The Romanians from the block that have centralized heating, forced to install individual meters. What risks those who do not mount them

Until the end of the year, all Romanians who live in blocks of flats and have central heating are obliged by law to install individual meters for measuring the consumption of thermal energy or distributors on each radiator.

Billing will be done according to the data transmitted by these devices. Installation costs start from 250 lei, in the case of dispensers, and from 1,000 lei, in the case of the meter installed at the entrance to the home.

How much does a delivery person cost?

In a block of flats in Brașov, half of the apartments remained connected to the central heating system. In the homes, on each radiator, the tenants installed remote-reading dispensers.

The distributors are equipped with two sensors: one measures the temperature of the radiator and another, that of the environment. The device records the consumption only if the radiator is warmer than the air in the room, therefore, it does not matter if there is also another heating source in the room, for example, an air heater.

Liliana Dumitru: “I had the bill up to 200 lei. It was not more than 200 lei“.

Vasile Mocanu, administrator of an association of owners: “The company comes with a device, we read from the office or from the bench, without entering the apartments, everything is electronic“.

A distributor costs between 50 and 70 lei for a radiator. Important to know is that we will also have to pay the monthly reading, between two and seven lei for each radiator. Distributors can only be installed by companies authorized by the National Energy Regulatory Authority, and their list can be found on the institution’s website.

Geacomo Bucurică, engineer: “It has six steps in which you can adjust the temperature in the house. When that temperature is reached in the room, it cuts off the supply of the heat agent and the distributor stops recording, that’s how it works“.

Zoia Staicu, director of the Ploiești Public Services Directorate: “Everyone pays as much as they consume, with no more discussions between tenants at the level of the scale“.

Cristache Pănculescu, tenant: “For example, we stayed in the living room. In the kitchen, I didn’t let go. It was an advantage that I gave, compared to six million, I gave two“.

Another option is to install a thermal energy meter at the entrance to the apartment. It costs at least 1,000 lei.

Alin Aivănoaie, director of a heating company: “These meters can only be installed in the conditions where the internal installations of a condominium, of a block, are deployed horizontally. They can be read from the stairwell“.

How much is the fine for those who do not comply with the law

The installation of the distributors or meters was supposed to take place by the end of last year, but Parliament decided to extend the deadline until December 31 this year. People have also postponed, although the fine for not complying with the law amounts to 1,000 lei.

Gabriela David, president of an owners’ association: “Unfortunately, there were also owners with quite low incomes, elderly people, who, on the first plan, put other expenses than these“.

Devices that measure individual consumption must be installed both in the blocks connected to the central heating of the city, as well as in those with their own central heating. From 2027, devices that allow remote reading will be mandatory.