Many Ukrainians who went abroad during a full -scale war left their apartments unattended. However, even in the absence of residents of utilities does not stop automatically. Returning home a few years later, homeowners can find an unpleasant "surprise" - accounts with considerable debts.
The website of the Verkhovna Rada reminds that there are legal mechanisms that allow you to reduce or even avoid such debts - but only if the documents are prepared.
According to the Ukrainian legislation, if no one lives in the apartment for more than 30 days, the owner has the right to apply to a municipal organization with a corresponding application. The application must be provided with a documentary confirmation of your absence - this may be a temporary residence certificate or work abroad.
In this case, accruals for gas, electricity, cold and hot water, as well as garbage collection may be stopped.
However, some payments remain mandatory, regardless of the fact of residence. This is about:
-
heating;
-
Management of an apartment building.
That is, even if you have not lived for a long time, the debt for these services can accumulate.
If the debt has already accumulated, there is another logical question: is it legitimate to demand payment for all years until the home was empty?
It is worth mentioning here about the statute of limitations, enshrined in the Civil Code of Ukraine. For most utilities, it is three years . This means that the company can pay for payment only for the last three years before the time of appeal to the court or the claim.
However, this rule does not apply if a person recognized the debt. For example, if she:
-
partially paid the debt;
-
signed the restructuring agreement;
-
She asked for payment delay.
In such cases, the limitation period is interrupted and the company has the right to demand payment for a longer period.
Therefore, it is important to know your rights and draw up documents in a timely manner. This will help to avoid not only unpleasant "surprises" after returning home, but also unnecessary costs of payment for services that no one actually used.
