The year 2009 can be considered the beginning of mass installations of energy consumption meters. With the adoption of the law of November 23, 2009 No. 261-FZ “On energy saving and increasing energy efficiency,” a number of changes were made to legislative acts. Now apartment owners are required to install resource consumption meters: electricity, gas, water in their living quarters.
The Law specifies the deadline for installing water meters - until July 1, 2013 (clause 12 of Article 13), but it is constantly being pushed back. With the entry into force of the document, many owners of residential space began to actively install them. This was facilitated by the active activity of companies offering to carry out work on favorable terms.
However, those who are still in no hurry to acquire a water meter should take into account that the government has introduced penalties for non-compliance with legislative norms. This will be done in the form of a constant significant increase in tariffs, which will force the population to switch to water metering.
When is it necessary to install water meters in 2021 according to the law?
As mentioned earlier, installing water meters is our responsibility by law. Therefore, despite talk about the possible abolition of this norm, it is hardly worth expecting. No one can directly punish residents who do not want to install a meter or do not have the funds to do so. But rising tariffs can hit your pocket hard.
As a result, all that remains is to calculate all the costs for the individual metering devices themselves, their installation and monthly fees and compare them with what awaits residents in apartments without them in 2021. In such housing, the fee for water consumption is calculated by multiplying the standard tariff approved by local authorities by the number of registered people in a given living space.
Every year an additional factor will be applied to the tariff. In 2021, the increasing coefficient for water without a meter remains the same, as in 2021, according to Resolution No. 354 of May 6, 2011 “On the provision of utility services to owners of apartment buildings”, effective from December 27, 2018.
Thus, in 2021, those who have not installed water meters will pay 50% more for consumption, that is, the increasing factor will be 1.5. This puts a significant strain on the family budget.
Among other things, management companies are responsible for the extent to which the Law is complied with in the houses entrusted to them. Their task is to achieve the maximum number of apartments equipped with water meters. Therefore, they are actively working in this direction, sometimes even providing payment in installments for several months.
With the installation of devices, you will lose the headache of a management company insistently demanding to do this, and a significant reduction in water charges, since it will directly depend on actual consumption.
To install a water meter, you must submit an application to the management company. If it does not have permission for this activity, it is obliged to provide a list of organizations providing this service.
For owners of municipal housing, water meters are installed free of charge ; for privatized apartments, the cost can vary between 4,000-7,000 rubles .
After installation, it is necessary to invite a representative of the management company, who will draw up a commissioning certificate and put a seal. Sealing is a free service.
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Technical feasibility of installing a metering device
Owners of buildings, structures, structures, owners of premises in apartment buildings must ensure that such buildings comply with energy efficiency requirements and install metering devices in them (clause 9 of Article 11 N 261-FZ).
If the owners do not fulfill their duties and do not install meters, RSOs do this for them. The owners actually pay the RSO for the installation of the PU in equal shares for five years (clauses 9–13 of Article 13 N 261-FZ).
At the same time, there is negative judicial practice when the obligation to reimburse the expenses of the RSO for the installation of metering devices is assigned to the management organization with further compensation from the owners of the premises (decision of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation dated June 17, 2015 N 310-ES15-912 in case N A14-13747/2013 ).
This happens due to the systemic interpretation of Art. 162 of the RF Housing Code, clause 20 of the RF PP No. 416, clauses 24–26 of the RF PP No. 491. The MA, by virtue of its status, has comprehensive information about the share of each owner in the right of common ownership of common property in the apartment building. The MA also has the authority to settle accounts with the RSO and to receive payments from owners for services provided.
Therefore, it is important to convey to the owners that installing metering devices is their responsibility, not their right. If the owners do nothing, by default we can assume that it is technically possible to install a meter, but it is not available.
If the owners are sure that it is impossible to install a metering device in their house, they have the right to require the contractor to draw up a report on the technical impossibility of installing a metering device (clause 33 to (3) RF PP No. 354).
If there is no such act, then an increasing factor of 1.5 is applied to the standard for the consumption of utility resources . This means that the amount in payment documents will be higher.
We described the rules for conducting checks of metering devices here
When to install water meters in a new building and who should do it?
The installation of individual metering devices (meters) falls within the norms of current legislation. Federal Law No. 261-FZ obliges the use of them, because this will entail significant savings in energy and water resources, and will also allow keeping records of their consumption.
As for new buildings put into operation after the Law came into force, they must definitely be equipped with all the necessary meters: gas, water and electricity. This means that all residential premises must be put into operation with such devices.
Development companies must install water meters in the quantity required for a specific apartment, that is, for each water supply pipe, both cold and hot, as well as a common house meter. Residents must pay attention to this when inspecting the premises and not sign the transfer deed in their absence. If they are not there, then this fact must be reflected in the document or written notification to the developer, who is obliged to correct the situation.
It is also worth noting the fact that without water meters, housing being put into operation cannot be accepted by the state commission. This means that the very fact of acceptance by the commission will not allow apartments in the building to be sold and occupied.
Service life of water meters in apartments
The metering device for water consumed by residents is a measuring device and may become insufficiently accurate over time. This distorts the actual numbers by making them smaller or larger.
In order to prevent such discrepancies, rules and deadlines for checking water meters have been introduced. They are:
- for cold water – 6 years,
- for hot water – 4 years.
Special chemical components are added to hot water, which, when exposed to high temperatures, can wear out the device mechanism faster. Therefore, the service life for hot water is slightly shorter.
If the check shows that the measuring tool is in good working order, you can continue to use it until the next check, otherwise it should be replaced. Please note that the average service life of water meters is 12 years.
The homeowner himself is obliged to monitor the end of the inter-inspection period and promptly contact specialized organizations involved in inspection and issuance of the relevant act. You can find out the expiration date of such a period from the meter installation report or the previous verification report. We do not recommend postponing the verification procedure until the last few days, but take care of it in advance.
The result of meter verification must be provided to the management company without fail. If the deadline passes and the documents are not received, then she has every right to charge for water based on the standards applicable to apartments where metering devices are not installed.
Who to contact to install a water meter, Cost of work
Water meters are installed by skilled workers
The law does not regulate the list of organizations involved in the installation of water meters. There is also no connection to specific device manufacturers. You can install meters by contacting your management company and leaving the appropriate request.
The technician will arrive at the appointed time and will first assess the possibility of installing the equipment. As a rule, installers already have their own meters. You can purchase meters yourself, after consulting with a specialist about the operational characteristics of the device, depending on the price and the required measurement accuracy.
If meters are not installed in the management company itself, they must provide a list of partner organizations that are engaged in such work. After installation work, you need to register the meter with the management company; for this you will need the following documents:
- Technical passport for the meter;
- A report on the work done, which should indicate their cost, list and number of the sealer;
- Certificate of conformity of the device;
- Agreement for the installation of the meter and its further maintenance;
- Commissioning certificate.
After checking all seals and correct installation of equipment, water use charges will be calculated based on meter readings. The main thing is not to forget to submit them to the management organization on a monthly basis on time.
The number of meters installed depends on the layout of the living space. As a rule, 2 counters are installed in the kitchen and 2 in the bathroom.
The average cost of installing a set of meters (for hot and cold water) for plastic pipes will cost 3-3.5 thousand rubles, for copper pipes - about 6 thousand.
How are water meters checked?
Checking can be done in two ways:
- Without removing the meter. Specialists go to the site and perform water meter tests. As a result, the owner receives a certificate indicating the date and test results. This is convenient for residents - you just need to provide unhindered access to the meter - and requires minimal time.
- With the counter removed. Representatives of the company dismantle it, take it to the laboratory and take measurements there. If they find a small problem with the mechanism, they can fix it and install the meter back. In the case where the meter is checked on site, nothing can be corrected. Therefore, the master may offer to remove it and take it for repairs or issue a certificate with a conclusion on replacement.
The easiest way is, of course, the first. It does not require disconnecting the riser to remove the device and wait for reinstallation. This can take from several hours to several days. To avoid any questions regarding the quality of the inspection, immediately check with the company whether it has the appropriate permits for this type of activity.
Verification is a paid service. The cost of checking one meter can be within 1000 rubles .
Rules for installing water meters in a private house in 2021
The installation of water meters is subject to a number of rules and regulations. They are almost the same for both residents of apartment buildings and private residential buildings. Therefore, we list what rules must be followed when installing water meters:
- It is necessary to use only devices that have been certified in Russia. Each must be accompanied by a technical passport. The serial number contained in this document must match that printed on the meter body. There is no need to reset the readings on the display, since they will be recorded during sealing and will become the starting point for measuring water consumption.
- A coarse filter must be cut into the pipe up to the installation site of the meter. This is necessary for the device to last longer. The water coming from the water supply may contain dense particles, leading to rapid wear of the water meter, or more precisely its mechanical parts. The presence of a filter reduces the likelihood of various problems and increases the accuracy of the device.
- The meter must be sealed, otherwise its readings will not be considered valid. They are sealed in an apartment by a representative of the management company, and in a private house - by a water supply organization. The cost of the service is free by law.
- A certain distance must be maintained, which is no more than 20 cm from the entrance to the pipeline to the meter. This is a necessary condition so that the owner cannot independently connect to the meter.
- The meter must be installed in a private house in a room into which a pipe from the central pipeline is led. It should run along the wall. In this case, the air temperature in the room should not be lower than 5 degrees. If the water main is located quite a distance from the house, then you will need to install a meter on the street. In this case, a special well is built where it is placed. Then not only the meter itself is sealed, but also the lid with which the well is closed. Breaking the seal on the lid is only allowed in the event of an accident or fire. The owner of a residential building is responsible for the condition of the pipeline from the location of the water meter to the house itself.
Technical impossibility of installing a metering device
Cases of technical impossibility of installing metering devices are listed in clause 3 of Order of the Ministry of Regional Development of the Russian Federation dated December 29, 2011 N 627. It is impossible to install a metering device if:
- vertical wiring of in-house engineering systems;
- the need for reconstruction or major repairs of in-house engineering systems;
- inability to ensure compliance with technical requirements;
- the need to ensure the operation of the metering device: electromagnetic interference, humidity, readings cannot be taken, flooding.
Who should draw up an inspection report for the metering device , you ask?
- ODPU - the inspection report is drawn up by the RSO and the UO/HOA or the UO/HOA with the right to inspect the RSO,
- IPU is a provider of public services.
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