The adjustments followed a joint review by the Competition Committee and relevant organizations to identify cases in which residents were charged for utilities despite living elsewhere temporarily or staying abroad.
The review uncovered discrepancies in records for citizens who had temporarily gone abroad to live, work, seek employment or study. It also found cases in which newly registered subscribers had not been entered into the relevant databases.
One of the main issues involved household waste collection fees. Nearly 800,000 people had been charged for the service while away from their main residences, even though the service had not been provided during those periods. The review also identified nearly 100 cases involving homes without drinking water meters where residents had not been living during the periods in question.
Following the review, service providers corrected the charges and recalculated approximately UZS 22 billion in unjustified debts in favor of nearly 800,000 people, restoring their rights, the committee said.
Under current regulations, when supporting documents confirm a change in the number of people living in a household, utility charges must be recalculated from the date the occupancy changed. If no supporting documents are available, the recalculation covers the previous three months.
Committee proposes linking utility bills to migration records
To prevent similar cases, the Competition Committee has proposed integrating utility providers’ billing systems with migration databases.
The committee has also submitted proposals to the relevant government agencies to introduce monthly recalculations for subscribers who have been abroad for more than a month, as well as for people living with them, until their return.
