Evasion of funding for elevators or pumping systems leads to lawsuits
Residents of lower floors in multi-storey buildings are not permitted to ignore fees for the maintenance of shared infrastructure, such as elevators or pump systems. Legislation requires proportional payments from all property owners regardless of their actual physical usage of specific equipment. This was reported by RBC-Ukraine (Марія Волощук), according to the portal PromPolitInform.
The legal position taken by owners who believe they are not obligated to pay for the repair or maintenance of mechanisms located outside their floor level is invalid. In accordance with the law, responsibility for shared property applies to every owner in proportion to the total area of their apartment.
As noted by Tetiana Boiko, coordinator of housing and utility programs at the OPORA network, the amount of mandatory payments is calculated mathematically and is not tied to the frequency of usage of engineering systems. Attempts to avoid financial obligations grant the management boards of associations the right to collect debts through the court system.
Methods of resolving disputes
Despite the legal options available for enforcement, litigation is a time-consuming and expensive process, which is why in most cases, Homeowners Associations (OSBB) prefer pre-trial negotiations. Practical experience shows that meaningful communication with residents allows for the resolution of up to 80 percent of conflicts without legal intervention.
Another issue remains decision-making during wartime when some co-owners are located abroad. Tetiana Boiko emphasizes that remote building management is currently entirely legitimate due to the use of Qualified Electronic Signatures (QES).
Application of digital technologies
Electronic signatures hold full legal weight, equivalent to signing physical survey sheets by hand. This allows co-owner associations to use mixed-format meeting procedures, ensuring a quorum even if a significant number of residents are physically absent from the city or the country.
Photo: RBC-Ukraine
Read also: «Independence» Rates: Ukrposhta Prices Have Changed—How Much Will We Pay for Parcels and Letters
