Kyiv residents' debt for heating and hot water reached UAH 8 billion

The debt of Kyiv residents for heating and hot water has increased by 6.5% since the beginning of the heating season and amounts to 8 billion hryvnia, reported the director of the energy supply department of Kyivteploenergo-Energosbyt Konstantin Lopatin.

“The debt situation remains tense. Despite the fact that the vast majority of Kyiv residents pay for heating and hot water on time and in full, the total debt continues to grow. Since the beginning of the heating season, it has increased by almost 6.5%, reaching UAH 8 billion at the beginning of March. Of this amount, UAH 5 billion is debt for heating, and almost UAH 3 billion is debt for hot water,” Lopatin said at a briefing on the results of the 2024/2025 heating season at the KyivInform news agency on Monday.

He noted that Kyivteploenergo encourages consumers to pay off their debts through pre-trial settlement, offering restructuring of payments on favorable terms.

However, Lopatin warned that if consumers are unwilling to take advantage of this opportunity, the company will have no choice but to step up legal action against debtors.

“The systematic application of fines and court decisions have proven themselves to be effective measures against chronic defaulters. Currently, 1,500 cases on debt collection for utilities are being considered in district courts of Kyiv, new cases are being prepared and decisions are being made every day,” he noted.

Lopatin also added that the moratorium on penalties has been lifted since the beginning of 2024. The company now charges a late payment penalty of 0.01% per day, which must be paid. If the case goes to court, additional financial sanctions will be applied, including inflation adjustments and an annual interest rate of 3%.

He also warned that unpaid utility bills could eventually lead to the seizure of funds in bank accounts, as well as the confiscation of real estate and vehicles.

Deputy Head of the Kyiv City State Administration Petro Panteleyev noted that an analysis of debtor profiles shows that the majority of defaulters are people who have the financial ability to pay off their debts, but consider paying for utilities to be a “secondary priority.”