They want to limit the increase in utility bills in Russia by inflation

In Russia, it is proposed to ban raising utility bills above the inflation rate and to index them no more than once a year. The State Duma is considering two bills providing for appropriate changes to the Housing Code of the Russian Federation. The initiatives differ in their approach to determining the maximum growth in payments: in one case, it is proposed to take into account projected inflation, in the other — the actual one for the previous year. How the rules for paying for utilities may change and when new restrictions may come into force — in the Izvestia article.

How do they want to limit the increase in utility bills

The first bill No. 1335443-8 was introduced on September 8. The document provides for the amendment of Article 157.1 of the Housing Code of the Russian Federation, which regulates the marginal growth indices of citizens' utility bills. The authors propose to establish a federal restriction, according to which an increase in utility bills with a constant set and volume of services consumed should not exceed the inflation rate provided for when forming the federal budget for the corresponding year.

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In addition, the bill provides for a ban on increasing utility bills more than once a calendar year. The restriction should be taken into account when setting regional and municipal payment change indices. The second initiative No. 13747-9 was introduced on October 19.

It also provides for limiting the growth of utility bills by inflation, but suggests using a different indicator. Marginal indices should be determined based on the actual consumer price index for the year preceding the year of their approval. Thus, both bills are aimed at limiting the growth of utility bills, but differ in the way they calculate the allowable indexation. In the first case, it is proposed to focus on projected inflation, in the second — on the increase in consumer prices already recorded by Rosstat.

How are housing and communal services fees being raised in Russia now

The government sets the average wage change indices for the country's regions, and regional authorities approve the limits for individual municipalities. At the same time, the legislation provides for the possibility of establishing acceptable deviations from regional indices. As a result, the marginal values of the increase in utility bills may vary not only between the subjects of the Russian Federation, but also between municipalities of the same region.

In 2026, the increase in utility bills is planned in two stages. According to the decree of the Government of the Russian Federation, starting from January 1, a single index of 1.7% has been established for all regions. Starting from October 1, re-indexing is provided, the indicators of which vary depending on the subject of the Russian Federation. In Moscow, the average index is 15%, in St. Petersburg - 14.6%, in the Moscow region — 12.8%.

The most significant increase is envisaged in the Stavropol Territory, where the average index is 22%. At the same time, in Khakassia and the Chukotka Autonomous Region, it is set at 8%. The restrictions proposed by the deputies imply a change in the very approach to setting such indicators. If the amendments are adopted, the allowable increase in utility bills will be limited by inflation, and indexation will have to be carried out no more than once a year. At the same time, the draft laws do not provide for automatic reduction of existing tariffs or recalculation of previously accrued payments.

How can Russians' utility bills change?

The main proposed change is to set a limit on the increase in utility bills, taking into account inflation. In this case, we are talking about payments for a comparable set and volume of utilities consumed. For example, if the set inflation rate is 5%, and the monthly utility bill for constant consumption is 5,000 rubles, then after indexing, its amount should not exceed 5,250 rubles. With a 10% increase, the same payment would have increased to 5.5 thousand rubles. Thus, in the above conditional example, limiting indexation to 5% would help to contain an increase in expenses by 250 rubles per month compared to a ten percent increase.

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However, the specific percentage allowed will depend on which calculation method is fixed in the legislation. The first bill provides for the use of inflation included in the federal budget, the second — the actual inflation for the previous year. However, the proposed limitation does not mean that the amount in the receipt will not be able to increase more than the prescribed percentage under any circumstances.

The amount of utility bills depends not only on tariffs, but also on the actual consumption of water, electricity, gas and other resources. If a citizen uses more utilities, the total amount may increase even without changing tariffs. In addition, the restriction applies to the total utility bills for comparable consumption. It does not mean that the cost of each individual utility service will necessarily change by the same percentage.

Which payments will not be affected by the proposed restrictions

The proposed amendments relate primarily to public utilities. These include cold and hot water supply, sanitation, electricity, gas, heating, and municipal solid waste management. At the same time, the receipt for housing and communal services includes other payments. In particular, apartment owners pay for the maintenance of residential premises and contributions for major repairs of the common property of an apartment building.

These payments are regulated by separate legal provisions and are not included in the mechanism for limiting total utility bills. Consequently, the proposed bills do not establish a general ban on increasing the total amount in a receipt above inflation. The changes are aimed specifically at limiting the growth of the utility component of payments. At the same time, the fees for the maintenance of residential premises, major repairs and additional services may vary according to their own rules.

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Why do the deputies propose to limit the growth of utility bills

The authors of both initiatives attribute the need for changes to the increased financial burden on citizens and the lack of transparency of the current tariff regulation mechanism. As noted in the explanatory note to Draft Law No. 1335443-8, the existing system allows for the establishment of indexes and deviations that do not always provide an understandable and predictable limit for increasing payments.

The developers also cite data from the Prosecutor General's Office of the Russian Federation, according to which in 2025, prosecutors responded to 428,000 violations in the housing and communal services sector, and more than 90,000 officials were brought to justice. According to the information provided in the document, 17 billion rubles of costs were excluded from the justification of utility tariffs according to the requirements of the prosecutors. Among the expenses that caused claims were the payment of consulting services, corporate events and rental of property not related to the provision of communal infrastructure.

The explanatory note also provides information from the Accounting Chamber, according to which in 2023, housing and communal services expenses averaged 9.2% of Russian household expenses. In 46 regions, this indicator exceeded the national average. At the same time, the authors pay attention to the deterioration of the communal infrastructure. According to their data, at the beginning of 2024, 42% of linear housing and communal services facilities needed to be replaced.

The developers believe that the modernization of utility networks should be accompanied by an increase in the efficiency of industry management and transparency of tariff regulation. The authors of the second bill also point to a situation in which the increase in utility tariffs is outpacing overall inflation. In their opinion, the establishment of a single limit will reduce the burden on family budgets and make the increase in payments more predictable.

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When can the new rules for housing and communal services come into force?

According to the texts of the draft laws, if adopted, the new rules should enter into force from the date of the official publication of the relevant federal law. However, to do this, the documents must be reviewed in the State Duma, approved by the Federation Council and signed by the President of Russia. At the same time, the introduction of two initiatives does not mean that both will be adopted in their original form. During the legislative process, proposals may be amended, combined, or rejected.