Author of the article
Yulia Kuprina
Certified lawyer. Total work experience in the specialty is 13 years.
Each cold and hot water meter is equipped with a certificate from the manufacturer, which confirms its serviceability. This information is valid during the verification interval. Delay in checking the water meter means that the device automatically becomes faulty, and its readings cannot be taken into account when charging fees.
In 2021, from April 6 to December 31, due to coronavirus, a moratorium on checking all household meters was announced. This means that it was possible not to check the instruments and still pay according to their readings. The moratorium ends in 2021. We will figure out what to do if the device did not have time to pass the test before this date, and it is overdue.
Consequences of delay in 2021
On April 2, 2021, the Government of the Russian Federation issued Resolution No. 424 “On the specifics of providing utility services to owners and users of premises in apartment buildings and residential buildings.” It states that all serviceable metering devices for water, electricity, gas, heat are considered suitable for use until December 31, 2021 (or longer - until the next verification date). The resolution prohibited the accrual of penalties and fines in 2020.
Read more about delays in meter verification during quarantine.
On January 1, 2021, the moratorium ended. And this means that if the official verification period for the water meter has expired, then the equipment is considered unfit for use.
For 3 months, payment will be calculated based on your average monthly readings for the last six months. Starting from the fourth month, payments will begin to be made according to standards, with an increasing factor of 1.5. Usually this amount is several times higher than according to meter readings.
If the verification of water meters is not done on time, you must urgently apply to call a specialist from a certified verification company. After completion of the work, the owner will be issued a certificate stating that the device is ready for further use.
Another option is to replace your water meters with new ones. After the verification or replacement data is received by the management company, the fee will again be calculated based on meter readings.
An important nuance: from September 2021, the certificate of verification of all types of meters (water, electricity, gas, heat) has become digital, and all data is entered electronically into the Arshin state register. Read the link about electronic certificates.
The question often arises: what are the consequences of delaying the verification of a water meter?
There is no penalty for an expired water meter. The law does not provide sanctions for this type of violation.
If the verification interval expired in 2021, during the moratorium period, then in January, February and March 2021 you will pay according to the average readings of your water meters. If you do not check, then 3 months after the delay, that is, from April, the bills will increase by about 2-4 times. The fee will be calculated according to the standards, with an increasing factor of 1.5.
Sometimes utility companies take advantage of the situation and issue inappropriately large bills. Then the amounts on the receipt are simply huge. When you receive such invoices, you must immediately go and understand the correctness of the charges. An approximate algorithm of actions in case you receive an unreasonably large bill:
- First you need to call a specialist who inspects the device, takes all control readings and issues a certificate based on these data. First, he is checked to see if he has a license to carry out such work.
- A representative is invited from the management company or homeowners association, who records the presence of seals and takes meter readings. This is very important information. With its help, accruals will be made for the period of use of unaccounted resources.
- An application is written to the management company with a request for recalculation based on the attached documents drawn up by the invited specialist.
- If utility companies refuse to recalculate, you should go to court. Usually this last resort meets consumers halfway.
What to do and where to go if the deadline has expired
Residents have several options for where to go when the reader diagnostic period has expired.
You can contact the management of the resource supplying organization, write a statement, call a specialist. But not all RSOs have an accreditation certificate for carrying out metrological activities. This is a prerequisite for such a procedure.
Then the owner must independently choose a company, enter into an agreement with it, and invite a specialist.
These can be both legal entities and individuals who have a valid Accreditation Certificate in the field of ensuring the uniformity of measurements issued by the Federal Accreditation Service.
The organization of verification has a certain algorithm:
- filing an RSO application or concluding an agreement with a commercial organization;
- visit of a specialist;
- device diagnostics;
- drawing up a verification report.
The result of the procedure will be a verification document that will record the reliability of the readings or the inoperability of the flow meter. In the second case, the device must be replaced.
The verification report contains information:
- Name of the performing organization.
- Information about the Certificate of Accreditation.
- Water meter data: its model, serial number.
- Results of the procedure.
- The date of issue from which the next check will be counted.
A copy of the report must be provided to the resource supplying organization to notify that the registrar is objectively recording the readings.
The applicant is also given a certificate of verification, in which a verification stamp is placed. It contains the encrypted name of the company performing the operation and the date. The same mark is transferred to the water flow meter - it is sealed.
Why is verification needed and how is it carried out?
Water meters for both cold and hot water are checked to determine whether water charges are being charged correctly. With prolonged use of the equipment, the accuracy of measurements may decrease. To identify malfunctions, the device must be verified.
For this purpose, there are laboratories where instruments are connected to special equipment. First, the volume of passing water is recorded. Then the error is calculated and compared with the permissible value. If this value is within the normal range, then the device is approved for use. When the indicators go beyond the tolerance limits, a document is issued to replace it.
Verification happens:
- with dismantling;
- without dismantling.
During dismantling, the equipment is removed and transferred to the institution for verification. During this period, a tube bend is temporarily installed in place of the removed meter.
When calibrating without dismantling the equipment, an application is written to the organization providing such services. Indicated:
- FULL NAME;
- meter model and number;
- home address.
The company must be licensed, and the master must have a license with him. After accepting the metering device, the specialist issues verification documents: an act and a service agreement.
Why do they do verification?
Monthly payment for used hot and cold water is carried out based on the recorded indicators of installed meters.
Each device must have a technical passport, which displays the year and information about the expiration date.
How long does it take to check water meters?
The correct calculation of payment depends on the accuracy of the readings taken. During long-term use, its technical properties may change.
If it is proven that it is not working correctly, then the water meter is dismantled and installed.
How to determine the period of verification of a water meter
Each individual water meter must be verified. The procedure is mandatory and controlled by law. The equipment is installed on cold and hot water. The verification period for water meters has its own verification interval:
- for cold water - 6 years;
- for hot – 4 years.
The reduced interval for the hot water meter is justified by the fact that it has to work in a more aggressive environment. Temperature changes, rust and scale in pipes negatively affect the parts of the device. Some of them are made of polymer materials and are not as strong as metal ones. For example, an impeller. During operation, colliding with metal particles in the water and being exposed to high temperatures, it becomes deformed.
All verification periods are recorded in documents (in the passport), which states that the device is in working order and registered. In recent years, the production of universal equipment has begun. For it, the verification interval is set to the same - 6 years. It can be used for both cold and hot water.
The exception is some counters from foreign manufacturers. Their verification interval reaches 10 years.
During installation or replacement of a metering device, data is submitted to the management company. They indicate the date of the work. Only after this all readings are considered valid. Such companies have archives containing all the information about installed meters, and often they themselves signal the owners about the need to undergo the next verification.
At home, the verification procedure takes no more than an hour. If the device is removed and sent to the laboratory, the wait may last for 2 weeks.
What is the penalty for late verification of water meters?
Since the mere fact of untimely verification is not a serious violation, there is no penalty for such an error. However, do not forget that to some extent it will still be charged, since until the verification work is carried out you will have to pay for water at a higher rate. This can lead to serious overpayment, especially if you have equipment that allows you to save money.
Therefore, despite the fact that no one will be fined a fixed amount for a missed verification period, all subscribers are still strongly recommended to constantly monitor the expiration date of their metering devices. Modern smartphones allow you to create notes that will work after a long time. By adding a few lines to the calendar built into your phone, you can get rid of many problems by receiving a timely reminder of the need to check the water meter.
Who has the right to conduct verification
Companies with the appropriate license have the legal authority to check the serviceability of the meter. This could be Vodokanal or a private company. The main indicator is whether they have an accreditation permit.
Verification is not required to be carried out free of charge, regardless of which city we are talking about - Moscow or Arkhangelsk. A specialist performs verification using mobile metrological equipment. In this case, the meter can be checked on site, or dismantled and delivered to the laboratory.
When choosing an inspection organization, you should focus on whether it has accreditation, and adhere to the principle that it is preferable to entrust verification to a reliable company that is better than little-known companies.
Legislation
The regulatory framework regarding the installation of water meters, as well as their use and verification is constantly updated and changed.
Local authorities can make changes to existing regulations and issue new acts that complement or expand the issues of operating water meters.
The general list of main acts is as follows:
- Federal Law No. 102-FZ of June 26, 2008 (hereinafter referred to as Federal Law No. 102-FZ), which establishes the unity of all measuring instruments and the protection of the rights and interests of citizens from inaccurate measurements.
- Federal Law No. 261-FZ of November 23, 2009 (hereinafter referred to as Federal Law No. 261-FZ), regulating the procedure for accounting for consumed resources using metering devices. In addition, it regulates the procedure for installing and commissioning meters, including water metering.
- Federal Law No. 416-FZ of December 7, 2011, which sets out all types of legal relations relating to the water supply system as a whole.
- Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 776 of 09/04/2013, which describes issues related to the regulation of the procedure for accounting for water resources, as well as wastewater using water meters.
- Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 306 of May 23, 2006. This regulatory act establishes the procedure for calculating payment for consumed services in the absence of a measuring device. The act establishes consumption standards.
- Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 354 of 05/06/2011 (hereinafter referred to as RF PP No. 354). This document describes in detail how the fee for a meter is calculated, and also describes all other situations that may arise in the field of consumption of utility resources.
- Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 603 of June 29, 2016. This document amends some acts regulating the provision of public services.
- Federal Law No. 496-FZ of December 27, 2019 “On Amendments to the Federal Law “On Ensuring the Uniformity of Measurements”. The point here is that now only electronic registration of meter verification results is valid. The digital verification record will be stored in a virtual database - the Federal Information Fund for Ensuring the Uniformity of Measurements (FIFOI) (also known as the FSIS "Arshin" register).
In addition to these documents, one should also mention Order of the Ministry of Energy of the Russian Federation No. 178 dated April 16, 2010, according to which all consumers were asked to install meters.
But already the Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 344 of 04/16/2013 determined the introduction of increased coefficients from 01/01/2015 for consumers who have the opportunity to install a measuring device, but do not have instruments.
The full text of the Resolution can be found here.
