For respective months now Poland has been experiencing controversy with imposing financial penalties on residentswho keep in their premises temperatures below specified standards. Housing cooperatives they began intensive checks, and **mandates even scope PLN 500. Is specified action justified?
Minimum temperature standards in dwellings
According to Regulation of the Minister of Infrastructure of 12 April 2002, the temperature shall not be lower in the accommodation space than 20°Cand in the bathrooms 24°C. However, housing cooperatives have the right to establish their own rules, which frequently let a minimum temperature of 16°C.
Why do cooperatives impose penalties?
Total heating off in 1 flat can lead to so-called. ‘heat theft’. This means that the cooled flat passively uses the heat of neighboring premises, leading to increasing heating costs for another residents. As a result, housing cooperatives decide on checks and the imposition of mandates for persons who do not comply with established standards.
Cases of the imposition of mandates
W If the flat was fined PLN 500 For keeping the temperature besides low in your apartment. akin situations occurred in another cities where cooperatives tightened the controls and introduced penalties for tenants who completely shut down the heating.
Temperature control methods
Housing cooperatives usage different temperature monitoring methods in premises. 1 of the more popular ways is remote monitoring of energy consumption by heat meterswhich let for temperature analysis in individual apartments. In the event of a worryingly low indication, the admin may request the premises to be checked.
Are the penalties lawful?
Local Property Act of 1994, it obliges owners to participate in the management costs associated with the maintenance of the common property. Although the bill does not specify minimum temperatures, cooperatives may introduce their own regulations specifying these values. The cooling of the premises may be considered a violation of those provisions, which is the basis for imposing a penalty.
Public opinion and reactions of residents
The introduction of penalties for besides low temperature in the apartments caused mixed reactions. any residents think it's excessive interference in their privacy, while others see the request for specified action to providing thermal comfort In the full building.
Temperature checks in apartments and imposing penalties for failure to comply with established standards have become a fresh reality for many Polish residents. Housing cooperatives argue that specified measures are essential to guarantee fair distribution of heating costs and thermal comfort for all tenants. However, this issue remains controversial and raises many questions about the limits of interference in the privacy of residents.
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