Expert Demands Automatic Utility Bill Adjustments for Unprovided Services

Automatic Refunds Sought for Unreceived Utilities

According to ХВИЛЯ: An expert is calling for an automatic system to adjust utility bills for services not provided, as Kyiv residents face serious billing issues due to outages of water, electricity, and heating caused by shelling. Oleg Popenko argues that the current practice of charging for absent services leads to unfair financial burdens on consumers. This situation is a direct consequence of the ongoing war, which has severely damaged critical infrastructure.

Kyiv residents are left without essential utilities daily. The problem is compounded because utility monopolies can charge based on average consumption estimates when meter readings are unavailable, highlighting the urgent need for legislative change. A 2023 example from the Kharkiv region saw 'Kharkivoblenergo' charge residents of a village in the Vovchansk district debts of 8,000 hryvnias due to a lack of meter readings. This case underscores the absence of a consumer-friendly system for recalculating utility payments, causing widespread public concern.

The Cabinet of Ministers must come forward with a legislative initiative to ensure an automatic recalculation is performed.

Oleg Popenko

The expert further emphasizes that no effective system currently operates in the consumer's interest, which only worsens the situation.

In light of this, residents are advised to:

• submit their meter readings regularly;
• file complaints directly with their service provider;
• contact the National Commission for State Regulation of Energy and Public Utilities (NKREKP) and the State Service of Ukraine for Food Safety and Consumer Protection for assistance with billing disputes.

The danger of being charged an 'average tariff' can lead to significant financial losses for consumers who are not receiving the services they pay for.

Urgent Need for Billing System Reform

The utility payment crisis in Kyiv highlights the critical need to reform the billing and consumption monitoring system. In the context of war and prolonged disruptions to power and other services, automating bill adjustments has become particularly urgent. Implementing such changes would not only protect consumer rights but also ensure a fairer distribution of financial burdens on the population during these challenging times.