Cancel non-compliant charging items for water supply, power supply, gas supply, and heating links
The state takes action to reduce costs for thousands of households (Rui Finance)
Water, electricity and heating can be said to be indispensable for every family.
Whether the relevant services are good or not and whether the fees are regulated or not directly affect the quality of life of thousands of households and the public interest.
Recently, the General Office of the State Council forwarded the "Opinions on Cleaning up and Regulating Charges for the Urban Water Supply, Power Supply, Gas and Heating Industry to Promote the High-quality Development of the Industry" (hereinafter referred to as the "Opinions"), clearly requesting that the charges for the urban water supply, power supply, gas and heating industry be cleaned up and regulated for the urban economy Social operation reduces basic costs.
The healthy development of the relationship industry
For water supply, water connection fee, installation fee, switch gate fee may be paid; power supply, meter shift fee, metering device compensation fee, commissioning fee; gas supply, connection fee, opening fee, wiring fee; heating, with interface Fees, centralized pipe network construction fees, grid-connected supporting fees... Some users have found that when it comes to all aspects of plumbing, electricity and heating services, there are a lot of similar project costs, but the plumbing, electricity and heating are just needed, so you have to pay for everything. cross.
But which links should be charged?
How much do you charge?
Not everyone has an account in their minds.
Problems in the operation of the industry have aroused the attention of relevant departments. This time the "Opinions" were jointly issued by the National Development and Reform Commission and the Ministry of Finance.
"In recent years, the construction of urban public facilities in my country has been continuously strengthened, the marketization of public utilities has been actively promoted, service coverage and service quality have continued to rise, and significant results have been achieved. However, compared with the requirements for high-quality economic and social development, it is comparable to the expectations of the people. However, there are still some outstanding problems.” The relevant person in charge of the National Development and Reform Commission pointed out.
What's the problem?
In some areas, there are many items and high standards for service charges in the installation, maintenance and other links; some are irregular behaviors, and some enterprises use the power to control grid-connected acceptance to designate construction units, meter models, material suppliers, etc.; some are service-conscious It is not strong and efficient. It allows users to run multiple runs, long runs and a long cycle when applying for installation, maintenance, transfer, payment, and issuance of invoices. User consultations, complaints and other issues cannot be answered in time.
"The existence of these problems is not conducive to the reduction of the basic cost of urban economic and social operation, the improvement of service quality and efficiency, and the healthy and sustainable development of the industry itself." The person in charge said.
Insist on clearing fees
In response to the existing problems, the "Opinions" made it clear that fees should be cleared.
Resolutely clean up and abolish various forms of unreasonable charges, and the reasonable cost of providing products and services is mainly compensated by price.
For projects subject to government pricing or government-guided prices, reasonably determine the cost composition, strengthen cost supervision and review, improve the price formation mechanism, and scientifically determine the price level.
On the one hand, clean up unreasonable charges.
The main purpose is to cancel various non-compliant charging items of different names in the water supply, power supply, gas supply, and heating links.
The "Opinions" clarified that, unless otherwise provided by laws, regulations and related policies, users shall not bear any costs incurred outside the red line of the construction project.
The construction and installation costs of water supply, power supply, gas and heating pipelines and supporting equipment and facilities within the red line of the new commercial housing, affordable housing and other building areas shall be included in the housing development and construction costs and shall not be charged separately from the buyer.
On the other hand, speed up the improvement of the price formation mechanism.
In terms of water supply, gas distribution, and heating, it is specified that the prices of urban water supply, gas distribution, and central heating should be included in the local pricing catalog, and government pricing or government-guided prices should be implemented.
In terms of electricity prices, it is clear and orderly to liberalize electricity prices except for residents, agriculture, important public utilities and public welfare services, and gradually cancel electricity prices in the industrial and commercial catalogue.
Improve the peak-valley time-of-use electricity price policy and improve the differential electricity price mechanism.
According to the arrangement, the "Opinions" will be implemented on March 1, 2021.
The goal has also been clear: by 2025, clear results will be achieved in the clean-up and standardization of water, electricity, gas and heating industry charges, and the quality and efficiency of the supply of water, electricity, heating and other products and services will be significantly improved.
Help reduce the burden on users
However, there are also users who are worried: Will cleaning up and abolishing unreasonable charges and including the costs that should be recovered through the price into the cost will push the price of water, electricity and heating to rise?
"It should be noted that in recent years, the price formation mechanism for water, electricity, heating and heating in various regions has been gradually improved, price contradictions have been gradually straightened out, and a financial subsidy mechanism has been gradually established. With the implementation of household meter renovation projects and meter reading measures, except for the second time in some regions In addition to the pressurized storage facilities for water supply, the operation and maintenance costs of the power supply, gas, and heating facilities within the red line of residential buildings in most areas have been gradually included in the operating costs of the enterprise, and have not caused a significant price increase." The relevant person in charge of the National Development and Reform Commission said.
At the same time, the "Opinions" clarified that the municipal supporting infrastructure construction costs directly related to reserved land are included in the land development expenditure, which reduces the burden on water, electricity and heating enterprises and reduces the pressure on enterprises to increase costs.
"Even if some companies need to adjust the prices of water, electricity and heating due to increased operating costs, they must perform cost supervision and review, price hearings and other procedures in accordance with the law, and will not have a major impact on the price of water, electricity and heating. The removal of unreasonable charges will help reduce The burden of water, electricity and heating users." The person in charge said.
In order to implement relevant policies, the "Opinions" also regulate the charging behavior of operators.
It is clarified that water, electricity, gas, and heating companies should read meters and provide services to households, and collect water, electricity, and heating fees from end users in strict accordance with the sales prices set by the government.
The operation and maintenance costs of public parts of the property, shared facilities and supporting facilities, etc., shall be settled through property fees, rents or public revenues, and no additional service fees shall be charged based on the water, electricity and heating costs.
"Water, power, gas and heating enterprises must comprehensively sort out the current charging items and standards, cancel unreasonable charging items, correct mandatory charges, and reduce high charging standards." The person in charge said.
Reporter: Li Jie