Hot and cold water meters - how often do they need to be changed by law? Deadlines for checking cold and hot water meters Deadlines for checking meters Federal law

In order to save money, citizens are interested in installing individual control and measuring devices. The vast majority of utility service users do not encounter non-standard situations. However, in particular, water is not only an instrument of government regulation Russian market plumbing services, but also the subject of legal challenges from the population. Unfortunately, the problem of bottlenecks also exists in this area of ​​government regulatory regulation accounting for water consumption.

This article aims to highlight aspects of the provision of this service. For reference, we will select the housing and communal services of Moscow with its regulatory field.

General view

Is it necessary to verify water meters? Of course yes. Its need is intensified by old, rusting water pipes, low-quality water, and substandard meters. This procedure (though in various ways regulated) is normatively present in municipal regulation in various countries. Examples of its clear regulation are Germany and the United States.

As you know, devices with which consumers track their water consumption are usually classified as individual devices (IPU). This term will also appear as a synonym in our text.

How is servicing of various meters organized? According to international experience, a one-year service cycle is desirable. Regarding the meters we are considering, we can say that this can even come from one technical detail: clogged filters. And, as you know, it is recommended to clean them once a year.

Citizen's appeal

To check the meter installed in his home, a citizen contacts a commercial company that is licensed to carry out such work. Do not rush to go to those service organizations that besiege your mailbox with letters (although if you take the shortest path, then this is also an option).

Thrifty people find a service company with the most affordable rates. At the same time, it is stipulated that the company can check the existing meters rather than change them (this is cheaper). If installation is contemplated, ask whether the company installs meters purchased by users. Honor and glory to you if you choose in the company store, based on the configuration of your pipes, German meters from the companies "ABB", "Zenner-Vodopribor", "Viterra", "Wehrle". This is the major league. You can also choose a Russian one (remembering that it was manufactured under a Western license). However, in the latter case, it is worth asking about its verification period, recorded in the instructions.

At the same time (an important circumstance!) You should prepare in writing for an audit using the meters you have. You should have with you the technical passports of the devices, certificates of their sealing, and preliminary verification reports. If there is a gap in the documents, you can expect additional costs.

We will express our thoughts about the legal aspects accompanying the transaction later. In the meantime, let’s find out what the deadline for checking water meters is. The housing office will answer you without hesitation: “For meters hot water- 4 years; for cold weather - 5-6 years.”

They won’t let you forget the verification deadlines

The day before, as a rule, the consumer receives a notice from the management company (or, alternatively, from the housing office.) This process is strictly accounted for, because periodic verification measuring instruments is an important revenue item for housing and communal services. It should be taken into account that hot water is traditionally produced more often. However, in any case, all information on installations, verifications, etc. of your devices must be submitted by you to the management company and agreed with it.

As mentioned above, you contact the service organization directly to check. Not necessarily to a commercial one, you can go to the center for regional metrology and standardization or Mosvodokanal. If you find it difficult to find an inspection contractor, contact the management company for help, which will recommend the right organization.

Two types of meter service companies

There are two options for maintenance: periodic, once every 4-5 years (it is based on the period of verification of the hot water meter), and permanent (monthly) service maintenance. In the first case, payment by the consumer is made upon verification. In the second, it is divided into equal parts and occurs monthly along with the rent.

Regarding the second option: the provision of service is secured by a contract of the same name. This approach is more consistent technical standards. In this case, the verification itself is not paid separately by the consumer. IN service companies this process is shown as " free verification water meters."

Often, service companies offer free first verification and installation (which, in principle, is beneficial to both them and consumers) when the client signs a service agreement with them. What can’t you do to outshine your competitors by driving consumers away from them?

Under such circumstances, service companies temporarily incur some costs that are guaranteed to be paid by the client in the future. However, the subject of our discussion is periodic maintenance.

Knock Knock. I am a fitter

As we mentioned above, the consumer contacts service center by phone or through the form on the website. If we talk about the performance side of the issue, then checking hot water meters, as well as cold ones, is carried out in two ways: with and without replacing the device.

An important circumstance: specialists who arrive to carry out verification must have with them a copy of the certificate authorizing them to carry out such work. Its authenticity is verified using the state accreditation register.

Meter verification without replacement

In case of “clean verification”, the most convenient and economical for Muscovites is the classic servicing of water meters using a portable verification unit UPSZH-3-PM.

In practice it looks like this. Using an adapter, the installation is connected to the mixer, having previously ensured that it drains into the sink. Measurements are taken at the limiting flow of water. Then, with the same timing - on the current user measuring device. In this case, deviations are allowed - plus or minus 5%. This type of verification of water meters without removal, lasting 30-40 minutes, is the most widespread.

If an individual meter, which is generally in good working order, requires an in-depth examination, it is dismantled (the client is temporarily provided with another meter as a replacement). The dismantled device is delivered to the laboratory. The estimated time for checking it is two days. Not because of the labor intensity (it takes the same 30-40 minutes), but because of the presence of significant volumes of homogeneous work and, accordingly, the queue. Thus, verification of water meters without removal is carried out by authorized (licensed) companies. For the consumer, it costs about one thousand rubles.

Verification with meter replacement

This type of maintenance is usually carried out by service companies using individual instrumentation purchased in advance by them. The cost of such work is higher than the service we previously reviewed without removing meters. Average prices are presented here, so the meter verification is indicated cold water meaning or hot. Approximate tariffs for these works are presented in Table 1.

Table 1. Cost of verification work regarding hot water supply (HVS) meters in Moscow

Legal regulation

If practical side the question is simple and understandable, then the legal side, so to speak, is out of the question. Let's start with the recent history of the provision of this service in Belokamennaya (as we will see later, this matters). Since 2004 and for 7 years, it has been regulated by Moscow government decree No. 77-PP dated February 10, 2004, according to which the verification period for water meters was determined to be 5-6 years for cold water (depending on the design) and 4 years for hot water.

Thus, the maximum possible profitable terms for licensed intermediaries in the market for this service and for increasing tariffs.

Next, they are trying to change the situation towards democratizing prices for the service. Federal Law No. 102-FZ “On the Uniformity of Measurements”, Article No. 13, establishes that the inspection interval must be determined by the manufacturer (and it is often more than 4-6 years). The process is evolving. On December 26, 2012, the Moscow Government removed the controversial paragraph 3.1 of Resolution No. 77-PP with the new Resolution No. 831-PP “On Amendments...”. Finally, it was said in principle that the period for verification of water meters was tied not to the administratively established standard, but to technical parameters specified in the device data sheet. However, not all so simple!

Position of the prosecutor's office. Restoration of legal norms

This step was forced - under pressure from the Prosecutor's Office, which responded to numerous complaints from citizens. The highest body supervising the implementation of legislation has established that the above-mentioned clause 3.1, which unreasonably establishes the frequency of verification of water meters, does not comply with the legislation of the Russian Federation.

He pointed this out in his official letter first deputy Prosecutor General of the Russian Federation A. Busman. It was precisely under pressure from the prosecutor’s office to eliminate the conflict with the current legislation, in fact, that Resolution No. 831-PP was adopted. Consumers complained not only about the unreasonableness of the tariffs, but also that the verification of water meters without removal was systematically, at the arbitrariness of the verification intermediaries, replaced by a more expensive replacement for a low-quality meter, which was guaranteed to break down after 3-4 years.

This option for market development has seriously curtailed the interest of intermediaries, who, over the period since 2004, have managed to “grow” into both management companies and housing offices. In addition, it is obvious that Resolution No. 831-PP was signed by the Moscow Government involuntarily (at the suggestion of the Prosecutor’s Office), i.e., as people say, “signed with reluctance.” It is obvious that it is being fulfilled with the same “reluctance”. The proof of this seditious thought can be considered in the real circumstances outlined below.

Intermediaries' position

At this stage, the Resolution adopted by Sobyanin is systematically opposed by a scheme in which commercial intermediaries and federal management companies participate at a visible level.

Of course, it has its own gaps, but not every citizen has enough money and time to “raise” this issue with the prosecutor’s office. This is what the bet is on.

At the first step of communication with the consumer, operators of licensed companies fundamentally deny its effectiveness. “Such a resolution does not exist!” - they claim, in fact, “in the old way”, tying the period for checking water meters to 6 and 4 years, i.e., supposedly being within the legal framework of the already canceled Resolution. The businessmen’s arguments are quite critical: “If it existed, we would know!” Don’t you think, dear readers, that this logic is a lose-lose for any consumer in advance, which is reminiscent of the classic example of “Catch 22”? “Businessmen” send “too smart” users for advice to the management company.

Position of management companies

Next, “player No. 2” comes into play - the federal Management Company. She, just as “sincerely” as a commercial intermediary, “does not know” about the frequency of checking water meters, according to Resolution 328. But unlike merchants, she has leverage over the consumer.

Let's operate with facts: in this situation, the management company operates in a “fully autonomous mode.” Let's follow this moment:

1. In fact, it itself sets the standard for the timing of meter inspections (by arbitrarily “revitalizing” the canceled standard).
2. It organizes control and notification itself (using the “help” of commercial intermediaries and housing offices).
3. If the water meter verification period has expired, the Criminal Code itself punishes consumers who have illegally overstayed the assigned verification period with rubles. They are transferred from individual to common house metering devices, and the formula for calculating water consumption changes. (According to the standard (approximate value), 9 m 3 per person, based on the number of registered people, regardless of their actual availability.)

Do management companies really have sufficient “sovereign” potential to fail to comply? regulatory requirements Resolution No. 831-PP? The question is, of course, rhetorical.

Conclusion

The above situation is capital market verification of water meters requires legal permission from the state. In the language of macroeconomics, the problem is that in the market of numerous service companies there is no pure competition leading to the quality of service, and indeed this happens for one simple reason: all organizations, collaborating with the state monopoly (management companies), essentially become the same monopoly .

And the monopoly behaves in accordance with its nature - it maximizes profits. At the same time, the population suffers.

An example of the most economical verification option to date is demonstrated by Mosvodokanal. Verification of water meters carried out by specialists of this enterprise, two times cheaper than other licensed service companies - about 474 rubles. This is a good signal for players in this market to lower the already high rate of profit.

This suggests the conclusion about the need for more active government regulation of the excess profit rate of this monopoly, where the Moscow Government together with the Prosecutor's Office should play a decisive role in the spirit of supervision over the implementation of Resolution No. 831-PP. The verification period for water meters must be set in accordance with international practice solution to this issue: not declaratively, but according to technical instructions. The latter would be logical.

Anyone who has installed meters on pipelines supplying cold and hot water from central networks has been able to see that this is beneficial. There is a category of the population that believes that, and this is the most correct approach.

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Laws regarding the installation of water meters

The government has adopted a number of legislative acts relating to measuring instruments and methods.

Federal Law No. 102 dated June 26, 2008

Federal Law “On Ensuring the Uniformity of Measuring Instruments”, it defines the need for verification of measuring instruments to metrology requirements.

The purpose of the Federal Law is to protect the rights and legitimate interests of citizens, society and the state from the negative consequences of unreliable measurement results.

Verification (verification) is a set of activities carried out to confirm the compliance of metering devices with metrological requirements.

Verification of a device is a check of its serviceability and accuracy using special equipment.

The law regulates the period during which the meter can operate unhindered and what intervals are permissible between verifications of hot and cold water flow meters.

Metering devices are allowed to be installed only those included in the State Register of Measuring Instruments State standard RF.

Federal Law No. 261 dated November 23, 2009

This law states the need to draw up contracts between the service provider and their consumer; this act allocates 180 days for compliance with the requirements.

The Energy Saving Law makes it mandatory to measure the consumption of utility resources.

Mandatory installation of metering devices will make it possible to:

1. Increase the ability to save resources;
2. Allows you to determine losses.

You may be interested in an article on how to save energy at home, you can read about it.

Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 354 of 05/06/2011.

This act explains the nuances of fees for the use of water and other services for residents of apartment buildings and residential buildings, as well as the rules for the provision of utility services.

Here the concept of the amount of payment in the presence of a metering device and in the absence of one is clearly divided.

Why are water meters subject to mandatory verification?

A water meter is a fairly accurate and sensitive device, which after a period of time can fail, that is, show an inaccurate water consumption.

Such indicators are of no interest to either the consumer or the supplier. Why are the readings on the meter no longer accurate, and how much do the device data differ from the actual ones, and in what direction?

Hot and cold water have different effects on metering devices. It is clear that hot water contains chemical additives, so its composition and heat more aggressive towards the meter parts, and therefore verification of metering devices on hot water supply pipelines needs to be done more often.

A check may show that the device is working properly, and damaged metering equipment must be repaired or replaced.

When do you need to change water meters?

The calibration interval for a meter installed in a hot water supply system is 4 years, for one installed on a pipe with cold water- 6 years.

Cold water meters should be checked no later than after 6 years, and hot water meters after 4 years.

There is no need to think that the period set for verification means the replacement of flow metering equipment. The water meter needs to be changed only if it does not work or shows incorrect water consumption figures.

The service life of a water meter is on average 12 years, which means that one device can last 6 years before failure, and another - 18 years.

It should be remembered that it is better to take care of the issue of verifying the water flow meter in advance, 1-1.5 months before the end of the verification interval.

The service provider company maintains records for each apartment, each house or other facility. If the user himself has forgotten that the period between verifications is coming to an end, he will be reminded - he will be sent a notification.

Procedure for checking water meters

How are water meters checked? Since verification must be carried out only with the help of special equipment, not everyone knows that verification can be carried out not only in stationary conditions, but also on site.

To carry out work, citizens independently choose an organization that has the necessary permits.

How to replace a water meter?

1. Before work starts it is necessary to take care of turning off the water, having agreed upon this with the Housing Office;
2. Provide access to water supply pipes;
3. Pipes must be in satisfactory condition;
4. Taps (valves, ball valves) must completely shut off the water in the apartment.

The check can be carried out in several ways:

• With removal of metering devices
• Without removing metering devices

If the verification is carried out by a specialized company, then you should call the plumber servicing the house to remove the meter. The dismantled device will be put into operation by drawing up a withdrawal report, indicating the brand and serial numbers. You need to have a document for a water meter with you - a passport and your passport as a citizen of the Russian Federation.

For the verification procedure, special calibration installations are used, which allow the accuracy of the readings to be verified as accurately as possible.

Read the article on who is entitled to subsidies for housing and communal services.

Having received his accounting equipment back after some time, from several hours to several days, the consumer will receive the following documents:

1. Agreement on installation of water meters;
2. Certificate of completion;
3. Certificate of commissioning of a water meter;
4. Certificate for cold water meter
5. Passport for hot water meter
6. Certificate for meters
7. Agreement for Maintenance.

A water meter found to be unsuitable will have to be replaced; a working one must be installed on old place and use it until the next check comes.

There are methods in which removal of meters is not required - verification will be carried out right on the spot.

It is necessary to make sure that the company is accredited and its employees are certified.

How are water meters verified? We invite you to watch the video.

Of course, this verification method is extremely convenient. Representatives of the company will contact the supplier themselves and remove the issue of verification. The service consumer will receive a document stating the date and results of the procedure performed.

This method also has disadvantages. In order to carry out an accurate verification, about 250 liters must pass through the device connected to the tap. water, for which the apartment owner will have to pay.

If an error is detected on the water meter, you will not have the opportunity to repair or adjust the device on the spot. The device will still have to be removed.

What threatens the owner of a residential property if he does not check on time?

Having the IPU verification certificate in hand, the owner must ensure that he does not miss the deadline for the next inspection.

An unverified water meter, both hot and cold, is considered unusable, which means it is impossible to pay according to the readings of such a device.

Further bills for water use will be issued at average rates, as for users who do not have meters, taking into account the number of residents registered in the apartment.

These standards will force the consumer to spend a significantly larger amount each month than when the meter readings were taken into account.

IPU verification is a paid service or not?

Citizens are required to carry out verification of IPU (individual metering devices) at their own expense within the time limits specified by the manufacturer and specified in the passport of the metering device.

You have to pay for verification. IN different regions the cost differs, but the average figures range from 370 rubles. up to 1000 rub.

If you want to find out how to pay for housing and communal services via the Internet without commission, we advise you to read.

At the same time, it would be useful to note that the cost of work when using a portable standard, that is, on site, without dismantling the water meter, and in the case of removal are almost equal.

Tracking the verification period and organizing its implementation is not so difficult. A self-respecting home owner will always be interested in ensuring that the equipment in his living space works correctly and is in good working order. You can choose any of the methods for checking water meters.

There is a myth circulating around Moscow that the Moscow Prosecutor’s Office forced the Moscow Government to cancel mandatory verification water meters(individual metering device, IPU for cold water supply and hot water supply). The reason for this myth was an inspection carried out by the Khoroshevskaya Interdistrict Prosecutor's Office of the city of Moscow, which revealed that the Moscow Government Decree No. 77-PP dated February 10, 2004 regarding the establishment of verification intervals for cold and hot water meters (IPU cold and hot water) does not correspond to the current legislation An order was issued to the Moscow Government regarding the need to bring the current legislation into compliance, which was done - resolution No. 831-PP dated December 26, 2012 was adopted, according to which, among other things, an amendment was made to Resolution No. 77-PP on the abolition of previously established deadlines inter-verification intervals of IPU cold water and hot water supply.

Now, please note again: the prosecutor’s office recognized the establishment of verification intervals for cold water and hot water supply units as inconsistent with current legislation. regional authorities. And that's true. But there is not a word here that the periodic verification of the IPU itself is illegal. And the verification of IPU is no longer regulated by regional legislation, but by federal legislation. The main documents are as follows:

Federal Law of June 26, 2008 No. 102-FZ “On ensuring the uniformity of measurements” (as amended on July 21, 2014) – a general document on measuring instruments;

Rules for the provision of utility services to owners and users of premises in apartment buildings and residential buildings (approved by Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation of May 6, 2011 No. 354).

Clause 34 of the Rules for the Provision of Public Utilities states the following (the main ones are highlighted in bold).

34. The consumer is obliged:
d) in order to account for consumed utilities, use collective (community), individual, common (apartment), room metering devices, distributors of an approved type that comply with legal requirements Russian Federation on ensuring the uniformity of measurements and those that have passed verification;
e) ensure that inspections are carried out at the expense of the consumer for collective (community), individual, common (apartment), room appliances metering within the time limits established by the technical documentation for the metering device, having previously informed the contractor about the planned date of removal of the metering device for its verification and the date of installation of the metering device based on the results of its verification, except in cases where in the agreement containing provisions on the provision of utility services, the obligation of the contractor is provided to carry out maintenance of such metering devices, as well as to send to the contractor a copy of the verification certificate or other document certifying the results of verification of the metering device, carried out in accordance with the provisions of the legislation of the Russian Federation on ensuring the uniformity of measurements.

(At the same time, the decision Supreme Court RF dated December 5, 2014 No. AKPI14-1211, left unchanged by the Determination of the Appeal Board of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation dated February 12, 2015 No. APL15-17, subparagraph “e” of paragraph 34 of these Rules recognized as not contradicting current legislation insofar as it imposes on tenants of residential premises under social tenancy agreements and members of their families the obligation to ensure maintenance, verification, replacement of individual and collective metering devices)

And I would also like to draw your attention: if the period for verification of the IPU expires, calculations based on its readings are SUSPENDED until the verification is carried out (subclause a, clause 59 of the Rules for the provision of utility services).

Thus, The conclusions from these documents are as follows::

1. The Khoroshevsky prosecutor’s office of the city of Moscow absolutely legally demanded that the Moscow Government NOT REGULATE verification intervals for individual devices cold water and hot water metering. And the Moscow Government eliminated the illegal clause of regional legislation.

2. The utility consumer MUST verify the cold water and hot water supply IPU used within the time limits specified in technical documentation to the device. As a rule, they are 6 years for IPU cold water supply and 4 years for IPU DHW, but this issue must be clarified by reading the technical data sheet of the device.

And therefore DO NOT BELIEVE journalists who write all sorts of rubbish without understanding the subject, and, sputtering with saliva, shout that verification of water meters has been cancelled. This is wrong. Anyone who wants to verify this should write a request to the prosecutor’s office.

PS. In addition. Please do not confuse the terms “verification” and “verification” of the metering device. “Verification” is finding out how accurately the device measures, and “checking” is finding out the condition of the metering device, the integrity of the seals, and the like. “Check” is mentioned in the same Rules for the provision of utility services and the terms there are completely different:

34. The consumer is obliged:
g) allow the performer into the occupied residential or non-residential premises to take readings of individual, common (apartment), room metering devices and distributors, checking their condition, the fact of their presence or absence, as well as the reliability of information transmitted by the consumer to the contractor about the readings of such metering devices and distributors in a pre-agreed manner in the manner specified in paragraph 85 of these Rules, time, but not more than once every 6 months.

There is a myth circulating around Moscow that the Moscow Prosecutor’s Office forced the Moscow Government to cancel mandatory verification of water meters(individual metering device, IPU for cold water supply and hot water supply). The reason for this myth was an inspection carried out by the Khoroshevskaya interdistrict prosecutor's office of the city of Moscow, which revealed that Moscow Government Resolution No. 77-PP dated February 10, 2004 regarding the establishment of verification intervals for cold and hot water meters(IPU for cold water supply and hot water supply) does not comply with current legislation. An order was issued to the Moscow Government regarding the need to bring the current legislation into compliance, which was done - resolution No. 831-PP dated December 26, 2012 was adopted, according to which, among other things, an amendment was made to Resolution No. 77-PP on the abolition of previously established deadlines inter-verification intervals of IPU cold water and hot water supply.

Now pay attention once again: the prosecutor’s office found it not to comply with current legislation establishing the timing of verification intervals for IPU cold water supply and hot water supply by regional authorities. And that's true. But there is not a word here that the periodic verification of the IPU itself is illegal. And the verification of IPU is no longer regulated by regional legislation, but by federal legislation. The main documents are as follows:

Federal Law of June 26, 2008 No. 102-FZ “On ensuring the uniformity of measurements” (as amended on July 21, 2014) – a general document on measuring instruments;

Rules for the provision of utility services to owners and users of premises in apartment buildings and residential buildings (approved by Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation of May 6, 2011 No. 354).

Clause 34 of the Rules for the Provision of Public Utilities states the following (I highlighted the main ones in bold).

34. The consumer is obliged:
d) for the purpose of accounting for consumed utilities use collective (common house), individual, shared (apartment), room metering devices, distributors of approved type, complying with the requirements of the legislation of the Russian Federation on ensuring the uniformity of measurementsand verified;
d) ensure that verifications are carried out at the expense of the consumer collective (common house), individual, common (apartment), room metering devices within the time limits established by the technical documentation for the metering device, having previously informed the contractor about the planned date of removal of the metering device for its verification and the date of installation of the metering device based on the results of its verification, for except in cases where the contract containing provisions for the provision of utility services provides for the obligation of the contractor to carry out maintenance of such metering devices, as well as to send to the contractor a copy of the verification certificate or other document certifying the results of verification of the metering device, carried out in accordance with the provisions of the legislation of the Russian Federation on ensuring the uniformity of measurements.

(At the same time, by the decision of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation dated December 5, 2014 No. AKPI14-1211, left unchanged by the Determination of the Appeal Board of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation dated February 12, 2015 No. APL15-17, subparagraph “d” of paragraph 34 of these Rules was recognized as not contradicting the current legislation in the part that imposes on tenants of residential premises under social tenancy agreements and members of their families the obligation to ensure maintenance, verification, replacement of individual and collective metering devices)

And I would also like to draw your attention: if the period for verification of the IPU expires, calculations based on its readings are SUSPENDED until the verification is carried out (subclause a, clause 59 of the Rules for the provision of utility services).

Thus, The conclusions from these documents are as follows: :

1. The Khoroshevsky prosecutor's office of the city of Moscow absolutely legally demanded that the Moscow Government NOT REGULATE the calibration intervals for individual hot water and hot water metering devices. And the Moscow Government eliminated the illegal clause of regional legislation.

2. The utility consumer MUST check the cold water and hot water supply IPU used within the time limits specified in the technical documentation for the device. As a rule, they are 6 years for IPU cold water supply and 4 years for IPU DHW, but this issue must be clarified by reading the technical data sheet of the device.

And therefore DO NOT BELIEVE journalists who write all sorts of rubbish without understanding the subject, and, sputtering with saliva, shout that verification of water meters has been cancelled. This is wrong. Anyone who wants to verify this should write a request to the prosecutor’s office.

PS. In addition. Please do not confuse the terms " verification" And " examination» metering device. " Verification" - this is to clarify the question of how accurately the device measures, and " examination“- this is finding out the condition of the metering device, the safety of seals, and the like. “Check” is mentioned in the same Rules for the provision of utility services and the terms there are completely different:

34. The consumer is obliged:
and) admit the performerinto occupied residential or non-residential premisesFor taking readings from individual, common (apartment), room meters and distributors, checking their condition, the fact of their presence or absence, as well as the reliability of information transmitted by the consumer to the contractor about the readings of such metering devices and distributors at a time previously agreed upon in the manner specified in paragraph 85 of these Rules, but not more than once every 6 months.

Good luck to you and don’t listen to everyone, but always get acquainted with the regulatory documents.

The use of housing and communal services in the Russian Federation is a specific category of legal relations, within which both providers of relevant services and their consumers have rights and obligations. Thus, payments for water are now most often carried out based on the readings of individual meters. The main obligation placed on water consumers is to ensure timely verification of these devices. In what time frame should it be carried out? What is the most correct mechanism for its implementation?

What is verification?

Verification is a procedure in which the accuracy of the meter is measured. If it meets the technological criteria, then the device is recognized as having passed verification and is allowed for operation. Meter readings that are not verified are considered invalid.

The procedure in question must be carried out at certain intervals. The corresponding deadlines can be specified in laws operating at different levels.

Legislative deadlines for verification: federal and municipal aspects

The timing of verification of water meters is determined, on the one hand, at the level of federal legislation of the Russian Federation. At the same time, the criteria for devices that record the flow of hot and cold water are different. This is explained by the technological specifics of the functioning of the devices. As for such a procedure as checking hot water meters, the timing is once every 4 years. Regarding devices that measure cold water flow - once every 6 years.

On the other hand, municipal authorities have the right in a number of cases to establish other criteria. The point is that the main legal act regulating the period for verification of water meters should be established - Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 354, which contains dispositive provisions. The law states that the consumer of utilities is obliged to carry out verification - but within the time limits established by the manufacturer. As a rule, for devices that measure cold water flow, this is 4 years, and the verification period for a cold water meter is 6 years. But it is possible that the meter manufacturer will indicate other criteria. For example, some Western brands that produce meters set a verification period of 15 years or more.

Verification dates are in the documents

The verification periods for water meters established by the manufacturer should be found in the documents supplied with the device. Most often this technical certificate. As we determined above, in accordance with the above Government Decree No. 354, as well as in accordance with GOST R 50193, the timing of verification of water meters must be carried out at a certain interval - we also considered its typical values. Now we also know that these criteria can be adjusted at the level of municipal legal acts. But in practice, meter manufacturers usually indicate in the technical data sheets of devices exactly the dates that we noted above.

Note that the specifics of the current technical regulations- the fact that the period between verifications is counted not from the moment the meter is installed, but from the date of its production, since the corresponding procedure is carried out at the factory. Therefore, if you buy a device that has been lying around on a stand in a store, you may have to check it significantly earlier than the deadlines established by GOST, regulations or prescribed in documents.

Is verification required?

Yes, it is required. If the water meter verification period has expired, the device readings are invalid. As a result, accrual utility payments is carried out not according to water consumption, but according to average indicators for six months, then - according to a standard, the size of which depends on the number of registered residents. In a number of regions of the Russian Federation - and here again the localization of legislation can be traced - other criteria have been established, according to which HOAs and management companies can, for example, calculate payments based on the average rate of consumption not for 6 months, but for 3. They may also vary, but usually not too significant, consumption standards in different regions and municipalities.

Will the HOA warn?

Many homeowners associations and management companies have internal registers that reflect the validity periods for checking apartment meters. Some companies send information notices to consumers of services stating that it is necessary to carry out verification of metering devices within a certain time frame. But there are organizations that automatically begin to calculate payments for water supply if the apartment owner does not have time to update the meter verification data.

How to verify?

How are water meters verified? The validity period of the results of the previous inspection should be valid - this is desirable to avoid possible discrepancies in consumption data with the utility provider.

The consumer must, first of all, carry out the correct dismantling of functioning devices. This can be done by contacting specialists at the HOA or management company. Sometimes it is necessary to agree this procedure with the actual utility service provider 2 business days before it takes place. Before the meter is removed, its readings should be recorded and handed over to the water supplier.

Accreditation factor

Verification is usually carried out by laboratories that are accredited by the management company or have received another type of permit to operate (for example, approved by meter manufacturers). The devices must be taken there. The services of these structures are usually paid - about 200-300 rubles. for one device. The period for checking water meters in the laboratory usually does not exceed one working day, but there are organizations that perform the corresponding service within a few hours. It is recommended to contact laboratories that have a permit issued by the Russian Accreditation Agency.

After the devices have been verified in the laboratory, they must be reinstalled plumbing system. To do this, you should contact the HOA or management company and call a specialist who will install the meters, seal them and draw up a certificate stating that the device is approved for operation.

It is also possible to call representatives of the laboratory that verifies meters to your home. But this service is more expensive than the prices for consumers who bring the devices themselves for verification. Modern laboratories are usually equipped with mobile devices that allow verification without removing the meter - by measuring the water flow through the tap.

Interaction with the supplier after verification

As soon as all necessary procedures related to verification are completed, a document must be sent to the HOA or management company, according to which the organization will have to calculate payments for water based on individual testimony consumption. Usually this is an application indicating the full name of the apartment owner, his passport details, contact phone number, date of commissioning of the meter, information about the device (serial number, as well as type). Information about the organization that installed the device, current measurement readings, and the date of the next verification are also indicated. In some cases, it is also required to provide the HOA or management company with a copy of the meter’s registration certificate. The supplier must update information about the verification of the meter installed in the applicant’s apartment within 15 days. If this is not done, then the meter will, one way or another, be considered put into legal operation.

Is it possible to verify two meters at once?

It is possible, and it is often practiced. It is necessary to note the following regarding such a procedure as checking hot water meters: the timing may occur faster than for cold water meters. But in this case, the apartment owner can initiate verification of both devices at the same time. In this case, the timing of the next procedure of the corresponding type in most cases will be calculated in accordance with the norms of federal or municipal legislation - for example, after 4 years for hot water meters, after 6 years for devices that record cold water consumption.

Checking or buying a new meter?

If the deadline for checking water meters is approaching, then the apartment owner can choose an alternative to the procedure under consideration - purchasing new devices. From the point of view of the law, it does not matter whether the meter is installed new or by an attorney. The main thing is that it functions, and this is reflected in the documents of accredited organizations. The price of the device is on average 400-500 rubles. Prices for the services of specialists for its installation and commissioning are about another 1000 rubles. This is more expensive than verification, but usually much faster.

If the apartment owner decides to install new counter, then he must bring the documents relating to its commissioning to the HOA or management company. Only after the relevant information about metering devices has been registered with the organization, payments for public utilities will begin to be calculated based on individual consumption readings.

Is it possible to install the meter yourself?

Yes. However, a person must be called from the HOA or management company to inspect and seal the device. According to current laws, there should be no charge for the relevant service. These are the provisions of Government Decree No. 824 of the Russian Federation, which regulates the rules for the provision of housing and communal services.

Purchasing a new meter: nuances

Let's consider a scenario in which the deadline for verification of water meters has already approached, but the apartment owner decided not to waste time interacting with laboratories, but to purchase a new device. What should you pay attention to when purchasing meters?

First of all, it is recommended to purchase devices from specialized retail outlets. Be sure to check whether the package includes a technical passport. Without this document, the meter will not be sealed by a representative of the HOA or management company. It can also be noted that it is not advisable to lose the registration certificate. As soon as the deadline for verification of water meters approaches, the law requires testing laboratories to enter data on operation of the device in the technical passport. If the owner of the apartment does not have it in his hands, then in any case he will have to buy another device. New deadlines for verification of water meters are counted from the date specified in the technical passport by laboratory specialists.

If possible, you should buy a meter that has been released recently - we determined above why. Therefore, we pay attention to the date of its production. It is usually indicated in the technical passport.

Equipment - under control

Another important nuance- the set of meters must be complete. The device must be supplied with connecting elements - fittings, nuts, gaskets, etc. The specific configuration of the meters is also usually reflected in the technical passport.

Meters can be universal (designed to operate at temperatures from 5 to 90 degrees) or designed to operate only in hot or cold water. When purchasing devices, you need to make sure that they are suitable for certain purposes of use.

Sanctions for a meter that has not passed verification: theory and practice

Above, we noted how payments for utility services are calculated if the water meter verification period has expired. But in practice, the work of HOAs and management companies can be expressed in actions that run counter to the requirements of the law. Let's study the specifics of such precedents.

There are known cases when apartment owners received some kind of fine, the basis for which was the lack of certified metering devices. Homeowners' associations and management companies, justifying their actions, referred to sources of law at various levels.

However, the legislation of the Russian Federation does not establish such a thing as a fine in relation to housing and communal services. Homeowners' associations and management companies often use this term to indicate the fact that cubic meters have been accrued alternative way, since there was no way to accurately count them due to the lack of a verified counter.

Lawyers recommend contacting homeowners' associations and management companies for clarification about what legislative acts the organization's specialists were guided by when calculating water consumption. The criteria contained in laws at the regional and municipal levels rarely differ from each other. The formula is quite standard, in which the standard for cold water is defined as 7 cubic meters per registered person, for hot water - 5 cubic meters. If the HOA or management company has charged 10 or more units of water measurement, then this is a reason to contact specialists from the relevant organizations for clarification.