the problem out of court.
How to measure yourself
Ordinary utility consumers do not have certified equipment for measuring room temperature; they can only perform such work with ordinary thermometers.
But in order to have grounds to contact the management company to call a commission and professional measurements, you can first carry out the work yourself. It is important to comply with the measurement requirements:
- It is impossible to measure the air temperature in the apartment on a sunny day, since the sun's rays slightly warm the room.
- In winter, you should choose a day for the procedure when the thermometer outside shows below 5 degrees below zero.
- It is important to take into account the technical condition of the room - the integrity and age of the windows, the presence of interpanel cracks in the walls of the house, and other sources of heat leakage.
- You need to measure the temperature in two rooms, twice - with an interval of 5 minutes.
- The thermometer must be of high quality, reliable, it must be placed at a distance of at least one meter from the outer wall and at least one and a half meters from the floor.
- The results of such independent measurements can be transferred to the dispatcher when contacting the management company.
How to measure the air temperature in an apartment correctly
Sanitary and epidemiological rules and regulations.” Appendix 2 provides temperature standards for living rooms.
lists the temperature requirements for external walls and floors.
You can take measurements in rooms using a mercury or electronic thermometer. If there are suspicions that the air is colder than the norm, an experiment carried out independently will help make sure. But it will not be possible to use these results as official confirmation of violations on the part of the management company.
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In order for the act to be considered a legal document, measurements must be made by a government organization using special certified equipment. A home thermometer does not meet these criteria.
But independent research makes sense before calling a competent organization, as it will make it possible to verify the correctness of suspicions. You can use a home thermometer
Standards
SanPiN number 2.1.2.2645-10 and the Appendix to the Resolution of the Chief State Sanitary Doctor, approved under number 175 in 2010, indicate temperature standards during the heating season in different rooms of the apartment. It is important for the residents of the house to take them into account, especially when they need to demand recalculation for heating:
- In living rooms, a temperature range of 18 to 24 degrees Celsius is allowed.
- In the kitchen and bathroom it can be from 18 to 26 degrees.
- In the corridor between apartments the temperature must be maintained between 16 and 22 degrees.
- On the staircase - from 14 to 20.
- The temperature in the pantry according to the norms is from 12 to 22.
Temperature norms and standards
According to GOST 30494-2011 “Residential and public buildings. Indoor microclimate parameters”, temperature parameters for residential premises are determined. Thus, in accordance with the requirements set out in this regulatory act, in the spring-summer period the temperature in residential premises should be in the range from 22 to 25 degrees Celsius.
Remember! In the autumn-winter period, depending on the type and purpose of the room, which is located in individual housing, the temperature should be:
- in the kitchen - not lower than 20 degrees with an average of 22 to 23;
- in living rooms - not lower than 18 degrees with an average of 20 to 22;
- in a combined bathroom or separate bathroom - not lower than 18 at an average temperature of 24 to 26 degrees;
- in the toilet - not lower than 18 with an average of 19 to 21 degrees;
- non-residential rooms intended for study and relaxation - not lower than 18 degrees, with an average of 20 to 22;
- in the inter-apartment corridor - not lower than 16 at an average temperature of 18 to 20 degrees;
- in the pantry - not lower than 14 with an average of 16-18;
- on flights of stairs the temperature should not be lower than 12 degrees with an average of 16 to 18.
Measuring indoor air temperature
Measuring the air temperature in the room.
This Act has been drawn up to indicate that the expert has determined the temperature of the air and surfaces in the premises at the address: Moscow, st. ХХХХХ, 19, building 1, office. 29.
Instrumental examination was carried out with the following devices:
- Anemometer ISP-MG4 SKB "STROYPRIBOR" (Air flow speed and temperature meter)
- Pyrometer OPTRIS MiniSight (Surface Temperature Meter)
According to the explanations of the Customer of this expert study, in the office premises in the autumn-winter-spring period, a reduced air temperature is observed and, as a result, organoleptic discomfort is felt when constantly staying in these premises.
During a full-scale visual and instrumental inspection of the research object, a construction expert measured the air temperature, as well as the temperature of the work surfaces. Photographic recording was carried out.
The construction expert was guided by the requirements of the following regulatory documents:
- SanPiN 2.2.4.548-96 Hygienic requirements for the microclimate of industrial premises;
- MUK 4.3.2756-10 Guidelines for measuring and assessing the microclimate of industrial premises;
- SP 60.13330.2016 Heating, ventilation and air conditioning. Updated version of SNiP 41-01-2003;
- GOST 30494-2011 Residential and public buildings. Indoor microclimate parameters.
The data from the field inspection are summarized in a photo table with explanations:
Room No. 1. General view of the workplace. | |
Room No. 1. Workplace. Table surface level. Indications of measuring instruments. On the left is a pyrometer (surface temperature 15.2 C). On the right is an anemometer-thermometer (air temperature 15.1 C). |
MUK 4.3.2756-10 “METHODOLOGICAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR MEASUREMENT AND ASSESSMENT OF THE MICROClimate OF PRODUCTION PREMISES”
According to clause 4.1.1. (quote)... Measurements of microclimate indicators in order to monitor their compliance with hygienic requirements should be carried out during the cold period of the year - on days with the outside air temperature differing from the average temperature of the coldest month of winter by no more than 5 ° C (end quote).
Room No. 2. General view of the workplace. | |
Room No. 2. Workplace. Table surface level. Indications of measuring instruments. On the left is a pyrometer (surface temperature 12.4 C). On the right is an anemometer-thermometer (air temperature 10.1 C). |
SanPiN 2.2.4.548-96 “HYGIENIC REQUIREMENTS FOR THE MICROClimate OF PRODUCTION PREMISES”
According to clause 1.2. These Sanitary Rules apply to microclimate indicators in workplaces of all types of industrial premises and are mandatory for all enterprises and organizations . References to the obligation to comply with the requirements of these sanitary rules must be included in regulatory and technical documents: standards, building codes and regulations, technical specifications and other regulatory and technical documents regulating the operational characteristics of production facilities, technological, engineering and sanitary equipment that ensure the provision of hygienic microclimate standards.
According to clause 1.4. Heads of enterprises, organizations and institutions, regardless of their form of ownership and subordination, in order to ensure production control, are obliged to bring workplaces into compliance with the microclimate requirements provided for by these Sanitary Rules.
According to clause 4.2. Microclimate indicators must ensure the preservation of the thermal balance of a person with the environment and the maintenance of an optimal or acceptable thermal state of the body .
Room No. 3. General view of the workplace. | |
Room No. 3. Workplace. Table surface level. Indications of measuring instruments. On the left is a pyrometer (surface temperature 15.4 C). On the right is an anemometer-thermometer (air temperature 17.2 C). |
According to clause 5.1. Optimal microclimatic conditions are established according to the criteria of the optimal thermal and functional state of a person. They provide a general and local feeling of thermal comfort during an 8-hour work shift with minimal stress on the thermoregulation mechanisms, do not cause deviations in health, create the prerequisites for a high level of performance and are preferred in the workplace.
Room No. 4. General view of the workplace. | |
Room No. 4. Workplace. Table surface level. Indications of measuring instruments. On the left is a pyrometer (surface temperature 16.4 C). On the right is an anemometer-thermometer (air temperature 16.7 C). |
According to clause 5.3. The optimal microclimate parameters at workplaces should correspond to the values given in Table 1 in relation to the performance of work of various categories in the cold and warm periods of the year.
Radiator. Heating radiator surface temperature 50.C. |
According to clause 6.1. Acceptable microclimatic conditions are established according to the criteria for the permissible thermal and functional state of a person for the period of an 8-hour work shift. They do not cause damage or health problems, but can lead to general and local sensations of thermal discomfort, tension in the thermoregulatory mechanisms, deterioration of well-being and decreased performance.
According to paragraph No. 3 “Classification of premises” GOST 30494-2011 Residential and public buildings. Microclimate parameters in the premises, the premises under study belong to the 2nd category : Premises in which people are engaged in mental work and study.
According to paragraph No. 4 “Microclimate parameters” of GOST 30494-2011 Residential and public buildings. Indoor microclimate parameters,
clause 4.1. In residential and public buildings, optimal or acceptable microclimate parameters in the serviced area should be ensured;
4.3. Required microclimate parameters: optimal, acceptable or their combinations should be set depending on the purpose of the room and the period of the year, taking into account the requirements of the relevant regulatory documents;
4.4. Optimal and permissible microclimate parameters in the serviced area of residential premises (including dormitories), kindergartens, public, administrative and household buildings should be taken for the corresponding period of the year within the limits of the parameter values given in Table 3 - Optimal and permissible norms of temperature, relative humidity and air speed in the serviced area of public and administrative buildings,
namely:
Period of the year | Room category | Air temperature, C | Resulting temperature, C | ||
Optimal | Acceptable | Optimal | Acceptable | ||
Cold | 2 | 20-22 | 18-24 | 19-20 | 17-23 |
The above circumstances directly indicate violations of GOST 30494-2011 “RESIDENTIAL AND PUBLIC BUILDINGS. INDOOR MICROCLIMATE PARAMETERS” in terms of temperature parameters and do not allow the use of the studied office premises at the address: Moscow, st. ХХХХХ, 19, building 1, office. 29 in accordance with their functional purpose, in accordance with the lease agreement for the above premises and the requirements of regulatory and technical documentation in force on the territory of the Russian Federation.
Representative of STROYEKSPERTIZA LLC XXXXX A.M.
Heating season dates
The duration of the heating season depends on the heating system with which the apartment building is equipped. If autonomous heating is installed in the apartments, then the start and end of heating is regulated by the residents themselves.
With centralized heating, the beginning and end of the heating season is determined by the decision of the local government. In this case, the occurrence of certain conditions is taken into account.
So:
- if the average daily temperature drops below 8 degrees Celsius and this indicator remains for at least 5 days, a decision is made to start the heating season;
- If the average daily temperature is above 8 degrees Celsius and this indicator remains for at least 5 days, heating stops.
GOST 30494-2011 allows you not to adhere to these requirements in cases where the temperature sharply decreases or increases during certain periods of the year. That is, heating can be started earlier or stopped. The main condition is that a decision from the local government is required at the beginning and end of the heating season.
Is it possible to change the property management company?
Is it possible not to pay for heating if you don’t live in an apartment?
How to measure the air temperature in an apartment
Please note! To measure the temperature in a specific residential area, the following requirements must be met:
- measurement is not carried out on a warm sunny day, since the room is heated quite well by solar energy;
- the room in which it is necessary to measure the temperature should not be subject to drafts due to leaks in the window and balcony units. Otherwise, the measurement will not reflect real heat supply data;
- measurements must be taken in at least two rooms. The exception is one-room apartments, in which the window occupies 30 percent of the wall area;
- The temperature measuring device must be located no closer than half a meter from the outer wall and 0.6 m from the floor level.
The act of measuring the temperature in the apartment
After the low temperature in the apartment has been officially registered, it is necessary to determine whose competence it is to restore it. Further actions will depend on this.
- first you need to make sure that the windows and doors are tightly closed;
- the device should not be exposed to heating or cooling devices, direct sunlight;
- when measuring, you do not need to hold it in your hands so as not to increase the readings;
- allow the thermometer to record readings (10 minutes);
- more objective results will be obtained by using several different instruments;
- You need to measure the temperature of at least two living rooms, depending on the construction features of the apartment;
- It is advisable to take measurements in the center of the rooms and display the average result.
What to do if there are deviations from the norm
If, as a result of self-measurement of temperature, it is determined that it is higher or lower than normal, it is necessary to inform the emergency dispatch service of the housing office or management company. The telephone number of such a service is usually indicated on receipts for payment of housing and communal services.
If the result of a violation of heat supply standards is not an accident or other natural factor, the dispatcher is obliged to send an emergency team. Upon arrival at the place of call, a temperature measurement report must be drawn up.
Attention! The measurement itself must be made with a certified device, and the following data should be indicated in the report:
- title of the document “Temperature Measurement Report”;
- name of the locality, name of the street, number of the house, building, apartment;
- day, month and year of document preparation;
- composition of the commission, information about the owner of the apartment;
- characteristics of the apartment, including which entrance it is located in, what floor it is located on, how many rooms it has, which parts of the world the rooms face;
- information about the device used to measure the temperature;
- what readings the device recorded;
- signatures of all persons who were present during the measurement.
ATTENTION! Look at the completed sample application to the Criminal Code for measuring the temperature in the apartment:
The document is drawn up in two copies. The first is handed over to the owner of the residential premises or his tenant, the second is transferred by the commission to the housing and communal services.
Remember! The temperature regime must be ensured not only in the apartments of a residential building, but also in other premises that belong to the common property of citizens:
- in insulated attic spaces, the temperature should be 12 degrees higher than the outside air temperature;
- in cold attic rooms, the temperature should be 4 degrees higher than the outside air;
- in technical rooms the temperature should be at least 5 degrees Celsius;
- in staircases and flights the temperature should not fall below 16 degrees.
These temperature requirements are provided for by the Rules and Standards for the Technical Operation of the Housing Stock. This regulatory document obliges the housing office, management company, and housing cooperative to timely implement measures aimed at maintaining the required temperature and air humidity in the premises served.
ATTENTION! Look at the completed sample report for measuring the air temperature in the apartment:
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How to correctly measure the temperature in an apartment?
Often the temperature in an apartment during the cold season does not meet GOST standards. This may be the basis for filing a complaint with the appropriate authorities in order to eliminate violations. For a complaint to be justified, it is necessary to correctly measure the temperature in the apartment and record the result obtained. To obtain reliable parameters, you must follow some rules:
- Measurements cannot be taken on a sunny day. Even on winter days, the sun's rays can warm up the rooms to some extent. Therefore, it is recommended to measure the temperature on a cloudy day or early in the morning.
- During the cold season, measurements cannot be made at outside temperatures below minus 5 degrees.
- Before starting measurements, you should check the presence or absence of heat leaks from residential premises. This could be old windows or a violation of the tightness of interpanel seams. If the causes of heat leakage are detected, measurements are made only after they have been eliminated.
- The temperature in apartments is measured in two rooms (with the exception of one-room apartments). Measurements are taken three times at 5-minute intervals.
- During the procedure, the temperature measuring device in the apartment must be located at a distance of at least a meter from the outer wall and at least one and a half meters from the floor. All instruments used for measurements must undergo preliminary testing.
- Before contacting the emergency dispatch service, it is advisable to carry out preliminary measurements yourself in order to compare the data obtained.
Emergency team workers take temperature measurements according to all rules and draw up a report. It should contain the following points:
- date of temperature measurement in the apartment;
- information on the composition of the commission that carried out the measurements;
- description of the apartment;
- instrument readings;
- temperature value;
- signatures.
For your information,
the Report on temperature measurements in the apartment is drawn up in two copies. One remains with the owner of the apartment, the other with the members of the commission.
Is it possible to get a recalculation for heating?
Appendix No. 1 of the Rules for the provision of utility services to owners and users of premises in apartment buildings and residential buildings, in section VI, stipulates that a recalculation of paid heating services can be made if the temperature regime is not observed:
- within one month for a total of more than 24 hours;
- for at least 16 hours at a time, while the air temperature in residential premises was within the range of 12 to the standard temperature;
- at least 8 hours at a time, if the air temperature in residential premises was 10-12 degrees Celsius;
- at least 4 hours at a time - at a temperature of 8 to 10 degrees Celsius in residential premises.
The cost of heating services is recalculated as follows: for each recorded hour of the total deviation of the air temperature in residential premises, the payment amount is reduced by 0.15% for each degree of recorded deviation.
You can see it more clearly in the following example:
- the air temperature in the living room at the time of drawing up the measurement report was 16 degrees Celsius. That is, a deviation from the established norm by two degrees;
- the period during which the indicated temperature was maintained was 8 days or 192 hours;
- 2 degrees times 192 hours. Multiply the resulting value by 0.15%. The result is a reduction in payment by 28.8 percent.
In order for the payment for heating services to be recalculated, the apartment owner must write a corresponding application to the organization that supplies home heating services.
The text of the document must indicate the date of contact with the dispatch service and the registration number under which this fact was registered. The application must be accompanied by a temperature measurement report.
ATTENTION! Look at the completed sample application for recalculation of utilities:
Watch the video. Heating radiators do not heat, where to go, who to contact:
ACT for checking the quality of provision of heat supply services (heating and hot water supply)
Commission for checking the quality of public services, consisting of:
1. Representative of the resource supply organization ____________________________________________________________
2. Representative of the organization transporting thermal energy ________________________________________
3. Representative of the Managing Organization ________________________________________________________________
4. Consumer representative (house resident) ________________________________________________________________
has drawn up this act stating that at the time of inspection _____________________________________________________
(date, time) in house No.______on street________________________, upon inspection of the premises, the following was established.
1. The outside air temperature at the time of inspection was _________ o C
Coolant parameters from the heat source (1 circuit):
At the entrance to the central heating point (CHP)______, to the heat pump station (HPS)______ (mixing),
thermal unit of an organization transporting thermal energy
a) in the supply pipeline pressure Р1____________kgf/cm2 temperature Т1_____________ о С1 circuit
b) in the return pipeline pressure Р2_____________kgf/cm 2 temperature Т2_____________ о С 1st circuit
Parameters of the coolant at the outlet of the central heating station _______, HPS _______ (mixing), (2 circuits) of the organization,
transporting thermal energy
a) in the supply pipeline pressure Р11___________kgf/cm2 temperature Т11____________ о С 2nd circuit
b) into the return pipeline of the organization transporting thermal energy pressure Р21___________kgf/cm 2
temperature T21___________ o C 2nd circuit
c) hot water pipeline pressure Р3___________kgf/cm2 temperature Т3____________о С 2nd circuit
d) circulation pipeline pressure Р4_________kgf/cm2 temperature Т4__________ о С 2nd circuit
At the entrance to residential building No. _____ on the street __________________________________________
a) in the supply pipeline pressure Р11___________kgf/cm2 temperature Т11_____________ о С 2nd circuit
b) in the return pipeline pressure Р21____________kgf/cm 2 temperature Т21____________ о С 2nd circuit
c) hot water pipeline pressure Р3____________ kgf/cm2 temperature Т3____________ о С 2nd circuit
d) circulation pipeline pressure Р4_________kgf/cm2 temperature Т4____________ о С 2nd circuit
At the exit from the heating unit of residential building No. ________ on the street _____________________
a) in the supply pipeline pressure Р11___________kgf/cm2 temperature Т11_____________ о С 2nd circuit
b) in the return pipeline pressure Р21___________kgf/cm 2 temperature Т21 ____________ о С 2nd circuit
c) hot water pipeline pressure Р3____________kgf/cm2 temperature Т3_____________ о С 2nd circuit
d) circulation pipeline pressure Р4________ kgf/cm2 temperature Т4___________ о С 2nd circuit
e) hydraulic tests of equipment and pipelines of the central heating station, heating pump station and heating unit of the organization,
transporting thermal energy, resource supplying organization _________________________
2. Residential building, central heating and hot water supply system, maintained by
a) hydropneumatic flushing of the central heating system in agreement with the resource supply company
organization (does the preparation plans for
b) hydraulic tests of equipment and pipelines of the central heating substation, heating pump station and heating unit as agreed
with the resource supplying organization ________________________________________________________________________________
c) circulation pipeline of the hot water supply system__________________________________________
d) window openings in the basement ___________________________________, in the entrance__________________________________________
e) entrance doors, vestibule doors in entrances and doors on transition landings________________
3. During the inspection of the apartments, the following was discovered.
An event to insulate apartment window and door openings
Temperature from the inner surface of the outer wall and the heating device at 0.5 m in the center of the room at a height of 0.1-2 m, but not closer than 1 m from the ceiling with ceiling heating, o C
Temperature of hot water at the point of water supply, o C
The commission for checking the quality of public services found that the parameters of services in the surveyed
apartments according to complaints do not comply with GOST (air temperature at the inner wall of the room is +18 o C).
This is interesting: Return of materials in the estimate
For the shortfall in heat received for the period of ____ days, a recalculation will be made by _____%
Managing organization in the amount of ______________%, resource supplying organization_________%,
organization transporting thermal energy _____________________________________%
Number and type of measuring instruments used and data on the state metrological
Representative of the resource supply organization __________________________________________________________
Representative of an organization transporting thermal energy ________________________________________
Representative of the Managing Organization _________________________________________________________________
Consumer representative (house resident) ________________________________________________________________
Sample complaint to the management company
No legislative or regulatory act contains requirements for the form in which a complaint is written. Therefore, the complaint that residents submit to the management company about non-compliance with the temperature regime is written in any form.
Important! As practice shows, the document should be brief. It should clearly and specifically state the essence of the problem. It is mandatory to indicate which GOST standards have been violated. Request a recalculation of the cost of heating services. Attach a temperature measurement report.
If a violation in the heating of a living space caused a deterioration in health, provoked the appearance of mold on the walls of the rooms, or caused losses because repairs had to be made, this information should also be indicated.
What to do if the complaint did not help
Based on the application of the apartment owner, the service provider is obliged to recalculate the cost of heating the home.
If this has not been done, then further steps may include the following:
- file a complaint with the housing inspectorate of the local authority;
- contact the territorial division of Rospotrebnadzor with a complaint against an organization that provides home heating services;
- write a statement to the local, regional, republican, regional or General Prosecutor's Office about a violation of a citizen's rights;
- file a claim against the contractor for recalculation of the cost of services provided, recovery of material damage caused, and compensation for moral damage.
When applying to the court, you should keep in mind that if the value of the claim is up to 50 thousand rubles, the case will be under the jurisdiction of a magistrate. If the plaintiff’s claims exceed the specified amount, then the case is subject to the jurisdiction of the district or city court.
What documents will be needed
When filing a complaint, application or filing a claim, a certain package of documents should be attached to the main document. Without them, an objective consideration of the appeal will be difficult, and with the judicial option it will be impossible.
Thus, the applicant will need to provide:
- copies of complaints and appeals regarding temperature violations when supplying heat to housing;
- responses to these documents;
- agreement with the provider of heat supply services;
- bank documents on payment of heating bills;
- an extract from the Unified State Register of Real Estate, which confirms that the applicant is the owner of the residential premises, the temperature regime that was violated.
For the information of real estate owners - from 2021, the only document that confirms ownership of real estate is an extract from the Unified State Register of Real Estate.
Complaint against the Criminal Code to the Housing Inspectorate
The initial authority to which a complaint about a violation of the temperature regime in an apartment should be addressed is the state housing inspection. According to its functions, this body issues permits for the activities of management companies. A complaint can be filed simultaneously with several authorities. This is not prohibited by law.
However, when sending a complaint to other authorities, the document can be forwarded specifically to the housing inspection.
Please note! There are several ways to contact the housing inspector:
- make an appointment in person with the head or other responsible person of this body, where you can submit a written complaint;
- send documents by registered mail with acknowledgment of receipt;
- fill out a special form for online applications on the inspection website.
The law allows 30 days to consider a complaint.
Based on the results, one of two possible decisions can be made:
- the complaint may be considered unfounded and therefore will not be satisfied;
- the complaint will be satisfied, the applicant’s demands will be recognized as justified. Officials of the management company will be brought to administrative liability under Article 7.22 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation.
ATTENTION! Look at the completed sample application for a management company to the Housing Inspectorate:
Complaint to Rospotrebnadzor
Rospotrebnadzor is the Federal Service for Supervision of Consumer Rights Protection.
Remember! You can file a complaint with this authority against your heat supplier in one of several ways:
- personally contact the territorial office of Rospotrebnadzor;
- send documents by mail;
- leave a complaint on the department's website.
The complaint is made to the head of the territorial division of the Federal Service. His data is written at the top of the A4 sheet of paper, on the right. If the surname and initials of the official are known, they should also be indicated.
Below are the full details of the applicant - last name, first name, patronymic, residential address, means of communication in the form of a telephone number or email address.
Even lower – in the middle – the name of the document is indicated. This can be either a “Complaint” or an “Application”. Depending on the title of the document, each of them contains its own information. Thus, an application is characterized by raising questions regarding the rights and interests of a specific homeowner who initiates the application.
The “Complaint” poses more extensive problems, for example, that the temperature regime is not maintained throughout the entire house, in which not only middle-aged citizens live, but also elderly people and children.
The main part of the document is intended to present the essence of the problem. It should be outlined as briefly as possible, since long narratives are much worse for human perception. Lawyers recommend presenting the situation in chronological order.
For example, concluding a contract, issuing invoices, paying for a service that was not provided or provided poorly. In this case, it is necessary to make references to documents that play the role of evidence of the applicant’s point of view.
Attention! These may be the following documents that should be attached to the application:
- service agreement;
- copies of invoices issued for payment;
- bank payment receipts;
- act of measuring temperature;
- a copy of the application to the management company for recalculation;
- responses regarding refusal to satisfy legal claims;
- measurement report by independent specialists.
The final part of the document should indicate the demands or request being made.
For example:
- recalculate;
- restore the quality of the service provided.
At the bottom you should indicate the day, month, year of the document, signature, surname and initials of the applicant.
For collective complaints, it is recommended to attach a copy of the minutes of the general meeting of apartment owners of an apartment building, which indicates the decision to appeal to Rospotrebnadzor.
It should be borne in mind that the collective complaint is signed by all apartment owners who took part in the meeting. You cannot sign for another person, as this may lead to the termination of the verification of the complaint with the impossibility of re-applying.
Rospotrebnadzor is obliged to notify the applicant within 5-10 days that his application has been accepted or not accepted for consideration.
ATTENTION! Look at the completed sample application to Rospotrebnadzor for the heating management company:
Appeal to the Prosecutor's Office
To apply to law enforcement agencies, which is the prosecutor’s office, the document must be called “Application”. In terms of the structure of writing, a statement is no different from a “Complaint”.
So, in the upper part it is indicated:
- name of the territorial division of the prosecutor's office;
- class rank of the prosecutor, his last name and initials;
- name of the locality, name of the street and number of the building where the prosecutor's office is located;
- last name, first name, patronymic of the applicant, his place of residence, means of contacting him in the form of a telephone number or email address.
Below, in the middle of the A4 sheet, write the name of the document “Application”.
The content part is stated on a new line, in which:
- the essence of the problem that has arisen is stated - a violation of the temperature regime in the apartment;
- what methods were used to resolve it;
- which authorities were contacted and what response was received;
- legal grounds for contacting the prosecutor's office.
The final part states the request. Attached are copies of documents that are necessary for an objective consideration of the complaint.
Please note! The result of the inspection may be the initiation of a criminal case against officials of the management company who violated the temperature regime in the applicant’s housing.
When applying collectively, the application must be signed by all apartment owners who made such a decision. In this case, the document must also be drawn up in two copies. One is handed over to the prosecutor's office, on the second a note is made about the receipt of the application, the date and registration number in the incoming correspondence book.
This procedure for submitting documents must be followed when applying to any authority.
This achieves:
- written confirmation of the fact of application;
- counting down the deadline for making a decision.
The law gives the prosecutor's office one month to consider the application. However, if an examination or other research is required, the time to make an informed decision may be increased. The applicant will be notified of such a decision in writing.
ATTENTION! Look at the completed sample complaint to the Prosecutor's Office against the Heating Management Company:
Temperature measurement report in an apartment sample download
Provided that the measurement actually shows a low temperature that does not meet the standards (even taking into account the deviation). The act will be attached to applications to various authorities - to the Criminal Code, to ZHI, to Rospotrebnadzor, the prosecutor's office, the court.
Contents: Please note! The result of the inspection may be the initiation of a criminal case against officials of the management company who violated the temperature regime in the applicant’s housing. When applying collectively, the application must be signed by all apartment owners who made such a decision.
In this case, the document must also be drawn up in two copies. One is handed over to the prosecutor's office, on the second a note is made about the receipt of the application, the date and registration number in the incoming correspondence book. This procedure for submitting documents must be followed when applying to any authority.