Where to go if there is no heating in the apartment

Before the start of the heating season, apartment owners are interested in the question of how stable and high-quality the heating system will work.
When the radiators in the apartment are barely warm, it’s raining outside the window or a snowstorm is raging, it’s almost impossible to get out from under the warm blanket in the morning. A cold battery may be a short-term phenomenon associated with a power failure, in which case you just have to endure it and hope for a quick repair. But what to do when boiler rooms are poorly heated all the time, dampness appears in the living space, and residents regularly get sick?

Owners of living space in apartment buildings should know who is responsible for the operation of utility networks, and if the radiators in the apartment are cold, then they need to know where to complain in such a situation.

After all, utility companies usually calculate payments for heating according to the tariff, without taking into account the actual temperature in the house. In this situation, the consumer pays for the heat that is missing in the rooms of his home.

What to do if you find cold batteries?

If there is no heat in the apartment, first of all you should ask your neighbors about the condition of the batteries. Rarely do batteries remain cold in one apartment.

If the problem affects all residents, you should contact the management company or another organization responsible for supplying heat to the apartment building.

ATTENTION! When purchasing a home, you should immediately enter into an agreement with the management company for the provision of utilities. According to the agreement, the consumer is responsible for timely payment of heating bills, and the management company is responsible for the quality of services.

Causes of heating problems ↑

Cold radiator compartments indicate that they do not contain coolant - hot water supplied to the apartment through a central system. The roots of this phenomenon are known, so home craftsmen can only follow the advice and correct the problems.

In order to most accurately identify the cause of a cold heat exchanger, it is recommended to visit your neighbors on the floor above and below and ask how things are going with them. If the situation is similar in other apartments, then most likely the culprits are faulty or closed valves in the basement, or clogged pipes and risers.

Radiators should not only decorate, but also heat the room

If there are several risers in the apartment and all the radiators do not warm up well enough, then the low temperature of the coolant should be blamed for this phenomenon. In this case, there will be similar complaints in neighboring apartments, which should be addressed to the housing department.

The situation is sadder if everything is fine in the neighboring apartments, and the batteries powered by another riser heat up without problems. In this situation, most likely, the flow of hot water is hampered by air pockets accumulating in the radiator, or blockages in the pipes or battery compartments.

Temperature standards in apartments

There are temperature standards in residential premises during the heating season. If they are violated, utility companies must recalculate for heat.

Residents of apartments who have entered into an agreement with the management company have the right to demand that the heating system be turned on on time and that it maintain the required temperature.

IMPORTANT! According to the adopted GOST R 51617-2000, in the premises of an apartment building, temperature indicators should be within 18-25 degrees Celsius.

The exact indicators depend on the functional purpose of the rooms. If there is no heating, and the radiators are cold and do not maintain temperature conditions, you must contact a responsible organization.

Reasons for lack of heat in the house

There are several reasons why batteries do not heat or produce insufficient heat.

• One of the good reasons is an accident on the highway or in the thermal power plant itself . Equipment may fail, or a pipe with hot coolant may burst. In such cases, the entire house or even several buildings or an entire neighborhood are usually switched off. Such problems are detected immediately and, as a rule, the responsible authorities quickly take measures to eliminate the accident. Heating problems last for some time, depending on the severity of the network damage.
• Even if the reason is an emergency, you still need to complain to both the management company and the state housing inspection.
• to call GZHI if the heating in the house is turned off ahead of schedule.
• In the case when in some apartments the radiators are very hot, and in others slightly warm, we may be talking about an incorrect design of the thermal system .
• If the battery is cold only from the bottom, it may be clogged with scale and rust, in which case you need to wash it several times under pressure.

Low temperature in a separate room or in the entire apartment may be associated with the appearance of air locks in the entire system. Such problems arise after the coolant is introduced into the heating pipeline.

To correct the situation, sometimes it is enough to drain some water on the upper floors using the Mayevsky tap, then the normal movement of hot water through the pipes is restored.

Poor heating may also be associated with the reconstruction of the pipeline in individual apartments. Major home repairs are often associated with redevelopment, reinstallation of radiators, a separate pipe; builders can perform this work in violation of the design of the heating system .

Where to complain about lack of heating

Complaints about the lack of heating, like any complaint about poor heating, can be sent to more than one government agency. But this does not mean that you can start immediately with the most strict one - you must adhere to a certain algorithm. To begin, clearly establish on whose balance your apartment building is located in order to understand where to call about heating in the first place and who to call to check the operation of utilities.

When figuring out who to complain to if your management company does not take proper action, as well as heating in the apartment, pay attention to the following sequence of your steps:

• Call the housing inspection department - the emergency dispatch service of your city;
• Write a complaint to the local housing inspectorate;
• Submit a formal complaint to your heat and power organization;
• Demand protection of rights in Rospotrebnadzor;
• Call and write to local administration;
• Submit an appeal to the territorial Antimonopoly Service;
• Make the situation public in the media, if necessary;
• Contact the prosecutor's office or court.

Wherever you submit an official application regarding heating, cold pipes, radiators, you are required to give the same official, written response. It is advisable for complaints to be received collectively, from several residents of your building at once.

If you have a cold radiator, but at the same time a hot riser, then the problem is quite likely not with your neighbors, but only with you; a local check will be required here first. Where to go with such a question regarding heating, as mentioned above, to the management company.

To the housing and communal services management company

The current legislation does not have any rules regarding how an application should be drawn up to a management company, HOA, housing and communal services or other similar organization. The requirements for this document are the same as for other official business papers. The application is written on a white A4 sheet in blue ink; strikethroughs, corrections, and emotional expressions in the text are not allowed. The structure is as follows:

• The name of the organization where you are going to complain about cold radiators in the apartment;
• Your personal data (last name, first name, patronymic, residential address, contact telephone number);

• Document's name;
• The essentially stated problem, the results of measurements in the apartment and identified non-compliances with the standards, the date of measurements and a link to the report that must be attached;
• Stated requirements, proposals indicating the deadlines for their implementation;
• Date and your signature.

Such a statement is drawn up in two copies. One remains with you, but an employee of the management company is obliged to put the reception date and registration number on it. If documents are not accepted at your place, which can also happen, they must be sent by registered mail with an inventory and return notification. This is an important nuance - you must have evidence that you actually contacted the management company.

Wherever you complain about heating networks, they will always ask about the initial contact with your management company, housing and communal services or HOA.

To the housing inspection at the management company

When the management company does not accept your application, ignores it, is inactive and declines responsibility, you can send a claim for poor-quality heat supply to the territorial housing inspection. The application is only permissible in writing and with confirmation of the fact that you have already applied with the intention of complaining about the lack of heating in your management company. Where exactly you went, when and with what requirements must be confirmed by the relevant documents you saved and their copies.

The procedure for submitting a request to the housing inspection is the same, two copies of the application are submitted, all documents available from previous applications to the Criminal Code are attached (measurement reports, your letters and responses to them, etc.), the problem is described in the same way. It is important to indicate exactly when there was no heating in your apartment, what the indicators are now, and what specific norms of Russian legislation were violated.

Having decided to complain collectively that there is no heating, and indicating where you have already visited to no avail, make sure that each of the indicated applicants has signed the document.

To local authorities

Where else you can turn if it’s too cold in your apartment is the district or city administration at the location of your property. This is the main government body that is competent to independently resolve issues in the territory entrusted to it. But this does not mean that you cannot complain to the administration if your statements, heating complaints and requests were wrongfully ignored.

An absolutely similar application is submitted here, with the only difference being that paragraphs about all the structures that you have previously applied to are added. Evidence of your communication with these structures must be attached, which can be sent by registered mail with notification and a list of attachments.

To Rospotrebnadzor

Rospotrebnadzor is taking measures to protect the rights of the population, so it makes sense to contact us here if all previous attempts to solve the heating problem have not given the desired result. The application with which you can complain to Rospotrebnadzor must contain:

• The name of the territorial body where it is sent;
• From whom is the document (your full name, residential address, contact phone numbers);

• Title of the document (“Complaint about...”);
• A text describing the situation that has arisen, how exactly your consumer rights were violated, what evidence indicates this, who is responsible for providing heat in your home, where you have already applied, when, what the results were;
• Links to documents that are attached, as well as to regulations depending on this specific situation;
• Date, signature.

Many people don’t even think about the possibility of complaining that there is no heating to Rospotrebnadzor. It is a mistake to believe that this body deals only with consumer rights in matters of selling or buying something - it affects almost all areas where human rights can generally be violated.

Federal Antimonopoly Service

Another structure where you can complain if there is no heat in your home is the Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS). First of all, it should be taken into account that the FAS does not resolve civil legal disputes, it only exercises control over compliance with the law, as well as the activities of non-profit, commercial organizations and individuals (entrepreneurs).

The Antimonopoly Service, where you can also complain about the heating network, controls the activities of government entities and the executive branch. It conducts scheduled and unscheduled inspections, as a result of which violators of the law are brought to administrative responsibility.

In other words, if you have a significant complaint against the authorities to which you complained about the lack of heating earlier, it makes sense to complain to the FAS in order to stir up those who are inactive.

To the local prosecutor's office

Having unsuccessfully knocked on the thresholds of those who are responsible for heat in the apartments, the city administration and other government agencies, the owners and residents of these apartments have the right to contact the prosecutor's office. This step is taken only after all other stages have been completed and they have not given the desired result.

A standard application is submitted describing what you have already done to resolve your issue. Attached are all the accompanying documents indicating that you have already visited many government agencies where you can complain about the fact that there are cold radiators in the apartment.

The prosecutor's office will not accept your application if:

• The text is emotionally charged, contains obscene, offensive language, threats to officials and members of their families;
• The test is typed in capital letters or Latin letters;
• The presentation of the problem is unreadable, with incomprehensible abbreviations;
• Incorrect and incomplete addresses are provided;
• The message was addressed to the wrong address.

To the judiciary

A complaint against the management company is filed in court last, if the management company refuses to bear full responsibility for the lack of heating, recalculate tariffs, or check heating systems. By filing a claim in court, your requirements are implemented most effectively.

As a result of the judicial review, all the circumstances set out in the claim are verified. If the claim is filed correctly, with the most complete documentary base attached, the court takes the side of the plaintiff, obliging the defendant to fulfill the demands of the injured party.

Residents can also go to court if the operating management company turned on the heating in the apartment later than the heating season began. In some cases, if communication does not work as it should, you can even claim compensation for damages suffered by the plaintiff, including legal costs.

Who should I complain to about poor heating, and how to make a complaint correctly?

Residents of the house should know who is responsible for heating, water supply or other utilities. In this case, they can quickly figure out who to file a complaint about the poor quality of engineering systems.

• A complaint to the management company about poor heating or lack thereof must be submitted in writing. If the problem is common to the house - cold risers and radiators in apartments - the complaint should be on behalf of all residents and with their signatures .
• The application must accurately indicate the problem, the time it occurred, and other circumstances.
• You should not only write the application in duplicate, but also register it. One copy remains in the hands of the residents.
• Written and registered complaints will become one of the main documents if you have to go to court to resolve the issue.

IMPORTANT! An application made in writing and on behalf of a group of residents must be considered promptly.

Is it still cold in the house, there is no proper heating even after contacting the management company? This suggests that the utility company is ignoring its responsibilities and working unprofessionally.

In this case, you need to contact the local authorities supervising housing and communal services enterprises. It is also recommended to make a complaint in writing .

Another serious authority is Rospotrebnadzor ; an appeal to it is often enough to resolve the issue. The application must contain all the information on the problem - the address of the house where the heating is turned off or the radiators are too cold, the name of the management company that heats the house.

In the future, Rospotrebnadzor sends its inspectors to the Criminal Code to find out why violations occurred.

Consumers who are faced with poor performance of the management company responsible for supplying heat to an apartment building have the right to contact the prosecutor's office. You can simply threaten the management of the management company with such treatment (given its complete inaction in solving the heating problem), often such a threat is enough.

The company's management is unlikely to want to deal with the prosecutor's office, realizing its guilt in violating obligations to the residents of the house.

Cold radiators in the apartment: where to complain

It all starts with the organization performing home maintenance. If it is the management company, then any claims must go through it.

When the HOA is responsible, you should go straight to the chairman. When signing direct contracts with organizations that supply services (electricity, water supply), you will need to resolve the conflict situation yourself.

Initially, you should carefully review the terms of the contract. The latter may contain a specific procedure for submitting claims. For example, exclusively through registered mail or directly to the main office, etc.

The claim must be submitted in writing in 2 copies. One of them must be handed to the contractor, the second must be marked with a mark confirming acceptance of the document.

It should be ensured that the mark does not simply contain the data of the employee who accepted the document, but is imprinted with the stamp of the organization, indicating the date and time of receipt.

If they deliberately refuse to accept a claim, send it by postal service: a letter with notification of receipt. When they offer the option of filing a complaint by telephone, when filing a complaint directly, you should find out the account number under which it was recorded in the logbook, as well as information about the person who received the call.

If necessary, this will be proof of the fact of contacting the utility service. The claim itself indicates the fact that the temperature in the housing has decreased to an indicator less than the standard, which is established by the Sanitary and Epidemiological Rules, the SanPiN standard 2.1.2.2645-10 (clauses 4.9,4.8,4.4,4.3), Government Resolution No. 354 (clauses 49 -n).

Indicate the need to measure the temperature in the room, taking into account the sanitary and epidemiological requirements for living conditions in residential buildings and premises.

One of the representatives of the management company must come to your address to draw up an appropriate act documenting the non-provision or provision of inadequate quality of utility services.

If significant disagreements arise with the utility service regarding the quality of the services provided, the verification steps should be performed again.

Payment for heating and rules for recalculation in the absence of it

How to pay for heat if it is not available in an apartment building or in a separate apartment due to the fault of the supplier?
Payments for utilities should only be calculated when they are actually provided . This is a consumer right based on the clauses of the contract signed with the management company.

If residents live in poor living conditions, or there are cold or barely warm radiators in the living quarters, they have the right to recalculate heating payments.

• First of all, you need to call an engineer from the management company to draw up a report indicating the actual temperature in the house.
• The application, confirmed by the act, about the lack of heating, is sent to the Unified Information and Settlement Center .
• Already next month, this center should recalculate utility heating bills.

IMPORTANT! Not all consumers know that they also have the right to compensation for insufficient heat in the house. If the temperature did not meet the standards, 3% of the monthly payment must be calculated for each day of cold in the apartment.

Residents of an apartment building can count on a quick solution to the issue of lack of heat. If the problem is related to an accident or a pipe leak, then the responsible authorities try to eliminate the accident as soon as possible.

When there is no heat in only one apartment or it is not enough to maintain a comfortable temperature, the problem can last for a longer time.

How to act in case of cold temperature in the apartment or in the house as a whole?

First of all, you should call the management manager , indicating the problem. He registers a written application, records the data, and sends a plumber to the site of the problem.

You need to react especially quickly if there is a break in the heating system pipe in the house, flooding the basement or entrance. When a specialist arrives at the apartment, it is important to ensure that he measures the actual temperature in the room and indicates it in the report.

ATTENTION! Irresponsible employees of the management company may not come when called. In this case, you need to invite neighbors into the apartment, they will testify to the low temperature, cold radiators, and sign a randomly drawn up act.

In any case, you should immediately contact the management company , call an engineer, and record the situation.