If the gas meter is broken: what to do
Many people install gas meters in their homes now, because these meters can significantly reduce the cost of the family budget for utility bills. However, not everyone knows what to do if the gas meter is defective, where to go and how to avoid penalties and inflated amounts in receipts for payment.
To understand that the gas meter is broken, it is quite simple, because when you take readings from such a device, readings for the reporting period will be significantly different from previous. In addition, the malfunction of the gas metering device indicates:
- Disorder of the housing integrity;
- appearance of condensation;
- disc rotation at the moment when gas is not actually consumed, or vice versa no disc rotation when the resource is consumed.
In this article, we will consider what to do when the gas meter is broken, how to calculate the amount of payment for gas in this case, and how to avoid accrual of payments under the standards during the breakage of the gas meter.
Algorithm of actions if a meter breaks
Before you declare a breakdown, if it is not associated with damage to the body, you need to check whether there is a malfunction and what is the nature of. To do this, it is allowed to perform the following operations:
- Turn off all gas appliances. stove, boiler, heater. In this case, the disc must stop. If the meter continues to run, there is a gas leak or the meter has been illegally connected.
- For 15 minutes, turn on the gas appliance at full power. Compare the data received from the meter with the indicators in its data sheet. If they are very different, it is necessary to apply to the gas station.
- Modern versions are often equipped with an electronic scoreboard. If the readings change when the gas is blocked, the cause is stray currents.
Cheap models are not tamper-proof. Often “craftsmen” manage to rewind readings to reduce payments. But in this case there are traces of tampering on the body: small scratches, chips. If you examine the machine closely, they are easy to spot. In such cases, the owner is assigned a fine.
What to do if the machine is out of service
To start the meter, if it has stopped, or to fix it yourself can not. If the gas meter does not work, act according to the following algorithm.
- If there is no smell of gas and the leakage is excluded, you can use the stove. The consumer has no right to turn off the gas or flow meter by himself.
- When examining meter readings and while inspecting the enclosure, you must be extremely careful. Violation of the integrity of the seals is punishable by a fine.
- You need to monitor the actions of specialists. It happens that gas workers accidentally or deliberately damage the seals on the meter, and then blackmail consumers, demanding money for “settling the issue”.
- Before the technical check-up, the arrived specialists must fix the integrity of the seals and note this fact in the act of work performed.
- If the problem cannot be solved on the spot, the device should be dismantled and taken away for repair or expertise. If the gas meter is irreversibly damaged, the employees of Gorgaz remove it from the register and issue a document to the owner of the apartment to replace it.
If you smell gas in your apartment, the gas pipe should be immediately shut off and the gas company should be contacted. It is forbidden to use the stove and other gas appliances.
According to “average” or normative? How to pay for gas if the meter is out of order
How to pay: by norm or by average consumption? This question will inevitably arise in the owner of a gas-fired private house when a faulty gas meter is detected.
If the norm, the gas company will charge you for the previous six months, “retroactively,” based on the norms approved in the region. Usually this volume is noticeably higher than what actually comes out on the meter. And these overestimated figures for consumption, summed over six months, add up to a shocking amount of additional charges. Usually, the cost is in the tens of thousands.
And if you pay by the average, then the payment is calculated as the average for the last six months. And the amount there is close to the actual consumption.
And here’s the question: when what method of calculation is used? The website of “Gazprom Mezhregiongaz Saratov” has quite clear explanations on this subject. See them below. The information will be relevant for the residents of other Russian regions.
How is the payment for gas calculated, if the meter is out of order?? Explanations of gas companies
According to clause 49. 25 of the Rules of gas supply for public utilities, approved by the Government Decree of 21.07.2008г. 49, the volume of gas consumed shall be determined based on the gas meter readings, provided that the meter is in good working order.
In case of failure of the gas metering device, which the subscriber has notified the gas supplier on the day of detection of such failure, the volume of consumed gas is determined in accordance with the standards of gas consumption for the period from the date of notification until the day following the day when the gas metering device after repair is connected to the gas pipeline.
If the failure of gas accounting device is revealed as a result of the check made by the supplier of gas, the amount of consumed gas is determined in accordance with the standards of gas consumption for the period from the date of the last check until the day following the day of the restoration of the seals, including the installation of the seal in the place where the device of gas accounting after repair is connected to the pipeline, but no more than 6 months (p. 3). 28 Rules).
The amount of consumed gas for the period from the day of dismantling of gas meters for sending it for calibration or repair until the day following the day of installation of a seal on the place where the gas accounting meter after the calibration or repair is connected to the gas pipeline, but not more than 3 months in a row, is determined on the basis of the average monthly consumption of the consumer, determined by the gas accounting meter for a period of not less than one year, and if the period of gas accounting instrument was less than one year. for the actual period of gas accounting instrument.
After expiration of this 3-month period, the volume of consumed gas for each subsequent month up to the day following the day of installation of a seal on the place where metering device is connected to the gas pipeline after calibration or repair, is determined in accordance with standard gas consumption rates (article 8.1 of the Consumer Law). 30 of the Rules).
The current legislation does not provide for taking into account the readings of a faulty gas meter.
How to calculate payment for gas?
In accordance with the applicable legislation, the following shall be taken as the basis for calculation:
- The seal is damaged or the gas meter is faulty, and the subscriber has notified the gas supply company on the day the breakage was discovered. In this case, the volume of gas consumption is calculated based on the standard consumption of gas, starting from the day of application and ending with the day following the date of restoration of the seal, including the installation of the seal in the place where the meter is connected to the gas supply.
- If the meter was found to be defective during an inspection, the amount of gas consumption is determined by the accepted normative from the date of the last inspection to the day the seals were fixed (not more than 6 months).
Important! Naturally, the consumption norms are exaggerated, and the user has to pay many times more for gas consumption.
Smart Meter Freedom Unit. loss of gas supply
You gave information about the faulty meter, but the service company still wants to recalculate for 6 months
There is a typical case near Orenburg. The case became public after the court records were published.
Citizen Kuznetsova A. А. noticed a malfunction in her gas meter. The meter was stuck and was making atypical clicks. She informed the gas service on the telephone number 04. An inspector came to a call and wrote a statement saying that the meter was broken. The document was signed by the son of Kuznetsova A.А. т.к. He was at home at the time.
But in time Kuznetsova received a gas receipt from the gas service at the general rates for the past six months. The gas companies explained it by saying that the inspector himself discovered the malfunction as a result of an unscheduled inspection.
Citizen Kuznetsova went to court, believing that her rights had been violated. The first trial ended successfully in her favor. Subsequently, the gas service appealed, but without result.
The gas service’s explanation, as became clear from the investigation materials, was that a resident of the Orenburg region had reported the problem to the wrong phone number. Allegedly they had not been informed about the call. And the time of verification of gas equipment just happened to coincide. And the visit of the inspector had nothing to do with the citizen’s report of the malfunction.
The judge rejected these arguments as unfounded and unconvincing.
In the end, the court found that Kuznetsova did everything right. She has informed the gas company on time that her gas meter is in working order.
The court decided to apply the first version of paragraph 8 in this case and not to recalculate consumption according to general standards.
How do you pay for a faulty appliance?
According to the state law from 2008 “Rules of gas supply for communal needs”, gas bills are issued according to averaged norms (maximum possible, fixed amount of gas that a person can use).
If the device was defective and the consumer himself detected the breakage and reported to the relevant authorities, the consumer will have to buy a new device and install it, in which case there will be no recalculation.
If the breakage is detected by the authorities during a planned or unplanned breakage. the consumer will have to replace the meter, as well as recalculate in accordance with state standards for the last 6 months. It becomes clear that this case is much more costly and problematic for the consumer.
What to do if the gas meter has stopped showing numbers
Installing a gas meter is not yet a mandatory procedure, but some apartment owners resort to it in order to save money. They take readings from the device once a month, and the volume of gas consumption is determined by the difference between the current and previous data. Unfortunately, such devices can break even when the rules of installation and operation are followed. Owners of devices should know what to do if the gas meter does not spin or does not show the numbers. Improper behavior in the event of a problem threatens accidents, disputes with the gas company, substantial costs.
How to calculate the gas bill?
In accordance with current legislation, the following is taken as a basis for calculations:
- The seal is broken or the meter that measures the gas consumption is faulty, and the subscriber has informed the gas supplying organization on the day of the breakage. In this case, the volume of gas consumption is calculated based on the standard gas consumption, starting from the day of application and ending on the day following the date of restoration of the seal, including the installation of the seal in the place where the metering device is connected to the gas supply.
- If the appliance is found to be defective during an inspection, the volume of gas consumption is determined according to the adopted standard from the date of the last inspection to the day of restoring the integrity of the seals (not more than 6 months).
Important! Naturally, consumption rates are inflated, and the user has to pay many times more for gas consumption.
Why does the meter stop?
The first sign of a breakdown device to count spent cubes is its stopping, that is, if the stove or a column works, but the numbers on the scoreboard does not change. So why the gas meter stops and the image disappears:
- it has failed because it has reached the end of its service life;
- freezing of the rotating mechanism if the device is installed outdoors or in a cold room;
- Flight of the wheels from the grooves (factory defect);
- On the electronic display often oxidized and disconnected wires.
Gas meter is a quality device that can serve for many years, in addition, periodically subject to calibration. But controlling organizations do not always take their responsibilities seriously. Evidence of this can be the fact that after verification, the product rarely fails within the same year.
Important! If a brand new gas meter breaks, you should suspect a factory defect or improper installation. If the device stopped showing due to the fault of the manufacturer, it is repaired for free or the gas meter is replaced under warranty.
It is not uncommon for a meter to be installed in a room that is too cold or humid, which significantly shortens its service life. Therefore, before installing it is important to read the manufacturer’s instructions yourself, without relying on the honesty of the gas company that installs the meter.
