Local administrations report almost 100 percent readiness for the heating season, but some Kyiv residents risk being left without heat due to legal, technical and consequential circumstances. According to Oleg Popenko, head of the Union of Consumers of Public Utilities, the main risks are related to the type of heat supply contracts, the condition of networks and the consequences of shelling, reports the publication novyny.live.
As the expert explains, the first reason is collective agreements. If the house is connected to the heat supply through the management company or the housing and communal services department under the terms of a collective agreement, this may complicate the connection or become a basis for refusal in case of debt. Popenko advises residents to conclude individual agreements with the heat supplier to protect their house from the risk of disconnection due to problems with payments of other apartments.
The second reason is technical problems: broken pipes, damaged heat points, or the inability to connect to a CHP make heat supply difficult or impossible. As an example, the expert cites a case in 2020, when several houses in the Darnytsia district were not connected due to technical connection restrictions.
The third group of risks is related to damage from shelling. New residential complexes with their own boiler rooms may be left without heat if the basic infrastructure - doors, windows, internal premises or systems necessary for safe operation - is not restored. In such a situation, residents are advised to change the manager, conclude new contracts or apply to state recovery programs, in particular "eRecovery".
Separately, Popenko emphasizes the importance of timely verification of heat meters. Although overdue verification in itself is not the cause of the lack of heating, in this case the charge may be made at the average tariff, which will significantly increase the payment.
To minimize risks, the expert advises residents to:
• conclude individual contracts with the heat supplier;
• monitor the technical condition of the building and promptly respond to accidents;
• have meters checked on time;
• in case of damage, apply for state assistance for restoration or change the manager and look for opportunities to conclude a new contract.
