Residents of the Saratov region are dissatisfied with the quality of public services

Problems in the field of housing and communal services remain one of the most acute topics for residents of the region. The State Housing Inspectorate of the Saratov Region has received more than 14,000 complaints from citizens since the beginning of 2026. This information was announced in the regional Duma at parliamentary hearings. At the same time, the residents themselves owed the resource owners several billion rubles.

A house

For nine months of this year, the regional State Housing Inspectorate received 14.2 thousand applications from citizens, of which 5.5 thousand were redirected to local self-government bodies. This was stated at the parliamentary hearings in the Saratov Regional Duma by the head of GZHI Stanislav Danilov. As a result of consideration of four thousand appeals, materials confirming the presence of administrative offenses were received. The official noted that in Engels and Balakov, the powers to verify charges for utilities are still assigned to the regional inspection. Although in these cities there is a large housing stock: according to the appeals of citizens, it was possible to make a recalculation for a total of about 120 million rubles. for cold and hot water, as well as heating. According to Stanislav Danilov, in large cities of the Saratov region, where there are apartment buildings, municipalities should deal with housing supervision: they know the situation in their city better. On October 6, Governor Roman Busargin announced that some of the powers of the regional State Housing Inspectorate will be transferred to the local level. It is expected that this will improve the control over the maintenance and maintenance of apartment buildings.

As for heating, from October 1, 2026, the tariff for thermal energy for residents of the Saratov region increased by 10.95%. Acting Director of the local branch “T Plus” Igor Kushel at a meeting in the regional Duma noted that in neighboring regions, tariffs for thermal energy increased more significantly. So, in the Samara region, prices rose by 11.9%, in the Penza and Orenburg regions - by 12.9%.

Counting board

But the citizens will be more than enough of this increase. According to the regional Committee for State Regulation of Tariffs, the payment for housing and communal services of the “average” Saratov family living in an apartment of 54 square meters will increase by approximately 700 rubles in the coming winter. Compared to winter spending in 2025-2026. In the summer, growth will be more modest – about 300-400 rubles.

- People do not understand what they pay for, says Larisa Brezgunova, deputy head of the Center for Public Control in the Housing and Utilities sector of the Saratov region. If the tariff for, say, thermal energy rises, citizens need to explain what is included in it. That is, we take the tariff for heat and lay it out on shelves. At the cost of gigacaloria for heat and hot water in 3000 rubles. part of the funds goes to the generation of thermal energy, part - for transportation through networks, etc. A specific amount (for example, 500 rubles per Gcal) is allocated exclusively for the modernization and repair of networks. Clear detail is needed to help consumers understand the structure of tariffs.

But some residents are not interested in “detailing”. In the Saratov region, the total debt for heating and hot water amounted to more than 3 billion rubles. The vast majority of debtors are individuals from whom it is very difficult to recover debt.

- When it comes to the huge debts of the population, the question arises: why are laws such as the bankruptcy of individuals adopted? In my house there are three people who have accumulated huge debts and then filed for bankruptcy. You can't evict them. They continue to enjoy all the benefits at the expense of their neighbors. It turns out that we have a hidden collective responsibility of tenants for each other: conscientious citizens are forced to pay for debtors, although formally this is not in the legislation.

Figure in the subject: 6 million rubles overpayment for housing and communal services returned to residents of Saratov in 2025