Why putting a magnet on a meter is a bad idea

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

The inspectors can easily find the magnet and issue a fine of up to 15 thousand rubles.

To reduce water and electricity bills, some people put powerful magnets on their meters. Under the influence of a magnetic field, even during the flow of water and light, the device does not spin.

But a magnet is not an innocent way to save money. If a person consumes water and light, but does not pay for them, he steals, that is, commits an administrative offense. This is called embezzlement in the law and is punishable by a fine, temporary arrest or community service.

Inspectors will surely learn about the magnet

It seems that if you put a magnet only occasionally and pay the bills a little, then no one will know about the violation. But inspectors have several ways to detect theft:

• See a magnet. Usually they try not to let the inspectors in or quickly remove the magnet before opening the doors. But it may happen that the person who put him in will not be at home, the door will be opened by a child or a grandmother who has come to visit, or the residents will simply forget about the magnet. Then the inspector will take a picture of the violation and draw up an act, and then they will write you a fine.
• Check indicator. Modern water and light meters have special indicators, or magnetic field sensors. It is enough to once bring a powerful magnet to the meter - and the indicator will change color forever. And some of the most modern devices even know how to send a message to the dispatcher, so that they know about the magnet instantly.
• Measure the magnetic field. If a magnet has recently been placed on the meter, the magnetic field around it will be abnormally large. You can measure it using a special device - a teslameter. And if the indicator sometimes somehow manages to deceive, then the teslameter cannot be fooled: it will unambiguously indicate that there was a magnet on the counter.

Teslameters are expensive and rarely used, but gradually this method is becoming more and more popular. Especially often you can find inspectors with teslameters in Moscow and St. Petersburg.

To fix the violation and draw up an act, the inspectors must come to the meter in person. To do this, management companies (MC) arrange scheduled inspections every 1-2 years. Theoretically, you can adjust to them and use the magnet only immediately after the visit of the inspectors in order to save at least a little.

But if, according to the general house meter, the resource consumption is one, and according to the amount of apartment meters, it is much less, this indicates theft from the tenants. In this case, the CM can arrange an unscheduled check and detect the magnet.

For installing a magnet will be punished

Most often, on the basis of the Resolution of the Government of the Russian Federation dated 06.05.2011 No. 354 of the government No. 354, they require tenfold payment of the cost of resources. The cost is calculated according to average standards and multiplied by the time elapsed since the last check, but by a maximum of 3 months. That is, if you put a magnet on and it is found six months later, you will be forced to pay 10 times more than you would have paid according to the standards in three months. The standards, by the way, are often overstated. Usually people spend less than the average monthly, so the overpayment will be large.

This fine is not related to theft - it only applies to disruption of the meter. If the Criminal Code decides to sue, the violator faces the following penalties:

• A fine of 10-15 thousand rubles for unauthorized use of electric, thermal energy, oil or gas, in accordance with the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation Article 7.19.
• A fine in the amount of five times the cost of stolen property for petty theft of up to 1,000 rubles, according to the Administrative Code of the Administrative Code of the Russian Federation Article 7.27.
• A fine for petty theft from 1 to 2, 5 thousand rubles in the amount of five times the cost of the stolen property, or arrest for 10-15 days, or up to 120 hours of community service.

Theoretically, with the theft of more than 2,5 thousand rubles, the crime is no longer considered administrative, but criminal of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation Article 165. He faces a fine of up to 300 thousand rubles or imprisonment for 1-2 years. But in fact, for magnets on counters, such punishments are not prescribed in the Russian Federation.

You can save without a magnet

You don't need to install a magnet to save money. There are several legal ways to pay much less for electricity and water:

• Use LED bulbs. They consume 8-10 times less electricity than conventional ones.
• Turn off the water when you are not using it. It is useful to do this even in small things, such as brushing your teeth or in the shower while you soap.
• Always turn off the light when leaving the room. You can put motion sensors to turn the light on and off automatically.
• Put aerators on the taps. They break the jet into small droplets, which creates more pressure, but reduces water consumption.
• Use a washing machine and dishwasher. The water consumption in them is less than for hand washing or washing, and not hot, but cheaper cold water is also used. Electricity consumption goes up, but the final bill goes down.
• Eliminate all leaks in time.
• If the cistern has one flush mode, put a bottle filled with water in it. This will slightly reduce the volume of the tank. There is still enough water for flushing, but the consumption will decrease.
• Install a cistern with two flush modes to use less water.
• If cold water flows for a long time in front of hot water, you can pour it into a bucket. Then the water can be used for flushing, watering plants or other purposes.

Reasonable consumption of resources will help you save even without magnets, so you don't have to be afraid of checks and fines.