How long are utility bills kept? Deadlines and consequences of lack of documents

Being a payment document, the receipt also serves as proof of payment for utility services provided by different organizations.

Photo: joy.ru

In case of claims and confusion in the numbers, you can prove the very fact of paying a certain amount only by holding this confirmation form of the established form in your hands. Therefore, payments should be kept at home for some time.

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In addition, if we determine storage periods based on the statute of limitations, then we must know something else. If the statute of limitations expires, you can still claim protection for the violated rights. Therefore, saved receipts can not only come in handy, but also become a trump card up your sleeve.

Not a single regulatory act specifically specifies how many years it is necessary to keep receipts with a mark or check for payment of housing and communal services, so the law on the statute of limitations for claims comes into play. According to it, the statute of limitations for disputes of this kind expires 3 years from the moment the problem situation arises.
This law is not an obstacle to the court accepting a claim, but if this point is voiced in court, the decision in 100% of cases will be made in favor of the service consumer.
It happens that management companies try to resort to various kinds of tricks, trying to forcefully extend the statute of limitations. This happens extremely rarely, only in the event of real force majeure circumstances. For example, the entire management company was on a desert island for three years and did not have the opportunity to go to court to collect the debt for housing and communal services.

To ensure the safety of invoices for payment of services, it is recommended to store them in a separate folder. This will allow you to find documents when problem situations arise as quickly as possible.

Due to the lack of properly organized work of departments in public utilities, bills are issued to bona fide payers.

The receipt may contain many numbers, but do not be alarmed. After all, these are instrument readings for previous periods. Regional authorities establish certain standards, indicating what exactly should be written down on the receipt. That is, these are not only current amounts, but also those that have already been issued previously.

If a consumer pays for utilities via the Internet (for example, Sberbank Online), it is enough to save and print the receipt, then attach it to the payment receipt sent monthly for entering readings and payment. Calculation using the terminal. In this case, you will need to have a payment card available, which must be placed in a special slot. After this, you will need to enter data into the electronic form that appears - code, information about your account, payment amount. Then you need to confirm the transaction and receive a confirmation receipt.

The information is presented in the form of a clear and simple table, so everyone can easily understand all the information.

Difficulties with debts arise in relations with all organizations in the housing and communal services sector. We are talking about a management company or HOA, companies involved in water supply, electricity supply and gas supply.

Payment of utility bills can be done in several ways. The most common of them is depositing cash into the company’s account through a cash desk or terminal of one of the banks. Payment through online accounts, that is, electronically, is gaining popularity.

Payment for utility services is carried out on the basis of a receipt provided by the contractor. Such information must be transferred to payers within the period established by law. According to the general rules, a receipt for payment is given no later than the first day of the month following the reporting month.

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Storing payment documents becomes difficult due to the space they take up. But how long are utility bills kept? And what's the point of doing this?

In most cases, the receipt itself is sent by mail. The information is also duplicated on the information resources of the management company. At the same time, the law does not prohibit personal delivery of a document to the payer. This method is mainly used in cases where there is arrears in payment.

In cases where filing a claim was impossible due to certain circumstances that did not depend on the actions and desires of the plaintiff (for example, emergency situations: flood, earthquake, military operations, epidemics, etc.) After the termination of these circumstances, the limitation period continues to run.

Storage period for payment receipts

As is known, consumers are required to pay a certain price monthly for housing and utility services (for example, water supply, gas, electricity and others) provided to property. The document confirming the fact of depositing funds is a receipt. If a particular service is not paid for by the consumer on time, then by default he becomes a debtor. However, it may also be that an individual transferred funds, but for some technical reason they were not delivered. This may be due to the fault of management service employees or due to technical failures that have arisen in the banking organization.

Attention! If the user promptly repaid the amount for utility services issued to him as an invoice in a single payment document, and lost the receipt, and after a while he was shown that the service had not been paid, then he will not be able to prove the opposite.

What the law says

Documents drawn up in the form of receipts are intended for making financial payments and serve as proof that they were successful. However, it is very important that the form of payment is exactly the one approved by law. The Ministry of Construction and Public Utilities of Russia in 2014 published order number 924, which describes what requirements the receipt must meet.

In addition to the rules regarding the content of the document intended for making payments for utility services, the order shows what a receipt for payment for repair work should look like. In addition, instructions for filling out receipts are provided for property owners. If all the requirements of Order No. 924 are met, then the receipt will be recognized as a document having legal force and weight.

When can you throw away payments?

The law does not clearly state how long consumers are required to keep receipts at home. However, in current legislation there is such a term as the statute of limitations. This concept refers to the period during which an individual, in the event of a violation of his personal rights, can apply to the court for their protection. The duration of this period is three years. This fact is confirmed by Article 196 of the Civil Procedure Code of the Russian Federation.

However, it is still recommended that users of housing services keep payment documents for five years or even longer. This is explained by the fact that even if the limitation period has come to an end, and the management organization has presented a claim to the consumer regarding accumulated debt, which in fact does not exist, he still has the right to file an application with the judicial authorities demanding protection of his rights. The court, in turn, is obliged to consider the claim. Article number 199, located in the Civil Procedure Code, states that the judicial authority in any case must familiarize itself with the document related to the protection of the applicant’s rights, and whether the statute of limitations has expired does not play any role.

This fact is based on the fact that the limitation period in some cases could be interrupted or stopped altogether, and therefore is subject to extension. However, if the judge has determined that this period has expired, then he has every reason to issue a refusal related to ensuring the applicant’s defense rights. In this regard, there is no need to throw away payment documentation indicating payment for utility services until the statute of limitations has passed. In other words, receipts are stored for at least three calendar years.

How long are utility bills kept? Legal advice

There may be some differences in forms, but these are considered minor. For the most part, it depends on the specifics of the home maintenance organization that provides the services to you.

These are the main features of the voucher, which is provided to pay for the services that we use every day.

In modern conditions, an organization is obliged to indicate the amount of debt for the current period (month) and the presence of debt over the past period. This was rarely practiced before. The role of receipts The goal of automating the process and the desire to protect the interests of companies and consumers forced the development of a receipt system. Housing and communal services receipts are developed at the government level.

A receipt is a document drawn up in accordance with established standards and confirming the fact of payment for services.

So, you paid for utilities and received a receipt. What to do next? We need to save it.

At the same time, there are certain requirements regarding how long the receipts must be kept.

Court proceedings between resource enterprises and service users are popular, and often the court takes the side of the companies if citizens cannot document the funds contributed.

Required information on the ticket

If we consider the receipt that is issued to pay for utilities, then it is created in accordance with accepted standards. These norms are confirmed by law, that is, it is standard and generally accepted.

All types of payments must be indicated on the receipt, with each of them allocated on a separate line. This is necessary for clarity, so that the payer can see what and how much to pay. That is, the ticket must include:

electricity,
gas supply,
heating,
water supply,
cleaning of local areas and entrances,
repair work.

The paper must also include a personal code, which is a specific set of numbers . Every payer must have it. With it, you can use any terminal to pay; all you need to do is enter this code.

It turns out that payment and personal information is indicated on paper. The telephone numbers of the organization that provides services, management, and other companies can also be registered.

ATTENTION! All services for which the organization charges money must be recorded on the receipt.

These are the main features of the voucher, which is provided to pay for the services that we use every day. If we compare tickets with those that existed before, today’s forms are simpler. Anyone can, if they wish, figure out exactly what numbers they should look at in order to make a payment. The main thing is to find the required column, line, and the indicated numbers will indicate the required amount.

There may be some differences in forms, but these are considered minor. For the most part, it depends on the specifics of the home maintenance organization that provides the services to you. If you look at it more broadly, most forms have the same points.

It’s worth taking a closer look at what the forms include. So in the receipt the first line contains data about the month and year for which payment should be made.

There are two main options that are used most often. In one case, services that are provided in the current month are paid for. The second option involves paying for services that were provided last month. As for this point, it completely depends on the agreement between consumers and the organization providing these same services.

ATTENTION! If the home has meters for gas, electricity, and water, then payment for services provided will be made according to the readings taken from these meters.

It is clear that not all services provided by an organization can be recorded using a meter. Some are paid at fixed rates set by the organization.

If we consider the amount of payment, then it depends on the main factor - the number of residents who are registered in a given living space . When a variety of services are provided, it is the responsibility of the property owner to provide accurate data on the total area of the apartment.

It is this data that often affects the amount of fees for certain services.
If this information is distorted, it may turn out that you will not pay for the services used in full .
But it is important to understand that utility companies in this case have every right to verify the accuracy of the information provided . If it turns out to be incorrect, deliberately false, then their responsibilities will include making a recalculation. As a result, you develop a debt for the time that you somehow deceived the utility companies.

It is worth paying attention to the specifics of water provision. Typically, this service is paid according to meters. There are also situations when the counter is simply missing. Then payment should be made as follows, the amount will be calculated based on the number of people registered in this premises.

ATTENTION! It is customary to indicate on the forms the number of people registered in the premises, otherwise the calculations may be incorrect. Therefore, try to ensure that the correct data is indicated.

People often have questions about what to do if one of their relatives is simply absent for a long time. In this case, you should not remain silent and overpay; you need to inform the management organization. They must make the appropriate recalculation.

But you need to understand that no one is obliged to take your word for it, so the organization may require you to provide certain documents. When you document the absence of one of your relatives, you must be recalculated.

Retention period for utility bills

You should pay attention to confirmation of payment for utility services; it can be recorded on the receipt itself, as well as by attaching receipts.

Users of e-commerce services need to be even more careful. After payment for electricity, gas and other services has been made, you must print a receipt yourself.

A company that manages an apartment building operates on the basis of an agreement concluded with the owners, tenants or tenants. One of the sections always concerns housing and communal services, which the contractor is obliged to provide and the user to accept and pay for. Receipts for depositing funds confirm this fact.

In modern conditions, an organization is obliged to indicate the amount of debt for the current period (month) and the presence of debt over the past period. This was rarely practiced before.

Considering that difficulties can arise at any time, the answer to the question of how long to keep receipts for housing and communal services payments is as long as possible; 3 years may not be enough. Below is why. Accuracy and scrupulousness will not hurt. If you pay for utilities through terminals or an online service, you should print receipts and attach them to receipts. Some receipts will fade over time, so it may be wise to make photocopies. But since the copy itself does not have legal force, it must be certified by a notary or contact the accounting department of the management company, where they will sign and seal you.

Receipts and checks for their payment confirm the fact of accrual and payment of utility bills. They must be stored for at least three years, and preferably 5 years, then you will always have the opportunity to protect your rights in relations with utility services. Receipts and checks must be correctly executed: with seals and stamps of organizations that pay utility bills.

If something happens, you can provide this paper to housing and communal services representatives, confirming that you made the payment.

If you paid for a service and noticed that the receipt does not look the same as usual, request that it be reissued.

Payment Methods

Remember that you can choose the payment method yourself. All owners who are faced with the need to pay utility bills know that payment can be made in several ways:

The most common option is to deposit cash into the organization's account through a cash desk .
Recently, terminals , which allow you to pay for services without special queues.
A newer method of payment is through online accounts . This is an electronic version, which is considered quite convenient. Agree, you don’t need to go anywhere, you can just sit down at your computer and pay for the services.
Russian Post , with which organizations enter into an agreement to accept payments. Many people perceive mail as something reliable, so they pay through it.

How long should utility bills be kept?

Since Soviet times, citizens using public services have become accustomed to collecting paid receipts in a folder and storing them for a long time.

Today, many consumers pay bills remotely, but few of them print and store payments.

So is it necessary to keep receipts for utility bills? Let's look into this issue further.

What is a receipt?

This is a payment document drawn up in accordance with the norms established by law and confirming the fact of payment for a utility service. The form of the receipt is established by Order of the Ministry of Construction and Housing and Communal Services of the Russian Federation No. 924.

What's on the receipt? The payment document contains a separate line for each resource, the consumption standards for each utility service are indicated, so residents can control their expenses and check whether the amount of payment has been calculated correctly.

The Order establishes approximate standards for the preparation of receipts, but most of them look the same, which simplifies working with this payment document.

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What else is written in the payment?

The housing and communal services payment document contains the following information:

owner's personal account;
details of the organization to which the payment is received;
FULL NAME;
type of real estate (apartment, room, house);
type of ownership (shared, full);
number of paid services;
volume and size of resources provided;
meters data;
tariffication;
amount paid;
presence or absence of debts;
calculation period;
agreement on installment payment.

Why keep utility bills?

Even those people who do not have rent arrears sometimes have disputes with the management company regarding the amount of payment, as well as in case of any problems with the payment document. For example, errors in calculations may be revealed, and sometimes technical errors arise. But if you keep receipts, you can protect yourself from unfounded claims.

Today, the process of paying for housing and communal services is maximally optimized and simplified. Gas, water, heating, electricity consumption indicators are included in one invoice, which reduces the number of processed papers.

And despite the fact that modern consumers are increasingly paying bills via the Internet, questions about the need and storage periods for payments do not lose their relevance.

Computer failure, regular changes in tariffs, dishonesty of billing center employees and attempts at fraud often lead to litigation between residents and the management company.

In this case, only payment documents confirming the fact that a particular service was actually paid for serve as evidence that the consumer is right.

Features of storing checks and receipts

Some individuals do not know from what point the statute of limitations begins. For example, if in a single payment document the period is January 2021, then its storage period will end on February 1, 2021. However, this does not mean that the receipt should be thrown away immediately. If the payer has the opportunity to leave it for a certain period of time, then the longer this period is, the better. Although the statute of limitations on payments will no longer apply in the case of minor internal proceedings with housing authorities that do not involve court hearings, an individual will still be able to defend his rights.

Some consumers pay utilities using electronic receipts. In such situations, it is also strongly recommended to either print out the payment slips themselves and store them for at least three years, or transfer to paper checks indicating the transfer of funds to the account of the management office. In addition, you can download documents to a separate folder on your personal computer, and in case of any misunderstandings, print out the required payment slip and present it as written evidence.

How long should you keep receipts for housing and communal services payments?

Not a single regulatory act specifies the storage period for receipts for payment of utility bills . At the same time, there is a law (Article 196 of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation) according to which the limitation period for legal disputes of this kind expires 3 years from the date of filing the application in court.

Lawyers recommend keeping paid receipts for 5 years in order to 100% protect yourself from the tricks and tricks that the management company sometimes uses.

In this case, you need to ensure that all payments have stamps . Otherwise, you need to go to the bank, update the receipt, or request a refusal letter citing the expiration of the statute of limitations.

After the statute of limitations has expired, you can still demand protection of your violated rights in court. Saved receipts can not only come in handy in this case, but also play a decisive role in your favor.

Today, many consumers pay for gas, electricity and other services via the Internet, for example, from a bank card or from electronic wallets. Active Internet users are wondering whether it is necessary to print and store receipts when paying for utility bills via the Internet?

Let’s make a reservation right away: no one obliges consumers to print out and keep payment receipts . But it’s still better to do this in order to protect yourself from unexpected problems. For example, if an organization closes and access to its data is lost, the consumer will not have any evidence that he paid his bills correctly.

Experts recommend that Internet users save payment receipts for at least 1 year (can be in electronic form); after which you should visit the bank to obtain a statement for this period.

There is another option for protecting yourself from possible problems with service providers: at the beginning of each year, visit your management company and ask for a certificate stating that the organization has no claims against you regarding payment of utility services.

Storage Features

The statute of limitations is easy to calculate. The receipt for February 2020 will expire at the beginning of March 2021. You should not throw away saved documents - just in case. If the owner has a misunderstanding with housing and communal services, they may be useful in legal proceedings.

When paying via the Internet, the storage period for utility payment receipts is also three years. Payment documents must be printed, and receipts must be stored on paper. This will serve as proof of the absence of debts to the management organization.

All documents can be stored electronically on a computer. If necessary, they can be printed at any time.

To avoid conflicts with representatives of housing and communal services, you need to pay all bills on time. If the owner has no debts, the likelihood of erroneous charges for payment of housing and communal services will be much less.

What to do if you receive a receipt with a debt?

There are often cases when all utilities have been paid, and a receipt comes with a debt. This situation can happen for two reasons:

You paid the bill after the 5th of the next month, for example, you paid for gas consumed in May after the 5th of June. Receipts are usually generated at the very beginning of the month, so you will be listed as a debtor on them.
There was a failure in the payee's system, and the payment made by the consumer was simply not seen. It is precisely for the second case that a paid receipt will be useful, which will confirm the fact that funds have been transferred to pay for the service. You can contact the management company with this document, after which any suspicion of the existence of a debt will be removed from you. The paid receipt can also be presented in court if the resource provider went there, filing a claim against you as a debtor. The receipt will prove the absence of debt and your innocence.

So, knowledgeable lawyers advise you to still follow tradition and keep receipts for housing and communal services payments for as long as possible . Despite the fact that there is no law specifying the storage period for receipts, these documents can be useful even after 3 years.

Litigation between consumers and utility providers is not uncommon. And a receipt paid in accordance with all the rules, attached to the case, will help prove that you are right.

What is reflected in receipts for housing and communal services

A receipt for payment of housing and communal services is a document drawn up according to the model approved by Order of the Ministry of Construction and Housing and Communal Services of the Russian Federation 43/pr dated January 26, 2018.

A receipt for payment of utilities is an official payment document confirming the presence or absence of debt to management or resource companies for past periods

The receipt form is optional. For the convenience of payment and accounting of payments in different regions, it may differ, but the required details remain:

payment identifiers generated in the Housing and Communal Services GIS (a centralized system that stores complete information about the housing and communal services of the Russian Federation);

information about the payer indicating the personal account;

period of provision of housing and communal services;

complete information about suppliers;

type of services provided, consumption volumes and tariffs;

the balance of funds at the beginning of the month (subscriber debt or overpayment), charges for the month, subsidies, benefits, fees for the previous month and the amount payable for the current period;

information relevant to consumers - changes in tariffs or consumption standards, the procedure for issuing subsidies, information from the employment center, etc.

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In the updated form, the section on major repairs has been removed, which will now be paid for on a separate receipt.

Video: what does a receipt for housing and communal services consist of?

Types of services indicated on receipts

The form of issue of this payment document is approved by law. The receipts indicate all the resources provided. Each resource is highlighted on a separate line:

electricity;
gas;
cold and hot water;
heating;
other types of services (elevator, intercom, territory cleaning, repairs).

The resource standards calculated for one consumer are also indicated. They are established by regional authorities.

Each payer has a personal code in the form of a set of numbers. This is convenient for making payments through bank terminals.

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Why keep paid receipts?

In many cases, saved paid receipts are a friend and savior that will help:

Check your own consumption of water, gas, electricity and heat. If the amount in receipts has increased, but there has been no increase in tariffs, then you should compare receipts for recent months - perhaps they incorrectly reflected meter readings or the subscriber himself exceeded the consumption of energy resources.
Monitor the management companies - whether services were provided in full, whether the approved tariffs were not inflated, whether the meter readings were correctly reflected and the amount payable was calculated, whether subsidies and benefits were taken into account, etc. It is no secret that sometimes utility companies act unlawfully they inflate bills, and if this is discovered when comparing receipts for the last few months, then compensation can be recovered from the service companies through the court - up to 50% of the excess amount.

Some unscrupulous management companies are not averse to making money on the carelessness of citizens - extra lines appear on receipts, and additional services are “quietly” added to the housing tariff, which increases the monthly payment by a fairly large amount
Save important contacts for subscribers - the receipts indicate the phone numbers of housing and communal services providers, so you can submit a request for repairs, for example, of a porch, bench or entrance directly from home. Of course, the necessary information can be found on the Internet, but since such organizations are often local, they may simply not have a website.
Prove payment if payment for the previous period is not reflected in the current receipt. Human factor or computer failure is often the reason why money paid for utilities does not reach the service providers. After some time, the management company will demand that the debt be repaid along with late fees, and only saved paid receipts will help dispute the existence of the debt.
Sell the apartment. Legally, debt to housing and communal services enterprises is not an obstacle to the sale of real estate, but not every buyer will want to purchase housing encumbered with debts. Therefore, vigilant realtors or buyers usually request a certificate of absence of debt or an extract from the seller’s personal account before signing a contract. And if for some reason the information was not saved by the management company, then receipts for payment for housing and communal services will confirm the “cleanliness” of the living space being sold/purchased.

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Storage period for paid receipts

The storage period for payment documents is not regulated by any regulatory document. But in the Civil Code of the Russian Federation (Civil Code of the Russian Federation) there is such a thing as a limitation period, during which a consumer or service provider can apply to the courts to protect their violated rights.

In Art. 196 of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation establishes a general limitation period for debt collection - 3 years, which is calculated from the moment the property owners stop making payments. Therefore, during this period it is necessary to keep housing and communal services receipts, drawn up in accordance with all the rules. If the receipt is unclear or looks unusual, then it is advisable to reissue it with the management company that services the housing stock. When paying via online banking, you need to print and save payment receipts and attach them to your receipts.

Lawyers still advise keeping checks and paid receipts longer, since according to Art. 199 of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation, the right to file a claim for forced collection of debt remains even after three years on the basis that the statute of limitations:

was interrupted as a result of partial payment of the debt;
suspended due to force majeure (earthquake, military action, flood, epidemic);
was restored, which is possible in rare cases (Article 205 of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation) - a long business trip, the helpless state of the defendant, long-term hospital treatment, etc.

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Shelf life

To answer this question, people turn to legislation. But here a small surprise awaits them, since the legislation does not establish a specific period . That is, this issue is not regulated in any way by the authorities.

If you want to protect your interests, then you need to do it yourself. We can conclude that the longer the receipt is preserved, the calmer you will be . You pay, you are sure that you pay, you can confirm it if the need arises.

IMPORTANT! It is necessary to make a reservation that most tickets have a mark. She says that it is recommended to store paper for 3 years. But this is only a recommendation, if you don’t want to throw it away, no one can stop you. This period is indicated for the reason that the limitation period is exactly 3 years.

The organization that provides services for your home can only take legal action for non-payment within this period. All claims at another time will simply not be considered, since the claim period has already expired.

Practice also shows the opposite situations, in which the statute of limitations is interrupted for some reason or extended. In this case, the organization may well prove that it is right and recover money from you. The extension is established in accordance with current legislation.

Therefore, in such a situation, it will be quite difficult for the owner to challenge such a decision. Experts who work in the legal field and specialize specifically in utility matters recommend keeping receipts for 5 years. This will allow you to protect yourself and avoid unnecessary proceedings and courts. To protect your rights, it is in your best interest to retain receipts.

How to store payment documents

Receipts should be stored by year in a separate folder, file, or cardboard box. Once a year, it is advisable to reconcile debts with utility services, which is especially important when paying for housing and communal services through online services or terminals.

Paying for utilities via the Internet is the most modern and “youngest” type of payment, which is becoming increasingly popular, since the online payment system virtually eliminates errors, saves time, protects against fraud and provides many other advantages

The extract obtained during reconciliation with the seal of the enterprise and the signatures of the responsible persons can be saved independently or together with the receipts paid for this period.