How to pay for electricity without a meter: according to average and standard

Even if an electric meter is not installed in your residential premises, you will still have to pay for electricity (regardless of whether you consume the resource or not). The fee is set by region according to consumption standards.

This article provides information on how to pay for electricity if there is no meter (it is damaged, stolen, broken) or if the user does not allow employees of the energy sales company to take readings from the meter.

How to pay for electricity without a meter?

When a consumer has an electric meter installed, there are no questions about how the fee is calculated. Simply, the amount of kWh spent (according to the electric meter readings) should be multiplied by the tariff that is established in the region. The result obtained will be the amount that needs to be paid for electricity.

It is more difficult to determine how electricity charges are calculated without a meter. Similar situations include cases when there is no electric meter, or when there is one, but:

Employees of the energy sales company are not allowed to the electric meter to check its integrity and take readings;
The readings for the reporting period were not transferred to the energy sales company (in accordance with the established procedure);
The device is faulty (broken or the verification period has expired);
During the verification, it was determined that the device was damaged intentionally.

Each of the above cases is described in detail in the Rules for the provision of public services (hereinafter referred to as the Rules). There is also a method for calculating fees for electricity services without metering devices.

This document was approved by the Government of the Russian Federation by its Resolution No. 354 of May 6, 2011. “On the provision of utility services to owners and users of premises in apartment buildings and residential buildings.” After its entry into force, this document underwent many changes and improvements.

In the context of these rules, we will analyze in detail the different options for paying for electricity without a meter.

Preferential tariff for electricity in Mosenergosbyt

In these difficult times, most of the costs go to paying for housing and communal services, in particular, paying for electricity.

Every year, tariffs only increase, but not all residents know that they can reduce their payments by switching to preferential terms.

We will tell you below about who has the opportunity to take advantage of preferential terms for paying for electricity in Moscow and the Moscow region, as well as what documents are needed for registration.

Categories of citizens entitled to electricity benefits

In Moscow and the Moscow region there is a decree adopted by the Government of the Russian Federation in 2004 “On measures of social support for certain categories of residents of the city of Moscow.”

and a resolution adopted in accordance with the law of the Moscow region of 2006 “On social support for certain categories of citizens in the Moscow region.”

They contain the conditions for providing social support measures for citizens and the procedure for their adoption. The benefit can be applied for:

Veterans of Labor
Pensioners (politically repressed, rehabilitated and members of their families)
Recipients of the medal "For the Defense of Moscow"
Persons who completed military service and worked at city enterprises during the war period
Persons awarded the “Honorary Donor of Russia/USSR” badge
Large families (3 more children). A separate category – families with 10 or more children
Orphans or children without parental care
Home front workers
WWII participants and combatants
Heroes of the Soviet Union, Russian Federation
Disabled people and their immediate relatives
Citizens exposed to radiation
Low-income citizens whose spending on housing and communal services exceeds 22% of their income.

A detailed list of persons, which is quite extensive, is presented in the resolution “On the procedure and conditions for providing measures of social support for citizens in paying for housing and utilities.”

Important: payment discounts are issued only for the standard amount of electricity: if this threshold is exceeded, payment is made in full

How to apply for a preferential rate?

You can extend or apply for a discount on the tariff through your personal account on the Mosenergosbyt website, using the “consultant” system (contact with the operator) or in any branch and client office.

The subscriber can apply for the Mosenergosbyt service in person at the branch or through his representative, who must provide notarized copies or originals of documents.

In the case of your Mosenergosbyt personal account, you need to log in and go to the “Benefits” tab. Attach documents confirming your right to receive preferential tariffs and submit for verification.

There is also a “video communication”; for this you need to visit the MFC branch with a passport and a document confirming the right to benefits, and use a video communication terminal to contact a contact center specialist.

Documents for registration of benefits

A discount on electrical energy from 30 to 50 percent (depending on the category of citizen) is issued subject to the provision of documents. These include:

Citizen's identity document (Passport), pensioner's ID.
Certificate “Veteran of Labor”, certificate of disability / from the guardianship and trusteeship authorities, certificate confirming the status of “Large family / mother”, etc.
A document that confirms the right to pay for electricity (VTEK certificate, labor veteran certificate, certificate of family composition, certificate issued by social services).
Insurance certificate of compulsory pension insurance.
EZhD (for those who live in communal apartments).
Electricity meter data.
Receipts for payment of services for the last six months.
A copy of the financial and personal account (for citizens who have a regulatory or partial benefit).

Documents are submitted to the MFC, Mosenergosbyt branch or uploaded electronically through your Personal Account.

How to calculate benefits?

There are 3 types of benefits: half of the expense, 100% of the expense and 50% (30%) of the standard. Standardized indicators are specified in the decree of the Moscow government “On the transition to the second stage of the reform of the payment system for housing and communal services.” If during the month the electricity consumption did not exceed the norm, a discount is given for the volume consumed; if it exceeded, only for the volume within the norm.

½ discount on consumption applies to the entire volume

It doesn’t matter how many people live in the living space

A detailed calculation of benefits is given in the “Frequently Asked Questions” section on the Mosenergosbyt website.

The electric meter is faulty: how to calculate the monthly payment?

If for some reason your meter is faulty (the verification period has expired, the device is broken during repairs, stopped working for other reasons, or is simply stolen) or is recognized as such during an inspection by a representative of the energy sales company, it is important to know how the payment for light is calculated in this case .

According to clause 59 of the Rules, the first thing that is determined is the moment of the event (from what time the electric meter is considered faulty/lost).

Such a moment could be:

the date the subscriber contacted the energy sales company with a statement about the malfunction/theft of the electricity meter;
the date of drawing up the report regarding the malfunction of the electric meter, which is drawn up by an employee of the energy sales company during the inspection;
expiration date of the electric meter inter-verification period.

If it is not possible to determine the exact date, then the payment period/month in which the “event” occurred is taken as the “reference point”.

From this moment on, the user will be transferred to paying for electricity based on average monthly consumption (calculated based on the last 6 months). At the same time, according to the average monthly payments, the subscriber will be charged only for 3 months, and then he will be transferred to payments according to the standard, which is significantly more expensive. To reduce costs, you should install a new electricity meter promptly.

How to change the accounting system

To switch to another metering system, you will need to change the meter itself. The first step is to contact your electricity supplier to inform him of your intention to change the meter. The specialist will ask you to write a statement.

When handling, you must have the following documents:

passport of a citizen of the Russian Federation;
documents confirming ownership of the premises.

The specialist will accept the application and require you to pay the cost of the service. Next, a qualified electrician is sent, who in a short time will connect and configure the new device, draw up a report and give the necessary recommendations. Next month, readings must be submitted using the new system.

How to pay for electricity if the meter is damaged?

Here we will consider the option of how the payment for light is calculated in the case when the electric meter is damaged intentionally or electricity enters the house/apartment, completely bypassing the meter.

For the consumer, this situation is the most unfavorable. Here the calculation is carried out in accordance with clause 62 of the Rules.

If, during the inspection, the inspector discovered that the electric meter was damaged intentionally and takes into account the consumed kilowatts for the benefit of the subscriber, or electricity was supplied to the apartment/house bypassing the meter altogether, then severe measures will be taken against such a consumer. In this case:

The inspector inspects the premises of the apartment/house (in this case he has the right to do this) and records the number and power of all available electrical appliances;
After this, the daily electricity consumption is calculated (provided that absolutely all electrical appliances work constantly);
It is calculated how much energy the household consumes in this mode over the last 6 months;
The total number of kilowatts received is multiplied by the tariff. The result obtained is the amount that the subscriber will be charged for payment.

The amounts of such charges are several times higher than the standard amounts of payment for electricity according to the meter.

It should be noted that the payment for light in a similar way (based on the maximum possible consumption) will be charged until the user eliminates the malfunctions and violations.

It is important to remember that if representatives of the electricity network visited you with an inspection less than 6 months ago, and such an inspection did not reveal any violations, then, based on the maximum possible consumption, the calculation of electricity charges will be carried out from the date of the previous visit of representatives of the energy sales company.

When leaving, turn off the lights

In Europe, utilities are very expensive. In Germany, for example, they pay 222 euros per month for an 85-meter apartment (for light, water, heating, garbage removal). The Germans are so accustomed to turning off the water when brushing their teeth that they even do it in hotels. It’s the same with electricity - in the summer, some German residents sent to work remotely went to work in cafes to save on electricity.

German pragmatism is worth adopting and remembering to turn off the lights when leaving the room/kitchen/bathroom.

We distribute kilowatts. How much electricity does kitchen appliances consume? Read more

There is no electricity meter at all: how to pay for electricity?

Of course, housing began to be equipped with electricity meters a very long time ago (en masse back in Soviet times), but to this day you can find premises where there are no such meters. This often occurs in apartments converted from former dormitories, etc.

If there is no electricity meter in the apartment/house, electricity charges will be charged according to the standard. The methodology is described in paragraph 42 of the Rules. Here three indicators are taken into account, namely:

the number of persons who permanently/temporarily reside in a particular premises;
electricity consumption standard (set separately for each region of the country by local authorities);
electricity tariff that applies to a specific type of consumer.

By multiplying these values, you get the amount that is billed to the subscriber for payment.

If we consider how profitable such a payment will be, we should take into account the number of persons officially registered in the apartment/house:

if there are actually more people living in an apartment/house than registered, then paying for electricity according to the standard may be more profitable;
If there are actually fewer people living in an apartment/house than officially registered, then it is more profitable to pay for electricity according to the readings of the electric meter.

For greater specificity, it is advisable to find a decision from the tariff authority (in the region of residence), which approved consumption standards.

Standard if there is a meter

How to replace an electricity meter?

Sometimes situations arise when the meter is installed, but for a number of reasons the energy supply service additionally calculates energy consumption for a certain period.

There are no meter readings for a long time

If the device is located inside a house or apartment and is not accessible to the controller, the owner must submit meter readings to the subscriber service on a monthly basis. When no information is received for six months (in some regions after 3 months) (for example, due to the lack of tenants), the average monthly indicators are taken into account for this period and then automatically transferred to the standard type of payment.

No access to the device

When people live in an apartment or house, but inspectors cannot gain access to the devices, the owners are notified in writing of the date and time of the service representative’s visit. If the owner deliberately ignores these visits, then after three unsuccessful attempts to gain access to the meter, he will have to pay for electricity for 3 months at the average monthly tariff, and then at the established standard.

In case of breakdown

As soon as the meter fails, the owner of the apartment (house) is obliged to notify the supplier in writing. While the device is being changed, checked and installed in place, payment is recorded based on average indicators. But if the owner kept silent about the defect, and the inspector himself discovered a malfunction of the device or mechanical interference with it, they will proceed from the last paid indicator and the time when this event occurred.

Problems with the meter

What do consumption standards depend on?

Electricity consumption rates depend on the following points:

number of rooms in the house/apartment;
type of installed stove (gas or electric);
number of residents (if 1 person is registered, then the consumption rate will be greater than, for example, for one of the 3 registered). At the same time, the management company (HOA) has the right to control how many people actually live in a particular apartment. After such verification, the confirmed number of residents will appear in the calculations of electricity charges according to the standards.

Pay on time

Last year, due to the coronavirus pandemic, a communal amnesty was introduced in Russia - no penalties were charged for non-payment of housing and communal services. Starting in February of this year, defaulters will once again be assessed fines for late or incomplete payment of utility bills.

To save money on the world (and on utilities in general), you should first of all pay your bills on time and avoid penalties.

I received two receipts for utility bills. What to do? More details

Additional Information

In recent years, the Russian government has been introducing measures aimed at 100% equipping residential premises with meters for electricity consumption. In order to further motivate consumers to switch to paying according to the electric meter, and not according to the standard, it is planned to gradually increase them (standards). Depending on the region, the increase will be 10-20%. In addition to the already common increase in electricity tariffs (usually 5-10% per year), the difference becomes more than significant.

Summarizing the above, it can be argued that electricity without a meter will cost consumers more and more. It is advisable to think about equipping your home with an electricity meter today. This way, you can avoid overpaying every month, but pay only for the number of kilowatts that were actually used.

Install motion sensors on switches

Expert of the Russian Ministry of Finance project on financial literacy Igor Grigoryants recommends using energy-saving light bulbs and motion sensors - the latter are especially relevant for families with children (kids often forget the rule that the lights need to be turned off, and children cannot always reach the switches).

“Various control systems will help you remember to turn off the lighting in the rooms in a timely manner. Contrary to popular belief, their cost is not that high: for example, a circuit breaker with a motion sensor will cost about 250-300 rubles,” says Grigoryants.

By the way, although LED lamps are more expensive than energy-saving lamps, they last longer and consume less energy.

Calculation of energy consumption by meter

For the population living in private houses and apartments and equipped with metering elements, it is quite easy to calculate the electricity consumed over a certain period of time. To do this, you just need to look at the readings for the current month, subtract the readings for the previous month from them and multiply by the current tariff. In this case, you need to be careful because only the numbers indicated before the decimal point are taken into account. We described in detail how to take readings from an electric meter in a separate article.

If there is an accounting element and an agreement has been signed with the supplier on a two-tariff or multi-tariff consumption regime, then a special calculation is carried out. The cost of each kilowatt/hour depends on the time of day. During the day, the price of electricity will be more expensive, and at night it will be cheaper. Moreover, this meter is a modern electronic device that records consumption and displays it on the display. Without difficulty, at any time it is possible to view separately the readings for daytime and nighttime, and then calculate in the same way by multiplying the difference by the corresponding tariff. The cost of one kWh directly depends on the type of residential premises:

with gas stove;
with electric stove.

For houses located in a village or town, the standards may also differ.

Prices for legal entities and enterprises differ from prices for the population and depend on the total market trading for a particular region. You can view this information on the website of the guaranteeing electricity supplier.

Using a lower value of the conversion factor with the correct circuit for switching on the meter

Disturbances associated with the difference between the actual transformation ratios of CTs (VTs) of individual phases of the measuring complex from the coefficients used in calculating the consumption of electrical energy, as well as cases of a recorded increase in the ratio of the currents of the primary and secondary windings of the CTs, regarded as an increase in the transformation ratios of the CTs, are considered.

Incorrect and identical value of the calculated coefficient in all phases of a 3-element or 2-element circuit