the Ministry of construction has proposed to increase the number of beneficiaries for whom payment of utility bills should be cheaper. Now for grants can expect only the family that spends more on “communal” more than 22% of their income. The Agency wants to lower the threshold to 15%. According to the estimates of officials, the measure will allow millions of consumers to save. However, there are many traditional industry pitfalls and difficulties. For example, the question arises: at whose expense such generosity? Now utility benefits are covered from regional budgets and then only with difficulty. An additional burden of 30 billion rubles, they just will not stand, especially in the current economic conditions, and, ultimately, piggy actors burst.
– Isolation and falling incomes of a huge number of families dramatically complicate the payment of utility bills, which becomes unbearable for people. The Ministry of construction noted that the collection of such payments fell by 30% compared to “overprime” times, and resource providers warn of reduced earnings by 70% or more.
the state Duma has estimated that, if the proposed change in the boundaries of “concessionality”, you will need another 30 billion rubles per year in subsidies across the country. In addition, they will receive more than 1 million families. Note that in 2019 the data received subsidy of about 3 million families, totaling 71 billion.
Limit percentage of expenditure on housing, giving the right to benefit, in every region of his, and 22% is the maximum level in the country. In Moscow, for example, it is 10%, therefore lowering it is necessary in each region in proportion to, according to the head of the noncommercial Organization of people’s control Natalia Chernysheva.
market Experts believe, if the proposal of the Ministry of construction and will be implemented very soon: each region will conduct their calculations, give each interested family the difficult process of collecting the documents confirming the right to benefits. Furthermore, the subsidies do not apply to those who have a debt on a communal, although these debts are often connected with objective factors, independent from the tenant: for example, a decline in revenue against the backdrop of a pandemic and isolation.
“it would be Good to lower the threshold to 10% — but here, of course, a question of money, — said General Director of “City Innovative Technologies” Sergey Minko. — You need to calculate how much you may afford the budget of a subject”.
Now benefits are covered from regional budgets. But they will not withstand an additional burden of 30 billion rubles, moreover, that their revenues fell sharply and costs rose due to the pandemic, says the chief analyst of “Broker” mark real. “Budgets will burst. Even if partially, the regions receive on these purposes of subsidies from the Federal budget. New benefitsrequire a sharp increase in targeted transfers,” he says.
in addition, there is the psychological aspect — since now abolished fines and shutdown of resources for utility non-payment, more people prefer not to pay a very heavy sum for them. Thus, by 2021, people can accumulate huge debts that, in a hypothetical return of fines and shutdowns after the pandemic, will lead to very dire consequences.
Experts believe the increase in the number of beneficiaries does not allow to avoid a collapse of the housing sector, which is quite possible because of the risk of mass defaults. Citizens caught in the category of those in need, may not be funds to pay bills – even with the new aid. And as grant will be provided regardless of whether recipients pay or not, and the state is nothing to win in this scenario fails.
“it is Much easier and faster would not provide the address, and mass subsidies for housing each payer at least 50% of the bill. Much better and advantageous it would be to facilitate payments to those who still have the ability to pay, reducing them at least two times,” — says Natalia Chernysheva.
