Condominiums attack public utilities

"Housing and communal sector in the country has not been reformed scince the Soviet era – said the deputy chairman of the All-Ukrainian Union of Homeowners of Ukraine, Head of the "Union of Kyiv homeowners" NGO Mykhailo Berezovchuk. – Municipal housing offices have a monopoly on the market and are accountable to nobody. Residents can not change providers of public services. Several years ago, the Cabinet and the public were working to update the law on condominiums that contained innovations that would significantly improve the life of the owners of apartment buildings. Then the President suddenly vetoed the law. Now we have developed a new version of the law. But it is not going to be approved. Little time is left to the end of the term of the Parliament, and the bill has not even been registered."

8-month monitoring of the Union, funded by the American Institute of International Relations, showed that primarily the development of condominiums is impaired by the relationships with community services – suppliers of water, heat, gas, sewer, who are not willing to be held responsible for the quality of services provided. "Condominium is a nonprofit organization, but such powerful organizations as "Zakarpattyaoblenergo" or "Zakarpathaz" have their lobby in the Parliament. It is difficult to deal with them, but it is also necessary. If nothing changes, we promise to attack the "wrong people" – all monitoring results will be sent to the President" – says Mykhailo Berezovchuk.

Today in Transcarpathia there are 201 registered condominiums, 71 of which are in Uzhgorod. According to the chairman of the Uzhgorod cell of the Union of Homeowners of Ukraine Marina Kuberka, people do not rush to join union – this year in the regional center only 9 condominiums habe been created.      

 The residents are not interested in associations, says Marina Kuberka, because they expect, that the municipal office must allocate funds for capital projects. Moreover, the mentality of the residents also prevents the association. Some residents do not pay for utilities for years. Currently Uzhgorod citizens owe over 17 million UAH for the maintenance of buildings and adjacent territories.