Residents of a building on Angliysky Prospekt in St. Petersburg, who were relocated for major repairs over six years ago, are now facing demands to pay housing and communal services debts amounting to hundreds of thousands of rubles. The Admiralty District administration addressed the situation, highlighting the complexities surrounding the restored outbuilding.
The administration emphasized that, according to federal law, declaring a residence uninhabitable or in need of repair does not exempt owners from paying for the maintenance and repair of the building. Non-residence also does not justify non-payment of housing and communal services. However, the administration stated that it is not responsible for legally assessing the bills issued to residents.
The outbuilding at 26A Angliysky Prospekt was vacated in 2018 for extensive renovations, including dismantling and rebuilding. ZhKS No. 1 of the Admiralty District closed accounts for accruing housing and communal services from July 2018 to May 2023, reopening them as the building neared completion but before it was officially commissioned.
The building’s restoration involved several stages. Initial inspections in 2014 identified the need for urgent repairs. The building was subsequently included in a major repairs program, with “Project Engineering Lösungen Rus” contracted to develop design and estimate documentation. The project aimed to repair walls, window lintels, stairs, ceilings, and basement waterproofing.
In 2018, the State Housing Inspectorate declared the load-bearing structures of the outer walls, interfloor ceilings, and foundation to be in an emergency condition. Following this assessment, the contractor TERRA completely dismantled the outbuilding.
Without proper coordination, the Capital Repair Fund (FCR) contracted “Stroytekhnoprom” to develop design and estimate documentation for restoring both the outbuilding and the suspended courtyard it was connected to. The suspended courtyard, a historical architectural feature used for storage and utilities, required restoration as well.
Construction began in June 2020 with an expected completion within 365 days. While the building and suspended courtyard have been restored, issues with the acceptance of the work remain.
The Admiralty District administration noted that the restored space-planning solutions and changes in apartment characteristics did not align with the originally agreed-upon plans. The FCR refused to accept the work from the contractor due to significant alterations in the layout of three of the six apartments.
“Stroytekhprom” sued the FCR and, after a lengthy trial, won the case. The Thirteenth Arbitration Court of Appeal ordered the FCR to pay 27.9 million rubles to the contractor, with the decision taking effect in the winter of 2024. The court determined that the contractor had fulfilled all its obligations.
The FCR stated that its work to eliminate the emergency condition of the building structures at 26A Angliysky Prospekt was complete. The Fund also clarified that resettling owners and tenants after major repairs was not within its purview.
The status of the outbuilding remains unresolved, with potential implications for homeowners whose apartment layouts have been altered. These owners may need to independently navigate the approval process for the changes.