How to pay for an apartment. Izvestia's instructions

Paying for utilities is the responsibility of every homeowner or tenant. Meeting deadlines ensures uninterrupted provision of utilities, allowing you to avoid unpleasant consequences. Izvestia tells you how to pay for an apartment, when to make payments and what to do in case of a delay in payment.

What is included in the payment for housing and communal services

A receipt for housing and communal services (housing and communal services), or rent, is a monthly payment for the use of housing and utilities. The main part of utility bills are services that include fees for consumed resources. Payment for most of them is calculated according to the readings of individual metering devices (IPUs), depending on the actual consumption.

What you need to pay for:

• electricity;
• gas;
• cold and hot water;
• heating;
• the sewer system.

When to transmit meter readings

Readings are usually transmitted in the second half of the month, from the 15th to the 25th of the month. If there are no meters, then, depending on the situation, the fee is formed based on the readings of a common household meter or according to current regulations. At the same time, starting from March 1, 2025, heating fees will be charged to residents only during the cold autumn-winter period.

What else is included in the payment:

• elevator repair and maintenance costs;
• cleaning of entrances and adjacent territory;
• lighting on floors and in elevators.
• garbage collection.

Additional services may also be included in the payments, such as a boom gate, concierge, security and intercom. As a rule, all these payments are combined into one receipt — a single payment document (EPD), which reflects the total amount.

To take as due: the number of persistent non-payers for housing and utilities has decreased in the Russian Federation

Collectability of payments for public utilities reached 97.5%

How to pay for an apartment online and offline

Russians can pay for utilities in any way they like. Today, there are many ways to make payments both online and offline.

Online methods:

• through your personal account on the management company's website;
• through the Gosuslugi portal;
• through the portal mos.ru for Muscovites;
• through the GIS housing and communal services system;
• through the banks' mobile apps.

Offline methods:

• through bank branches;
• through the post offices.

To pay at the bank or by mail, you must provide your passport, receipt, or personal account number. You can also use payment terminals installed in public places. In this case, you will need to enter your personal account details.

When you need to pay for an apartment

According to the current rules, the EPA must be paid by the 10th day of the month following the expired one, unless another deadline is set by the apartment building management agreement or by a decision of the general meeting of homeowners (art. 155 LC). For example, according to the receipt for September, you need to pay by October 10.

Starting from March 1, 2026, a single deadline for payment for housing and communal services will be introduced - until the 15th. Thus, it will be possible to pay the rent five days later.

Public benefit: the calculation of subsidies for housing and communal services may be changed in the Russian Federation

The measure will affect the poor, pensioners and large families.

What to do if the rent is not paid on time

If for some reason the rent was not paid on time, it is recommended to make the payment as soon as possible or recalculate it in order to avoid the accrual of penalties and other sanctions.

How to avoid fines and penalties:

• contact the management company (CC) — they will suggest possible solutions to the problem, for example, they will offer to make an installment payment, restructure the debt, or provide a delay — the so-called communal holidays.;
• use subsidies and benefits from the state — they are available to homeowners whose utility bills exceed a certain share of the total family income.
• get a job in the Criminal Code — the law allows you to write off debts for housing and communal services for a specific service or job, for example, you can perform the duties of a cleaner, concierge, plumber or janitor by signing an agreement with the management organization.

What happens if you don't pay the rent

Late payment of utilities or a complete refusal to pay for an apartment can lead to negative consequences. In addition to penalties, the management company or service provider may restrict access to resources, for example, turn off electricity or gas until the debt is paid.

If, after the termination of the provision of services, the debtor does not show any initiative, then funds can be forcibly collected from him through the court.

Earlier, Izvestia reported on a new scheme of fraud involving payment for housing and communal services through a bot in Telegram.