Aidar AKHMETOV
ALMATY
Jan 31
(THE GLOBE)
Recently the new order of calculation of the payment for passenger lifts has been introduced in the southern capital. Now we will pay for services of Almatylift depending on the number of square meters of our flats. Lodgers of the first and second floors are in the most favorable situation. There are rumors that due to the new prices, the cost of flats on the first and second floors or in houses that have no lifts at all, will grow fast. Prices are new, but what about the lifts?
We should discuss the lift system of Almaty separately and without extra emotions. Without emotions, as a harmless lift car is associated with different situations. Possibly, this small room and a dim light (often no light at all) cause different thoughts � beginning from minor vandalism in the form of arson of long-suffering buttons and ending with usual robbery. Before we had nothing to compare with, hence it was normally to be satisfied with this level of service. Recently, however, a part of the population had a chance to use roomy and sparkling semi-transparent �drops� of western elevators.
In our �blocks of flats� the situation is still the same. The same �slightly� stinking and dark boxes, mechanisms of which clank as they clanked in the early 20th century. Maybe, it is better? Our people did not use to luxury � the mentality is different. Tough we are eager to rise to the necessary floor fluently, holding to the sparkling nickel-coated handle and to press the button knowing the former passenger also use his hand namely.
Kuanysh ZHUMANGAZINOV
AKMATY, Jan 31
(THE GLOBE)
In Almaty many lodgers as well as representatives of COF (Cooperatives of Owners of Flats) do not understand the situation with the new lift tariffs in multi-storied houses. Since the late 1999 the order of payment for usage of lifts was changed.
THE GLOBE asked Rufima Karmazina, the head of the Consulting & Analysis Department of the National COF Association to comment on the situation.
According to the order of the Almaty Akim �On the order of payment for lift services in dwelling houses� dated November 13, 1999 the new tariff on passenger lifts was introduced. From that time onwards tariffs are calculated according to the new order. The tariff is calculated per 1 sq. m. of dwelling area, but not per 1 person living in the flat, as it was before.
Now even people living on the third floor are to pay for the lift. New tariffs are profitable for people who have a small flat. For example, if even 5 people live in a two-roomed flat of 4o to 44 sq. m., according to the new tariffs the owner of the flat pays 100 tenge less than he paid before. Just the opposite, a family of two people living in the three-roomed flat has to pay much more, than they paid per one person.
Today the National COF Association still receives claims from people living on third floors, as they are dissatisfied with the new tariffs. Each of them has the right to appeal directly to the supplier of services with the request to cut off the lift. If there are three flats on the landing, people have to submit a joint appeal to the supplier of services. Then their floor will be blocked.
P.S. In the previous week lodgers of the third and fourth floor of the house # 69 (micro-district Zhetysu-2) submitted a joint application to Almatylift with the request to cut their floors from the lift. THE GLOBE will keep you informed of the further events.
Aigul MYRZATAI
ALMATY, Jan 31
(THE GLOBE)
Since January 1, 2000 the tariff on municipal services in Almaty grew. The Almaty population has got used to growing tariffs long ago. Even old people having pensions of 3,000 tenge obediently pay all municipal services spending all their money. They do not think of their daily bread, as the authorities may cut off electricity or gas, and people from the COF (Cooperative of Owners of Flats) may come to fine them. That is why people bear increasing tariffs on hot water, heating and electricity. But everything has its pinnacle.
Since January 2, 2000 all COF are overladen with calls. All resented lodgers ask the same questions: �Who determined the lift tariff? Why lift tariff will depend on the area of the flat, from this year?� Both COF and Almatylift receive numerous applications from people who ask them to cut off the lift on 3rd or 4th, sometimes even on 5th floor, as they cannot afford to pay the new tariffs. People submit their applications mainly to the COF and Almatylift. None of them appealed to the Society on Protection of Consumers� Rights (SPCR), though people call to the SPCR.
THE GLOBE asked the National Law Protection Center �AR� to comment on the situation:
- Are you able to protect lodgers from 3rd to 4th floors, who do not agree to pay for the lift?
- No, as the tariffs on lift approved by the Kazakhstani legislation. We can do nothing against the law. Hence, people are to lay claims to the legislation.
As our newspaper covers global problems, we decided to learn what lift tariffs our neighbors have. We got in touch with the Russian capital, Moscow.
THE GLOBE clarified the following: no separate lift tariffs exist in Moscow. There is only the payment for technical servicing of communications. It is 30 kopecks (US$ 0.0107). So, for example, if a Moscow family has a flat of 50 sq. m., monthly it is to pay for all communications US$ 0.535 (about 16 Russian rubles), i.e. 75 tenge.
All Over the Globe is published by IPA House.
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