Do not provide readings - pay thrice as much: expert reveals traps of utility tariffs.

Hidden mechanisms of utility payment calculations for Ukrainians

Expert on housing and utilities, head of the 'Union of Consumers of Utility Services' Oleg Popenko has identified issues in the utility sector and the scheme for billing consumers. According to him, due to delays in submitting meter readings, Ukrainians receive inflated utility bills.

In the expert's opinion, the Ukrainian system differs from European standards and is aimed at increasing payments for consumers. The lack of meter readings often leads to a situation where the monopolist multiplies the consumption volume by three, which can significantly increase the bill.

'In Europe, no one goes every month to submit readings. They are billed based on the average cost of heating, water, and other services. After that, at the end of the year, a controller comes to verify the actual readings against the billed amount for the year. If the consumer has overpaid, the money is refunded; if underpaid, the difference is added,' Popenko explained.

Problems also arise during the calibration of meters, when consumers receive increased bills until the meter is verified. The expert believes that it is currently difficult to change this situation due to the lack of interest from the authorities to review the norms.

Analysis

Ukrainian consumers of utility services face difficulties due to a billing system aimed at increasing payments and differing from European practices. It is necessary to closely monitor the timeliness of submitting readings and undergo calibration to avoid overpayments.