Electricity is a necessary product, but it has a number of features. Firstly, it cannot be transferred from hand to hand, and secondly, the supply of electric current occurs continuously. The supermarket option - you give me money, I give you goods - does not work here.
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And the importance of electricity in the modern world is such that some objects simply cannot be de-energized. The consequences can be comparable to a disaster. Therefore, power engineers have always been faced with the task of how to disconnect consumers from power grids without creating conditions dangerous to the life of society.
To resolve this issue, the Government of the Russian Federation developed and approved by Resolution No. 442 of May 24, 2012 the Rules for the complete or partial limitation of electrical energy (hereinafter referred to as the RULES). They identify all possible cases of interruption of electricity supply and provide clear instructions on how to implement restrictions.
Most often, the suspension of electricity supply occurs for reasons related to non-payment of debt.
When do you receive a notification about a power outage?
Disconnection due to non-payment of debt is regulated by Chapters I and II of the RULES. For citizens using electricity for domestic purposes, the supply of electricity may be interrupted if they are in arrears for 2 or more billing periods. The billing period for them is 1 month.
Note! Other users may be disconnected from electricity either if the amount of debt stipulated by the contract is incurred, or if they fail to pay for more than one payment period stipulated by the contract.
The procedure for serving notice and limiting electricity is as follows:
- The debtor, against signature or by registered mail with notification, is given a warning about the upcoming restriction, indicating the period and amount of the debt.
- To settle the issue of debt payment, users belonging to citizens using electricity for domestic purposes are given 20 days, others - 10 days.
- If the debt is not repaid during this period, the debtor is subject to a partial (precautionary) restriction on the supply of electricity.
- 3 days after the introduction of partial (for citizens after 10 days), if the debt issue is not resolved, the supply of electricity to the debtor is completely stopped. In this case, a disconnection report is drawn up indicating its reason.
- If the debtor managed to pay the debt before the specified date, then the disconnection is cancelled.
Good to know! Suspension of electricity transmission during repair work is regulated by Chapter III of the RULES. It is carried out after notifying users in the manner established by the contract about the start and end times of repair work, in any way that allows recording the date and time of transmission of the notification.
Planned repair work is carried out within a period not exceeding 24 hours. Only consumers of the third reliability category, which includes residential buildings with up to five storeys, can be completely de-energized. Consumers of the first and second reliability categories are not disconnected, but transferred to a backup power source.
What to do if you receive a notification about a power outage?
First of all, it is necessary to resolve the debt issue.
If you agree with the amount of the debt, pay it by the date specified in the notice. Bank settlement times can take up to three days, so please notify your supplier of payment.
If you do not agree with the amount specified in the notification, then you must contact your electricity supplier with all payment receipts and meter readings for a statement of reconciliation of calculations and electric meter readings.
The supplier's address and telephone number are indicated on the receipt or invoice. The law provides adequate time for this, and you will have time to reconcile differences.
Reasons for stopping the light supply
Let's look at what other reasons there are for electricity restrictions.
The power supply may be interrupted:
- in case of an accident or power shortage in the power system;
- during scheduled repairs;
- when a fact of unaccounted or non-contractual connection is revealed;
- in connection with an emergency or fire hazardous condition of a power facility;
- at his own request, in connection with the termination of the contract.
Debt amount
Does debt size affect power outages?
If the contract does not provide for the amount of debt at which delivery is suspended, then the amount of the debt does not affect the possibility of limitation. The legislator provides only a payment period, in case of violation of which the supplier has the right to disconnect the user.
Note! Therefore, a consumer can be disconnected for a debt of 100 rubles if the period of late payment exceeds the period established by the contract or regulatory rules.
How to turn off the electricity in an apartment in an apartment building?
In order to temporarily suspend the provision of such a service, you must perform a number of simple steps:
- prepare the necessary documents;
- fill out an application;
- contact an authorized organization.
Please note that disconnection fees may apply.
Where to contact?
The interested party should contact the service provider. Not always - this is an energy sales organization. This could be a management company or another legal entity with which the owner entered into an agreement on power supply (can the management company turn off the lights?). You can apply in person, by mail or through a legal representative.
Required documents
In order to get a positive result from his application, the owner needs to prepare a number of documents. These include:
- Passport of the interested person.
- The basis on which a person occupies an apartment is a certificate of ownership or inheritance, an extract from the Unified State Register of Real Estate, a contract of sale, lease, exchange, gift.
- Certificate of arrears in payment of utility services. It is necessary if the reason for disconnection is non-payment.
- Agreement with a contractor. It will be required if the need to turn off electricity is caused by repair work.
- The court's decision. It is necessary when shutdown is forced. That is, a person previously applied, for example, to a management company, but his request was denied.
- Power of attorney of the legal representative, if he takes part in the procedure.
Documents can be submitted in originals or as certified copies.
Compiling an application
The application is made in simple written form. Some organizations provide applicants with ready-made forms. The text should indicate the following:
- Name and address of the organization to which the applicant is applying.
- Initiator’s details – last name, first name, patronymic, place of residence, contact phone number.
- The applicant’s status in relation to the apartment is owner or tenant.
- Reasons for contacting.
- Duration of shutdown (for how long can electricity be turned off by law?).
- Date and signature.
An application for power outage can be made in two copies, one of which the applicant will keep for himself.
We do not recommend completing the documents yourself. Save time - contact our lawyers by phone:
+7 (812) 467-37-23Saint Petersburg
Timing and cost
The company fulfills the client's order within the time limits agreed upon by the parties when submitting the application. In practice, the requirement is fulfilled within two to three days.
Legislative acts do not approve clear prices for services of this nature. The cost must be clarified with the organization to which the initiator applies. It is determined based on the price list valid at the time of application. The average cost will be 1,000 rubles.
If a power outage occurs due to an accident or scheduled repairs without warning or justified reasons, this causes inconvenience for consumers and natural indignation on their part. What to do in the event of an illegal power outage, where to call if there is no power or frequent interruptions, and whether the chairman of SNT can stop the supply of electricity - we told in our material.
What data does the document contain?
The disconnection notice contains:
- name of the consumer (name of the organization or full name of the citizen) in respect of whom the disconnection is being carried out;
- address of the power supply facility being disconnected;
- reasons for termination of supply;
- date of partial and complete restriction.
If the disconnection is related to debt, then additionally:
- amount of debt;
- period of non-payment of debt.
What does the legislation say?
The following government regulations provide some clarity on this issue:
- No. 354 dated 05/06/2011 as amended, effective 12/26/2016 “On the provision of public services...”;
- No. 442 dated 05/04/2012 as amended on 02/04/2017 “On... complete or partial limitation of electricity consumption...”.
You can be left without electricity if you do not respond in any way to the preliminary notification, issued in accordance with all the rules.
This applies equally to both individuals and legal entities with debt.
It will be illegal to terminate the supply of electricity if:
- the debtor is a gardener who is a member of the SNT, whom the society itself is trying to leave without light;
- prior notice was not received according to instructions;
- this is due to the total debt for housing and communal services.
When does a power outage occur without warning?
Power outages occur without notice. And this is understandable, because an accident does not warn about itself. However, the user must be warned about including himself in the shutdown schedule in the event of an emergency or power shortage in the power system by including this clause in the contract.
Let us explain that these graphs represent lists of consumers whose limitation is carried out when the power system is overloaded and an emergency situation arises in connection with this. The procedure for limiting such cases is described in detail in Chapter IV of the RULES.
Good to know! There is another type of shutdown. It is associated with unaccounted or non-contractual consumption. Such consumption is theft of electricity. Disconnection from the network in such cases is carried out immediately without any warning.
On what grounds can electricity be turned off?
Legislative regulation of the issues of turning off electricity for non-payment is enshrined in Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 624. Since October 2020, it has established the possibility of turning off electricity to any organizations, including budget ones. Thus, a debt for electricity in any amount can become grounds for stopping the power supply to a kindergarten or school.
Disconnection is regulated by law in the following cases:
- absence of an agreement with the owner of the residential premises or the head of the organization;
- unauthorized connection to the network.
If there is an agreement between the organization and the consumer, the rules for disconnecting are governed by its terms. It is in it that it is stated whether they have the right to turn off the light for non-payment.
Government Decree 624 establishes the possibility of turning off electricity for non-payment of utilities. It does not matter what category of services the debt was for (light, water supply, heating, gas supply).
How to return the light supply?
If your lights are turned off for non-payment, you must:
- Pay off the debt.
- Contact your supplier with the payment receipt and write a request to turn on the electricity again.
The supplier has the right to demand compensation from you for costs associated with disconnecting and connecting electrical energy. The amount of compensation is not fixed and varies depending on the company. As a rule, it includes the costs of transport and personnel.
After payment, the light will be turned on for you within 24 hours.
Note! Please do not try to turn on the lights yourself, otherwise you may be subject to penalties associated with unmetered or non-contractual consumption.
Actions in case of power outages for non-payment of utilities in 2020
In view of this, answering the question “Can the lights be turned off for non-payment”, Managers and other organizations are required to send a notification when a two-month debt arises. But, as practice shows in 2020, the owner is given much more time than the law provides.
Before the actions of the controlling authority reach the point of directly suspending the supply of electricity, a notification is sent. This aspect is very important because... Energy in housing is the most popular service in the housing and communal services sector. Without it, it is impossible to lead normal everyday life in urban conditions. It should be understood that an illegal power outage can have irreversible consequences for a seriously ill person connected to certain equipment. This may also incur additional costs for the company.
Interesting: Mortgage for mat capital in VTB 24
How to apply for a power outage?
If you want to terminate the electricity supply contract, you must contact the supplier. The contract will be terminated within the period established by law.
However, if you want to stop using electricity temporarily, for example, by going somewhere for a long time, and then return, then it is better to simply contact the supplier with a corresponding statement, which will indicate the duration of your absence and the latest readings of the electricity meter. This way you can avoid charges based on the average and the procedure for re-connection upon return.
The termination of the supply of electricity is carried out according to strictly established rules.
Suspension for non-payment will only occur upon written notice being delivered to you. Adequate time is given to settle the debt issue after receiving the notification.
Planned repairs are carried out after notification by any method that allows confirmation of the date and time of its transfer. The duration of repair work should not exceed 24 hours for consumers of the third category. Consumers of the first and second categories are not disconnected, but are transferred to backup power.
Good to know! Shutdowns without warning occur only in the event of an accident or power shortage in the power system, as well as in the event of electricity theft.
Pay for electricity on time. This will save you from unpleasant situations associated with turning it off.
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What should the debtor do?
If you receive such a warning, the easiest way to resolve the problem is to make the required payment on your bills.
This is the easiest way to restore the connection to electricity.
The connection must take place within two days after receipt of payment.
It is possible that a reconnection fee may be required by the management company or the energy company.
