As many as 8,812 autonomous gas heating systems and 1,170 stoves were officially recorded in Moldova on October 15, 2009. The information was provided by 62% of the district public authorities and was presented at a meeting by Minister of Construction and Regional Development Marcel Raducan, Info-Prim Neo reports. According to the official, more and more dwellings are disconnected from the centralized heating system. They form a special sector in the heating services industry. “There appeared a serious problem that could destroy the centralized heating sector. This danger will grow if the heating charges are raised,” the minister said. In another development, Marcel Raducan said that extensive and current repair works have been carried out this year in 365 apartment buildings, a 19% decrease compared with the corresponding period last year. There were changed roofs, windows, doors, etc. Dwellers’ maintenance debts have a negative influence on the preparation of the housing sector for the cold season of the year. The courts examined more than 1,800 legal cases opened against the dwellers that have large debts to the suppliers. A sum of 2 million lei was collected from them afterward, the minister said. Marcel Raducan said that another problem is the slow constitution of the privatized dwelling owners associations and condominium co-owners associations. Only 30 associations had been registered during the last year, 16 of which in Chisinau, 4 in Orhei and 8 in Telenesti.