FAS: TARIFF SOLUTIONS ARE NEW AND COMPLAINTS ARE OLD

The Commission of the antimonopoly body started active consideration of tariff disputes and exposing violations of the law on government regulation of prices (tariffs)

A little bit over 1.5 months have passed after 2020 tariff campaign ended and regional executive authorities passed tariff decisions on utility services. FAS, however, began to receive statements about out-of-court settlements from regulated organizations that disagree with the new tariffs. Every year the Commission adjudicates approximately 200 tariff disputes.

Since the beginning of February 2020, the Commission of the antimonopoly body has already held 13 meetings on tariff disputes. They mostly concern disputes on utility tariffs in electric power and heating supplies.

FAS also held two meetings on exposed elements of violations of the law in the field of solid municipal waste treatment and one meeting on water supply.

Physical persons and legal entities also express their disagreement with the tariffs set for utility services by filing complaints to the antimonopoly authority. Since the beginning of 2020, FAS received around 90 statements that are already “in the pipeline” and are being analyzed in order to expose elements of violating the law of the Russian Federation.

“Considering consumer complaints related to increased utility tariffs also is a considerable piece of our work. We are confident that the population and other consumers must not overpay for utility services, and tariffs should be clear and transparent. Therefore, the main goal of the antimonopoly authority, in particular is to ensure reasonable tariffs for all consumers of utility services without exceptions”, says Yulia Yudina, Head of FAS Department for Regional Tariff Regulation.