Romanian authorities might ban turning off apartment central heating

Romanians who try to reduce their monthly heating bills by turning off their apartment central heating might not be allowed to do so in the future, in order to ensure fairness to their neighbors. President of the National Regulatory Authority for Community Services of Public Utilities (ANRSC) Doru Ciocan wants to forbid by law closing central heating in apartments where heat cost allocators are installed, because many use this as a “trick” to get heat from the neighbors through the walls. He said this trick is in fact a violation of the Constitution. When contacted by local news agency Mediafax, Ciocan said that the banning this practice of turning off heat cost allocators is taken into consideration and a study will be made to determine the way “heating is ensured in apartments”. Based on the study’s results, the current legislation might be changed, including with forcing the owners to keep a certain temperature level in their apartments. Many Romanians have installed heat cost allocators on their radiators, which allows them to reduce or increase the heating level, and thus pay only how much heating they use. Those who do not have heat cost allocators installed cannot do this, however. It is yet uncertain whether the planned ban would apply only to apartments connected to the central heating system, or would also affect the many Romanians got disconnected from the central system and installed individual apartment boilers, choosing to pay higher gas bills, but lower heating bills. Asked about the reasons for this planned change, Ciocan said: “See Article 44 in the constitution. We must respect it. It’s about ensuring people’s comfort and the health of buildings,” reports Mediafax. The article concerns the right to private property, which “requires respecting environmental protection duties and good neighborliness, as well as respecting other duties that according to the law, or custom, belong to the owner”. The change would also apply to owners who are away for a longer period of time, and who usually turn off heating while they are away, if they have heat allocators installed. Under the proposed change, they would have to leave the heating on at a minimum temperature. However, Doru Ciocan couldn’t give further details on how this change would be applied or who would check if the owners respect it. ANRSC is a public institution subordinated to the Ministry of Regional Development and Public Administration. Doru Ciocan has been the head of the institution since 2012. Irina Popescu, irina.popescu@romania-insider.com (photo source: sxc.hu)