(KZN.RU,
July 1, Ksenia Shvetsova). From July 1, the cost of communal services will
increase in Kazan and other Russian cities. In the capital of Tatarstan, it is
2.8% and will amount to 77 rubles 78 kopecks per square meter. From the same
period, the maintenance of ventilation and smoke removal systems was included
in the composition of housing and communal services. Ilsur Metshin, the Mayor
of Kazan, instructed to explain the necessity of introducing new services to
citizens, as well as to monitor the work of management companies. He reminded
that the service for the maintenance of ventilation and chimneys appeared after
several cases of carbon monoxide poisoning. He marked that the introduction of
the board will solve the problem and ensure the safety of citizens.
Iskander
Giniyatullin, the deputy head of the Executive Committee, reported on the
change in tariffs. He noted that due to changes in legislation this year,
tariffs change twice. Thus, on January 1, due to the increase in the VAT rate
from 18% to 20%, the growth of bills from the new year was 1.7%. And from July
1, the cost of communal services for the population will increase by 2.8% to
the amount of 77 rubles 78 kopecks per square meter. The total increase in
bills for the population will be 4.5% and will not exceed the marginal index
established by the Government of the RF for changing the amount of communal
services’ bills paid by citizens.
“The
marginal growth index for communal services is set at 5.6%, and we have no more
than 4.5%”, marked I. Ginniyatullin.
From July
1, the rent and maintenance of residential premises were set at 112 rubles 59
kopecks with a 5.9% increase from the first half of the year. The calculation
of the fee was made based on a full examination of tariffs for housing
services. Also, consumer price increases, a change in the VAT rate from 18% to
20%, and an increase in the minimum wage to 11280 rubles were taken into
account.
“Once
again, I want to remind Kazan citizens of their duty to set the size of payment
for the maintenance of their houses”, said I. Ginniyatullin. “This is not the
right of citizens, but an obligation. If citizens do not make the decision,
then the tariffs are used approved by the Executive Committee for municipal
housing. We have no more than 200 houses in the city where the residents made
an independent decision on tariffs. And in 97.5% of the housing stock of the
city, there is a tariff set by the Executive Committee. It is wrong since we
take the average figure. And each house has its features, so citizens should
make their own decisions”.
The
mandatory list of works necessary for the proper maintenance of an apartment
building now includes maintenance of ventilation and smoke removal systems.
Earlier their maintenance was not charged, and it was carried out at the
expense of current repairs. However, due to the tightening of fire danger
requirements, from July 1, the tariffs for the maintenance of ventilation and
smoke removal systems are allocated in a separate line of 30 and 55 kopecks per
square meter of living space per month, respectively. “The allocation of work
on the maintenance of ventilation and chimneys in a separate article will allow
the owners of the premises to control these works”, said I. Ginniyatullin.
The need to
pay for maintenance and servicing of ventilation and chimneys appeared after
several cases of carbon monoxide poisoning, noted Ilsur Metshin, the Mayor of
Kazan. The leading cause of poisoning is faulty room ventilation.
“The
reasons were clarified for each case. As a result, it became clear that the
problem is systemic. It also needs to be addressed systemically”, said the
Mayor. “But after the citizens start to pay, we must put the issue under
control for these issues to be solved systemically. Residents will not
understand us if there is a fee, but no solution”. The head of the city instructed his deputies
and heads of districts to supervise the work of management companies, who will
hire contractors to service chimneys and ventilations. “Conduct explanatory
work with citizens: where, when, how much time would it take, and what work
would be carried out”, ordered I. Metshin. “This work should be conducted in a
mandatory dialogue with the residents. Their vigilance is one of those
important factors that will allow us to solve this problem and avoid new
emergencies”.
Since
January 1, the service of removal of municipal solid waste (MSW) is included in
communal services. The amount of payment for the removal of MSW is calculated,
taking into account the standards of waste accumulation established by the
Ministry of Construction of the RT. Residents of apartment buildings – 2.36
cubic meters per person per year; residents of individual houses – 2.56 cubic
meters per person per year, reported I. Ginniyatullin. The State Committee of
the RT on tariffs for the supplier approved the tariff for the removal of 1
cubic meter of garbage for 365 rubles excluding VAT.
The amount
of payment for the removal of MSW for residents of apartment buildings is set
at 71 rubles 95 kopecks per person per month; for individual houses – 78 rubles
5 kopecks per person per month.
The State
Committee for Tariffs of the RT sets the cost of communal service resource. It
takes into account the amount of payment for the provision of communal services
to the population, said the speaker.
Overhaul
housing programs implemented in the city with insulation of house facades, the introduction
of energy-efficient equipment, improved thermal insulation of networks, the installation
of energy-saving lamps, the replacement of electrical wiring, keep citizens'
payment for housing and communal services the lowest among million-population
cities of Russia, said I. Ginniyatullin. For example, Nizhny Novgorod, Perm,
Ufa, Samara, Yekaterinburg, and others are among these cities.
“The
rational attitude of citizens to the consumption of communal service resources
also has a direct impact on the size of the bills”, he added. “The common
skills of saving light and water, the availability of individual devices, and
the demands of citizens on the work of the managing organization can
significantly reduce the expenditure of resources and funds to pay for them”.
Citizens
should control the quality of communal services. The service “Open Kazan”
provides a great help in this, said I. Metshin. “This resource is a great
assistant in the management of housing stock. With its help, we can assess the
effectiveness of the management companies”, believes the Mayor.
The head of
the city also added that the housing and communal services sphere is constantly
evolving and requires innovations. “Unfortunately, the changes in communal
services never end. No material could repair the pipe forever. Improving
housing and communal services is constant and systematic work”.