The question of how to get a subsidy for utility bills is very relevant for a large part of the Russian population. As they say, whoever has the information owns the world, and whoever knows nothing is always outsider. Indeed, paradoxically, the rich receive more from the state than the poor. Therefore, we get information on how to apply for a subsidy for a rent, and we are not lazy to go around the authorities to get government support.
Reasons for state subsidies
The sharp increase in the differentiation of the population after the collapse of the Soviet Union doomed most of the country's citizens, especially from socially vulnerable groups, to a miserable existence. Unfortunately, tendencies in the alignment of prices for utilities in accordance with European standards are not accompanied by the same equalization in incomes and pensions. As a result, the cost of maintaining their own or rental housing has become an unbearable burden for many categories of citizens. Since 1995, the state has been pursuing a policy of subsidizing the population with funds that supplement the costs of paying for the above services. But not everyone who really needed help took advantage of it. It is necessary to promote this type of state support and clear coverage of the issue of how to apply for a subsidy for the payment of utilities in your city.
Subsidies as a type of state aid
Subsidies are a free transfer of funds to consumers, in order to supplement the missing part of the payment for clearly indicated goods. If the recipient of funds applies them in a different direction, the state has the right to demand the return of the allocated amounts. State monetary support for citizens in matters of
payment of utility bills is designed not for the entire population, but for those really needing. According to regional standards, the homeowner has the right to issue a subsidy for an apartment if more than 22% of the total income of a family living in this housing is spent on its maintenance. Moreover, the amount of subsidies is not clearly established and depends on the number
of family members and the availability of benefits.
Eligibility for subsidies
Subsidies can be received both by users of the state or municipal property housing fund, members of housing cooperatives who are renting a house with obligatory execution of an agreement, as well as apartment owners. Moreover, the law stipulates that applicants for state subsidies must necessarily have the citizenship of Russia or other friendly countries with which the relevant agreements are concluded. Today these are citizens of Belarus and Kazakhstan. As mentioned above, the applicant must prove by document that more than twenty-two percent of the total family budget is spent on maintaining the apartment. In the recent past, citizens who have arrears in payment of an apartment could not receive subsidies. At the moment, if the intention to pay off the debts has been proved, an agreement on their repayment has been drawn up and payments have begun, the applicant is entitled to state subsidies in the field of housing services. Subsidies are granted for a period of six months.
Subsidy Application
An application and a package of documents for processing state subsidies for utility bills should be submitted by the landlord or tenant. In exceptional cases, such an opportunity is given to its representatives. Parents, guardians, guardians or adoptive parents of minors or legally incapable citizens are legally considered to be such. In other cases, it is necessary to write and notarize a power of attorney authorizing the representation of the legitimate interests of the owner or tenant of the living space. A special application form can be obtained from the social security authorities or downloaded electronically from the relevant sites. In addition, you can apply for a utility bill online or by mail. This will save you from going to the court. Sending documents over the Internet will require the use of electronic printing.
Package of documents
Most citizens who are interested in how to apply for a subsidy for utility bills are concerned about the need to collect a large number of documents. To everyone's relief, there are not so many of them:
- Statement of established form.
- Information on the number of family members living with the applicant (certificate of family composition).
- Certificate of income of family members for the past six months.
- Information about the payment of utilities (paid receipts). If there is debt on them, then it is necessary to submit an agreement with the utilities on the repayment of debt, with receipts of first payments.
- Copies of documents confirming:
- the right to housing or its use (privatization act or contract of employment);
- the family relationship of the applicant's family members registered in the living space for the maintenance of which the subsidy is knocked out;
- the right of the applicant or his family members to benefits and other compensations.
An important addition: you can certify all these copies, or you can bring them along with the originals and show them to the official. This eliminates the need to take unnecessary steps on the way of registration of grants.
Subsidy Authorities
Another important question concerns where to get the subsidy for the rent and which authorities are responsible for this. Unfortunately, there is no single body that solves the mentioned problem on the territory of all subjects of the Federation. In the capital and other large settlements, this may be the Center for Housing Subsidies, which is most often located in the so-called multifunctional centers for the provision of public services. But in other cities and regions, this procedure is formalized by the social protection authorities. In any case, making inquiries about this at the place of residence will not be difficult. The latest innovation was the possibility in Moscow and other cities to apply for a utility subsidy through public services by e-mail. Moreover, if officials in their line receive the necessary information for the procedure, then the actual provision of documents is not required.
Consideration of subsidies
The law establishes the deadline for considering applications for subsidies to pay for housing. From the day all documents are submitted, this period should not exceed ten days, which do not include weekends and holidays. If a shortage of any securities is discovered, then the government is entitled to suspend consideration of the application. Applicants must be notified within three days. The freezing of the application may not last more than a month. If the documents for subsidies were submitted in the first half of the month, then the applicant will receive financial assistance for it. In the case of registration of subsidies in the second half of the accrual will be carried out from next month.
Practical implementation of subsidies
So, in general, it’s clear how to get a subsidy for utility bills. It remains to clarify what the state aid will really be in. Some are expecting a reduction in payments on zhekovskie receipts. But subsidies are not benefits. Citizens will pay monthly utility bills on a monthly basis, with the only difference being that every thirty days the state will transfer to your bank account a set amount of cash subsidies to help this payment. Thus, you must still remember to get a personal account. If, for objective reasons, there is no such possibility, then funds can be delivered via mail or cash services of an authorized body.