Of the 23 municipal housing sector managing enterprises, which manage about half of the apartment buildings in Chisinau, 22 are on the verge of bankruptcy. The given enterprises have debts of several hundred million lei and over half of these debts represents the difference between the volumes of hot water measured by individual meters and the meters set up at the entrance to blocks. The data were presented in public consultations on the activity of housing sector enterprises in Chisinau, IPN reports.

Head of the Public Amenities Division Petru Gontea said they should switch over to a new method of managing the housing sector. The housing sector enterprises should be liquidated and all the apartment buildings should be transferred under the management of dweller associations. Thus, a strategy for managing housing should be worked out and this obligation should be assumed by dwellers. Until dweller associations are formed, these companies should be managed by a particular body. Therefore, a draft decision should be submitted to the Chisinau Municipal Council and the councilors will take a decision.

According to Petru Gontea, the management of the housing sector through dweller associations or by condominiums should not lead to a rise in the current tariff of 1 leu/m2 paid by dwellers. But discussions with each dweller apart should be held when separate works need to be carried out.

As to the preparation of the housing sector for winter, Petru Gontea said the heating networks are 95% ready. The repair of roofs is one of the encountered problems. The work done on this segment this year is much lower in volume than last year. Even if the Chisinau Council provided building materials itself, the works go on, but could be finished by the start of the cold season.