Replacing the electricity meter in the apartment: who pays
Recently, replacing the electricity meter is increasingly becoming a necessity. Many people want to install meters that can separately count electricity at different times (multi-tariff), in some cases this is necessary, since the meter broke down or began to work incorrectly. To determine who should pay for the work and the meter itself, several factors must be taken into account.
In what cases it is necessary to change the electricity meter
There are three main reasons why it becomes necessary to replace the electricity meter:
- Network modernization or planned replacement of metering devices.
- Expiration of service life (not check interval).
- Breakdown and failure, incorrect charges.
- Desire to install multi-tariff meter.
Old electricity meters are replaced with new ones
The second point is worth clarifying - everything is clear with the rest. Each meter has a certain working resource, after which it starts to incorrectly keep track of consumed electricity. In most cases, this can be eliminated by repairs, but the cost of repairs is commensurate with the cost of a new one. Therefore, in such cases, most often they decide to change the electricity meter. And rightly so: after repair, it can quickly fail or start "lying" again.
The second point: if a meter has expired, it is most likely many years old and it is not designed for the amount of electricity that we need now. This may be the reason that you are often knocked out of traffic jams or a circuit breaker is triggered.
At whose expense
Owners of private houses, when changing the electricity meter, almost always pay the cost of the meter and work themselves. This is their property and their responsibility. The story is almost the same with the owners of privatized apartments - if the meter is installed in the apartment, the homeowner pays for the replacement of the electric meter. But, in principle, there may be options: you need to carefully read the agreement that you have concluded with the energy supplying organization. There are clauses about who should pay for replacement and maintenance. If you have signed a standard contract, then all responsibility lies with you. If you made changes and the contract was signed with the changes, then the organization that is spelled out in the contract will pay.
If the energy meter is located on the site, its replacement is paid by the UK
If in an apartment building energy metering devices are on the staircase, the replacement of the electric meter takes place at the expense of the control campaign, since in this case it is a common property. In case of damage, failure, end of service life, pays for the replacement of the Criminal Code, which enters into a contract for the performance of work with the energy supplying organization.
The same is the case with municipal (not privatized) apartments. Maintenance and replacement of electricity meters is carried out by the control campaign.
There is only one point: the Criminal Code pays for the replacement of the electricity meter only if it is inoperative, clearly lying, or they have a planned replacement. If you want to change a conventional metering device to multi-tariff, pay for everything - and the meter and installation - you.
Who should set and order of work
If the management company pays for the replacement of the meter, they themselves conclude contracts for the work. Usually - with the energy supplying organization. If, according to the contract, replacement is your responsibility, you have two options - to produce do-it-yourself electric meter replacement or pay all the same energy supplying organization. The option of hiring a third-party company is not the best, since problems may arise during admission, because if you wish, you can always find something to complain about.
In any case, the replacement of the electricity meter takes place with the permission of the energy sales company. Even in the event of a complete malfunction and stopping of the device, nothing can be done without permission. You need to notify Energosbyt. After that, their representative should come to you, write off the meter readings, and only after that you can start work. For all the time until the meter is not working, they are charged according to the standards approved in the region.
The easiest way is to conclude a contract for the replacement of an electric meter with an energy supply
Upon completion of work on replacing the meter, representatives of the energy supplying organization must seal it and give you a certificate of completion, which indicates the series and number of the meter, the seal number, and current readings. If you entered into an agreement with energy sales, an act on the provision of services and a registration certificate for the meter with signatures and seals. Based on all this, a service contract can be concluded. After that, it can be considered that the replacement of the electricity meter is over.
