Plumbers Try to Intimidate and Deceive Residents of Latvia 0 10

Namely: one can become dependent on a single supplier for a long time, as well as face price markups for services.

What is important in this context: the Latvian Consumer Rights Protection Center (CRPC) has repeatedly warned since the beginning of the year that remote meters are being aggressively imposed on residents. At the same time, some service providers mislead their clients – allegedly, all meters must be replaced with remote-reading ones (which are also expensive) by January 1, 2027. But this is not true.

CC: "Changing Suppliers is Difficult"

According to the CC, public procurements of water meters with remote reading were analyzed, as well as the opinions of those suppliers who have already concluded contracts as a result of such procurements.

What was ultimately revealed: if a company or management company has purchased a water meter with remote reading and a built-in specific SIM card, the possibilities of changing service providers are already quite limited.

Moreover: during such procurements, water management enterprises often impose a mandatory requirement that the power source of the meter ensures continuous operation for at least 12 years – in accordance with the service life established by the manufacturer.

That is: such contracts can be concluded for a long time.

And About Price Markups

If, for example, a service contract is concluded for four years, and the equipment is used significantly longer, it is very important to provide a clear mechanism for determining service prices for the subsequent period in the initial contract, warns the CC.

Otherwise, it may turn out that the client becomes completely dependent on the price set by a specific supplier.

"Don’t Let Yourself Be Deceived!"

In turn, the CRPC warns: there have been cases where service providers for meter replacement impose their services on clients, taking advantage of their ignorance of the real situation.

What should ordinary residents of apartment buildings know? Here’s what the CRPC explains:

• Ordinary (mechanical) apartment water meters no longer require mandatory periodic verification;

• Existing meters can continue to be used if there are no signs that they are functioning incorrectly;

• But! By January 1, 2027, the building must make a decision on further water accounting – whether to switch to a unified system or remain on the current one.

The CRPC emphasizes: mechanical meters can continue to be used.

If there are suspicions that the meter is inaccurate, or if there are visible damages, the building manager or the apartment owners' meeting has the right to demand verification or replacement of the meter.

It is no secret: some residents try to save money by tampering with their own meters. As a result, the data submitted by honest apartment owners becomes quite conditional. But "remote reading" can turn out to be even more expensive.

Residents are often pressured to install a rather expensive remote reading system for meters. Sometimes it is offered very insistently.