30,000 Novi Zagreb residents didn't have access to hot water August 1 - 14.
After Novi Zagreb residents spent two weeks in August (August 1 – 14) without hot water, they thought they would at least save some money on their water heating bills, Večernji list reports on September 26.
However, when their August bills came, they were in for a surprise – the amount on the bill was HRK 117, one kuna more than in July.
“Here’s the bill, I paid HRK 116 to HEP Toplinarstvo for water heating in July, so I had expected it to be half that in August, and I was shocked when I saw HRK 117 on the bill,” says Mr Boro Perić from Središće.
“Water consumption is basically the same whether you heat it or not, and we agree that we spent the same amount of water, but it was definitely not hot and they can’t charge us for heating it,” Mr Perić points out. He is outraged that his family spent two weeks living without hot water, and then they were charged extra for it.
HEP Toplinarstvo performed works on the main hot water pipeline between August 1 and 14, so Središće, Zapruđe, Sopot, Utrine, Sloboština, Travno, Dugave, Jakuševac, Siget and Trnsko resident did not have access to hot water, some 30,000 people in total.
The Perić Family is no exception – the disgruntled citizens have started complaining about their water heating bills on social networks.
“According to HEP Toplinarstvo, our building’s gas meter states that we spent 31,000 MWh in July and 18,000 MWh in August. I don’t understand what the problem is if these are their official numbers,” Mr Perić wonders, stating that he does not intend to pay for the water heating bill until HEP replies to his complaint.
“I have filed a complaint, which they have replied to, using many words, without saying anything really, except that I can file a complaint,” Mr Perić says.
Večernji list contacted HEP Toplinarstvo, and they replied that each user has a right to file a complaint, and they would assess whether the complaint is justified or not.
“It is possible that users spent the same amount of hot water in July and in August, when works were performed. Many people were on holidays in July, so maybe they used more hot water once the maintenance works were finished,” a spokesperson for HEP Toplinarstvo said, adding that, all users, regardless of their complaints, should pay for the fixed amount on the bill, and if the complaint proves to be justified, HEP Toplinarstvo would cancel the payment of the contestable share.
Translated from Večernji list.
