The head of the National Public Association “Consumer Protection” Piotr Guțul said an increasing number of consumers who installed autonomous heating systems in the house complain that they pay more than they consume, but don’t want to go to court as they don’t think that justice will be done to them.
In a news conference at IPN, Piotr Guțul said the law on the public water supply and sewerage service made the people pay more for consumption than they would have paid according to the meter readings (heating of common areas is invoked, e.n.). The given law runs counter to the EU’s Consumer Rights Directive that Moldova undertook to implement.
Piotr Guțul noted that in 2019, the association sent a letter to the Government, asking to review this law, but didn’t get a response. Currently, the association is preparing the file for informing European institutions about the violation of consumer rights.
In another development, the head of the National Public Association “Consumer Protection” Piotr Guțul said he will not go to vote this Sunday. If he goes to the polls, he will vote ‘against all’.
Consumer Valentina Poberjnaia in the news conference related her experience. She said she decided to install an autonomous heating system because the temperature of the heat supplied in a centralized way was not sufficiently high and it was cold in her apartment. She made approaches to different institutions, but these shifted responsibility onto each other and the problem wasn’t solved. However, not even the autonomous heating system helped her get rid of concerns. Besides the real consumption measured by the meter, she must pay additional sums that are indicated in the bill without being explained. The family refused to pay these sums and was sued. The woman called on the consumers to be cautious and to analyze the bills attentively so as not to pay for services that are not provided to them.
