FAQ

It is possible that the circulation in the hot water risers has been disrupted for various reasons (the risers have clogged up, the circulation pump is not working, etc.). The real cause of the disruption can only be determined by experts. Due to this, the resident of the apartment building must contact the supervisor of the building’s heat and hot water supply systems. Who is supervising your building’s heat systems can be checked here.

If your building is operated by AB Klaipėdos energija, please contact our customer service: +370 46 392 222.

Disputes between the customer and the heat and (or) hot water provider are handled by their mutual agreement.

1. The consumer who believes that the heat supplier, while performing energy activities, has violated his rights or legitimate interests related to the consumption contract, must first contact the heat supplier in writing and state his requirements.
2. Heat supplier must examine the user‘s appeal and give a reasoned reply no later than 30 days from the day the appeal has been received. The heat supplier examines the user‘s appeal according to its established procedure, which it must publish on its website and enable users to get acquainted with it in other ways.
3. If the heat supplier cannot meet the demands of the consumer or can only meet them partially, the response to the customer must contain information about an institution for out-of-court settlement of consumer disputes or another entity competent to resolve the dispute. The consumer‘s appeal to the subject of non-judicial resolution of consumer disputes does not deprive the consumer of the right to appeal to the court. The consumer has the right to defend their rights in other legal ways not provided in this law.

If it is not possible to resolve the disputes by mutual agreement, according to the out-of-court dispute settlement procedure established by the legal acts the consumer complaints are examined by:

1. State Energy Regulatory Council (Valstybinė energetikos reguliavimo taryba) – regarding the use of energy objects, devices and accounting tools, interruption, suspension or limitation of energy supply, provision of energy saving services, regarding the activity or non-activity of energy companies in supplying, distributing, transmitting, storing energy, regarding connection, payment for consumed energy or services, the application of state-regulated prices and tariffs, the balancing of energy and energy resource supply flows, the attribution (allocation) of heat consumed in buildings to consumers, as well as other disputes between consumers and energy companies in the field of energy.
2. The executive body of the municipality – regarding the organization of heat and hot water supply, regarding the setting of tariffs for the maintenance of heating and hot water systems of apartment buildings, regarding the powers of officials performing administrative supervision, regarding the service fee for hot water meters and the procedure for performing this maintenance.
3. State consumer rights protection service – regarding the application of unfair conditions in heat energy purchase-sale or service provision contracts and in other unforeseen areas of state consumer rights protection.

Every month most residents receive a payment notice about a fee for the provided services from a company managing their building. Often an address and a phone number of the managing company is provided on the payment notice.

Who is the supervisor of the heating and hot water systems in your building can be checked here.

AB Klaipėdos energija can neither increase nor decrease the room and (or) the hot water temperature in your aparments. The apartment temperature and (or) hot water temperature is regulated at a heating center of the building which belongs to the residents. Residents choose a supervisor of heating and hot water supply systems, who regulates that the hot water and room temperatures set by legislation are ensured in the apartments.

Who is the supervisor of the heating and hot water systems in your building can be checked here.

Heat energy is supplied to the apartments and (or) other premises of the house by the heating and hot water system – a pipeline with a heat energy flow, which warms up all structures and cavities of a building from the ground floor up to the ceiling of the highest floor, as well as common rooms. Because of this, even if one disconnects their apartment from the central heating system, they will have to pay for the energy consumed for the general needs of the house (Article 4.76 of the Civil Code of the Republic of Lithuania regulates the rights and obligations of co-owners using and maintaining joint fractional property).

Article 108.4 of the Heat Supply and Consumption Rules states that the owners of apartments and other premises, whose heating devices are recognized as disconnected, pay the heat supplier every month for their share of the building‘s heat used for general purposes. The share is determined in accordance with the procedure established by legal acts.

The amount of heat for general purposes of a building is calculated in accordance with “The method of determining and distributing the amount of heat for heating the useful area of the building and for general purposes“ No. 5 (approved by Resolution No. O3-184 of the State Price and Energy Control Commission of June 13, 2016). The calculated heat is divided among the owners proportionally to the useful area of the building that they possess. Whether an owner has his apartment disconnected or connected to the central heating system does not affect these calculations.

If you owe AB Klaipėdos energija and cannot repay the debts, please contact [email protected] or call  +370 46 39 22 22 and press the number 3 in the menu (with debt issues).

The hot water supply may be temporarily stopped and the debt can be recovered by judicial procedure if it is not repayed.

Bills are sent by mail in the on-going month from the 10th to the 20th days. If you have not received the bill, please contact the customer service of AB Klaipėdos energija via phone +370 46 39 22 22 or via e-mail [email protected] (for residents) or [email protected] (for businesses). You can view your energy bills using the E-service (E-paslauga). If you do not have E-service, signing in for it is possible on https://epaslaugos.klenergija.lt.

It is necessary to arrange the building using heat-saving measures:

• Measures, which enable you to adjust the heat and thus save energy: renovating the heating center of the building and balancing the heating system, transforming the heating system into a two-pipe or a manifold, installing heat regulation measures and individual heat metering.
• Measures, which decrease heat loss: repairing and insulating walls, roof, basement ceiling, upgrading windows and doors, fixing the ventilation system.

The legal bases for assigning heat to general needs are set out in the Civil Code of the Republic of Lithuania and the Law on Heat Management of the Republic of Lithuania. According to Article 4.76 of the Civil Code, each of the co-owners has the right to the income of the common object (property) in proportion to his share, is responsible to third parties in accordance with their obligations, related to the common object (property) and must pay the costs of its maintenance and preservation, taxes, fees and other contributions.

In terms of heat energy consumption, owners of apartments are in a dual position. They must pay for the energy they used themselves and for the proportionate share of the energy that has been used for the general needs of their apartment building.

Co-owners of an apartment building must pay for the heat used for general needs, even if the heating devices are disconnected in the common areas of the building. This is due to the fact that heat energy is supplied to the apartments and (or) other premises of the house by the heating and hot water system – a pipeline with a heat energy flow, which warms up all structures and cavities of a building from the ground floor up to the ceiling of the highest floor, as well as common rooms.

Basically, the size of the bill for heating depends on two aspects: the price of 1 kWh of energy and the amount of consumed energy. The price of 1 kWh of heat is set and applied equally to all consumers of one heat supplier. The amount of heat an apartment building consumes is proportionate to three factors: the condition of the house, the temperature heat supply mode and the outside air temperature. Even when the air temperature outside is the same, the amount of consumed heat might differ due to other two factors. A specific analysis on the heat consumption and certain ways to deal with any problems should be presented by the administrator of the apartment building. This comment was submitted by the State Price and Energy Control Commission.

AB Klaipėdos energija is a heat energy supply company and thus is responsible for the supply of heat energy and hot water of specified parameters to the inlet of a building, for the apportionment of the consumed heat in the building and the submission of bills.

The heat energy supplied by AB Klaipėdos energija is used in a building’s heating center for heating apartments and preparing hot water. The heating center belongs to the residents and is supervised by a heating system supervisor, chosen by the residents.

AB Klaipėdos energija cannot in any way influence the temperature of radiators or hot water in your apartments. Therefore, Klaipėdos energija cannot help those, who are complaining about the temperature in their apartments being too low or too high. The problem can usually be solved by a company, supervising your systems. Who is the supervisor of the heating and hot water systems in your building can be checked here.

The amount of heat used for an apartment is calculated taking into account the season and the method approved by the State Price and Energy Commission. In Klaipėda, heat distribution method No. 7, recommended by the State Price and Energy Control Commission, is mostly applied. The method intends:

1. During the non-heating season, all the heat used in a building is intended for heating water and maintaining the temperature of hot water (circulation). The amount of heat consumed to heat up 1 m³ of water is calculated as follows: the amount of heat used to maintain the hot water temperature is substracted from the amount of heat used in the residential building; the rest of the heat is divided by the amount of hot water used in the building that month.
2. During the heating season the bill for heating is calculated as follows: after deducting the amount of heat used for temperature maintenance and water heating from the total amount, the amount of heat used for heating apartments and common rooms is determined. After dividing it by the total useful area of ​​the residential building and multiplying it by the heat price, the price of heating 1 m² per billing month is determined. The price for 1 m² is then multiplied by the useful area of an apartment to calculate its bill.

The State Price and Energy Commission has approved ten recommended methods of heat distribution, one of which must be chosen for the entire building.

The heat distribution method recommended by the Commission, which most closely matches the type of heating and hot water system of the building and the installed heat metering devices, is chosen by heat and/or hot water consumers, co-owners of the building, in accordance with the procedure established by the Civil Code, the Law on Associations of Owners of Multi-apartment Residential Buildings and Other Purpose Buildings.

You can learn more about heat distribution methods on the website of the State Energy Regulatory Council.

The procedure for calculating bills for cold water heating and hot water temperature maintenance (circulation) is established in the heat distribution methods approved by the State Energy Regulatory Council.

In Klaipeda, heat distribution method No. 7, recommended by the State Price and Energy Control Commission, is mostly applied. The method intends:

1. During the non-heating season, all the heat used in a building is intended for heating water and maintaining the temperature of hot water (circulation). The amount of heat consumed to heat up 1 m³ of water is calculated as follows: the amount of heat used to maintain the hot water temperature is substracted from the amount of heat used in the residential building; the rest of the heat is divided by the amount of hot water used in the building that month.
2. During the heating season the water heating fee (amount of heat used to heat up 1 m³ multiplied by the price of heat) is determined by calculating the average heat consumption for water heating during 3 months of the non-heating season (July, August, September).

Customers pay for the heat, hot water and other services provided to their homes every month using the E-service (E-paslauga) of the Company’s website or the invoice submitted by mail. The services provided in the previous month must be paid for by the last day of the current month. For example, the bill for April must be paid until the last day of May. If the bill is not paid on time, late interest will be charged.

According to the order No V-1081 LIETUVOS HIGIENOS NORMA HN 42:2009, signed in December 29, 2009 by the Minister of Health of the Republic of Lithuania, the limit values of microclimate parameters of residential premises and public premises intended for visitors are:

A sufficient thermal environment is such that does not cause any health problems.

If hot water meter is broken, please contact AB Klaipėdos vanduo customer service: +370 46 220 220, address: Ryšininkų g. 11, Klaipėda.

If the heat meter is broken, you will have to contact the board of the house association (chairman of the association), the person authorized by the partners of the joint activity agreement concluded to manage the common use objects of the house, or the administrator of the common use objects of the house.

If you paid a bill late, this payment will be accounted for in the next bill. When paying the second time in the same month, substract the sum of the late payment from the new bill. Declare the readings of the hot water meter sequentially, i.e. do not repeat the readings recorded on the paid invoice. You can declare the readings online using the E-service (E-paslauga) self-service website, by phone or by e-mail.

Contact AB Klaipėdos energija customer service via phone +370 46 392 222 or via e-mail [email protected] (for residents) or [email protected] (for businesses).

FOR AN OWNER OR TENANT OF NON-RESIDENTIAL PREMISES

1. When the owner or tenant of the premises changes;
2. When the name of the company changes;
3. After reconstructing the heating system;
4. After changing the purpose of the premises.

OWNER OR TENANT OF AN APARTMENT

1. When the owner or tenant of the premises changes;
2. When the total useful area of the apartment changes;
3. When the apartment is divided by court decision;
4. After reconstructing the heating system;

FOR HOUSE HEATING AND HOT WATER MANAGER

1. When a building chooses a supervisor of heating and hot water systems.

AB Klaipėdos energija dyes the circulating heating water with fluorascein to detect leaks in heat networks and supply devices. Fluorascein is approved for use by the Center for Health and Hygiene.

If you notice green water flowing from the tap, you must inform the organization that oversees the heating industry, the company that oversees the house’s internal heating systems, or the building’s administrator, or AB Klaipėdos energija by phone: +370 46 410 869.

When using the Internet Explorer browser, due to malicious programs on your computer, the E-service site on the AB Klaipėdos energija website may not open or display an error code. Because of this, we recommend deleting “Cookies” and all temporary files saved in the browser, scanning the computer for viruses or using alternative safer browsers.

In order to find out how much heat is needed in one or another period, experts use degree days which determine the relative need for heat during a selected period. Degree days are calculated by multiplying the number of days in the period and the average difference between outside and inside air temperatures.

For example, we want to find out how many degree days did November 2017 and November 2018 have. According to climatological data, the average outside air temperature was +5,8 °C in November 2017 and +4,4 °C in November 2018. Assuming that the room temperature was +18 °C, the degree days are calculated accordingly:

1. November 2017: (18 °C – 5,8 °C)*30 days (length of the period) = 366 DD (degree days)
2. November 2018: (18 °C – 4,4 °C)*30 days (length of the period) = 408 DD (degree days)

From the ratio of the degree days (408 / 366 = 1,12) it can be determined that in November 2018 around 1,12 times more energy was needed to heat the same room than in November 2017.

Hot water and heat accounting readings can be declared in bills, using E-service (E-paslauga), when paying on banks‘ websites or by contacting AB Klaipėdos energija costumer service via phone +370 46 392 222, via e-mail [email protected] (for residents) or [email protected] (for businesses).

According to the hygiene norms valid in Lithuania, temperature of at least 18 ^oC must be ensured in living rooms during the heating season. However, residents have the right to regulate the temperature to meet their own needs. Therefore, if it is either too cold or too hot for you, firstly you should contact the company, that supervises the internal heating systems of your building, or the administrator of your building and express your complaints. Who supervises your heating system can be checked here.

1. The activities of the association board (association chairman) are controlled by the audit commission (auditor). If violations are found, the material is forwarded to the meeting of association members (representatives) for consideration. The number of members of the commission is determined by the meeting of the association which also elects the commision for a maximum period of 2 years. Members of the board of the association (chairman of the association) and persons who are related to members of the board (chairman of the association) by close kinship (parents (adoptive parents), children (adopted children), spouses, brothers, sisters and also brothers, sisters, parents and children of spouses) cannot be members of the audit commission (auditor).
2. At the end of the financial year, the audit commission (auditor) performs a thorough inspection of the activities, evaluates and provides a conclusion on the financial activities of the association. The board of the community (chairman of the community) must submit explanations and necessary documents to the audit commission (auditor).
3. The audit commission (auditor) must perform an extraordinary inspection of financial activities, if required by at least 1/4 of the members of the association, and submit the audit report to the meeting of the association members.
4. At least 1/5 of the association members have the right to request the court to appoint experts to investigate whether the association, the association board (association chairman) functioned properly. Filing of a statement to the court, appointment of experts, payment of their work and measures applied by the court due to inappropriate actions of the association or the board of the association (chairman of the association) are determined by the civil code.

Source: Law on Associations of Owners of Apartment Buildings of the Republic of Lithuania