Algorithm of actions in case of gas meter breakdown

Only gas service employees are entitled to repair and even inspect a gas flow meter. If the consumer notices any malfunctions of the gas meter, he must contact Gorgaz. At the same time, he must perform some measures in order to correctly assess the real consumption of blue fuel, while the device was faulty.

Existing malfunctions

The first evidence of meter failure is incorrect readings

Most often, the consumer discovers that the counter is broken, according to his testimony. Information on gas consumption for the reporting period will differ significantly from the indicator of the previous period. This is not always associated with a flowmeter malfunction, but it is sufficient reason to contact the gas service and require an extraordinary inspection.

Other obvious malfunctions:

• Damage to the case is not a harmless breakdown, since for structures the complete tightness of the case is a prerequisite for measuring accuracy.
• Condensation - indicates a leak and makes the measurement incorrect.
• Damage to the scoreboard - in the mechanical, the wheels can fly out of the seat. This is a manufacturer’s marriage, which is quite common. The flow meter gives incorrect readings. The electronic board may oxidize the wires, which leads to the same failure.
• Sometimes a malfunction is due to improper installation of the device. Installing any other instead of the paranitic gasket, under-tightening of the nuts leads to a gas leak.
• If the disc stops spinning when the gas appliance is turned on, this indicates a serious malfunction. This is also evidenced by the speed of the disk at the time when all gas appliances are turned off.

If the gas meter breaks, contact the service as soon as possible. It depends on what period the consumption will be recalculated for.

Charge for services in case of gas meter breakdown

If the gasmen detect a breakdown during a scheduled inspection, the subscriber pays at the average rate for the previous six months

The issue of payment for gas at the time when the household meter broke down is regulated by the Decree of the Government of Russia No. 549. The malfunction of the device is fixed by the gas service employees. Since it is impossible to establish exactly at what point the meter should be considered false, it is considered by default that the last time the gas meter showed the correct data in the previous test.

The entire period from the time of the last inspection until the installation of the repaired or new meter and its sealing is subject to recalculation. According to the law, the term can not be more than 6 months. Depending on the circumstances under which a breakdown is detected, the amount of gas consumed is determined differently.

1. If the owner of an apartment or a private house found a malfunction or a damaged seal and turned to Gorgaz himself, the gas volume is calculated based on the consumption standards adopted in the region.
2. If the gasmen detected a breakdown during the inspection, the subscriber also pays for gas based on average consumption standards. However, recalculation is performed according to the standards for the previous six months.

Current regulations on consumption are greatly overstated. This approach is disadvantageous to the owner, but the existing legislation does not take this into account.

Counter breakdown algorithm

Before reporting a breakdown, if it is not related to damage to the case, you need to check if there is a malfunction and what kind of character it is.To do this, the following operations are allowed:

• Turn off all gas appliances - stove, boiler, air heater. In this case, the disk should stop. If the meter continues to wind, there is a gas leak or has been illegally connected to the flowmeter.
• Turn on the gas appliance at full power for 15 minutes. Compare the received data from the counter with the indicators indicated in its data sheet. If they are very different, you need to contact Gorgaz.
• Modern versions are often equipped with an electronic scoreboard. If the readings change with a blocked gas, the cause is stray currents.

Cheap models are not protected from hacking. Often, "craftsmen" manage to rewind evidence to reduce payments. But at the same time, traces of opening remain on the case: small scratches, chips. With a careful inspection of the device, they are easy to detect. In such cases, the owner is fined.

What to do if the device fails

Run the counter if it stops, or you cannot fix it yourself. If the gas meter does not work, proceed according to the following algorithm.

1. If there is no gas smell and no leakage, you can use the stove. The consumer does not have the right to turn off the gas or the flow meter independently.
2. Studying the meter and during the inspection of the case, you need to be extremely careful. Violation of the integrity of seals is punishable by a fine.
3. It is necessary to monitor the action of specialists. It happens that gas workers accidentally or deliberately damage seals on the meter, and then they blackmail consumers, demanding money for "settling the matter."
4. Before the inspection, the arrived specialists must fix the integrity of the seals and note this fact in the act of the work performed.
5. If the problem could not be fixed on the spot, the device is dismantled and taken for repair or examination. If the gas meter is irreversibly damaged, Gorgaz employees deregister it and write out a document to the owner of the apartment to replace it.

If there is a smell of gas in the apartment, the gas pipeline is immediately closed and contacted by gas workers. Cooker and other gas appliances are prohibited.

Protecting Your Rights

When contacting Gorgaz, you must make sure that this appeal is recorded

If the gas meter breaks, it is important for the subscriber to immediately contact the gas service and save evidence of this treatment. Otherwise, unscrupulous employees of the company recalculate on a common basis and illegally assign an additional amount.

Make recommend the following:

• Learn from the operator his name and demand to record the fact of the call. The record is also recorded on a mobile phone, if the call is made from it.
• You can duplicate the call statement on paper. The document is transmitted to the secretariat or reception. It must be ensured that the paper is registered and stamped. In the second copy, which remains with the applicant, the secretary is required to put a mark on registration. This is irrefutable evidence for the court.
• If there is no gas leak, it is better not to contact the emergency service, but to the supplier company. Her details are indicated on the payment.
• When specialists arrive, you need to find out the purpose of their arrival - exit by notification or scheduled check. In the latter case, insist on a change in wording.

When fulfilling all the recommendations of the consumer, it cannot be blamed for using the faulty meter before the scheduled check and is obliged to pay the recalculation for 6 months.

Advice on unfair claims

If the requirements of the gas service are unlawful, adhere to the general procedure.

1. A claim is written in the name of the director of the supplier company. The statement shall indicate the reason for the appeal. The organization must respond to the complaint within 30 days.
2. If the complaint is ignored, contact the higher authorities.Lawyers recommend duplicating the application at once in several structures: to the court, to the prosecutor's office, to the ministry, to Rospotrebnadzor.

Judicial practice shows that gas workers are in a more advantageous position than ordinary consumers. The latter do not always succeed in proving the fact of contacting the gas company, while the latter does not interfere with the presentation of evidence of the planned audit, issued retroactively.