The expert noted that the reform of condominiums is a deception and carries danger

Oleg Popenko, the head of the Union of Consumers of Communal Services, has expressed his criticism of the new reform of associations of co-owners of apartment buildings (OSBB). He believes this reform is a deception for people, and draws attention to the fact that serious mistakes were made in it from the beginning.

Popenko emphasized that first, housing facilities were “written off” from the balance of utility companies, and their proper functioning was not restored. Although utility tariffs increased, residents did not receive funding to modernize their homes. He also noted that residents have neither legal documents for joint ownership nor land rights.

He is especially outraged by the new law that allows OSBBs to install solar panels on roofs without prior consultation with residents. According to Popenko, this creates conditions where people may not even know that equipment is installed on their roof that is involved in the business of the OSBB head.

“Imagine living in a house without even suspecting the presence of someone else’s solar power plant on the roof, while the chairman of the condominium association makes money from it, and your opinion does not bother him,” he emphasized.

In addition, if the condominium association’s board decides on such work, the residents cannot influence it. Popenko notes that the condominium association is only a public organization, and its head is not always familiar with the residents. According to him, there are cases in which one person manages several condominium associations simultaneously.

The expert believes that the condominium association’s reforms must be reviewed since excessive power is concentrated in the hands of a small group of people, while the residents remain defenseless against their decisions. Popenko summarizes that “today solar panels will be installed on the roof, and tomorrow additional floors may appear, and all this will be approved by the board.”

Recall, there was outrage in Ukraine after an elevator incident in Kyiv, where a girl was trapped inside. Many citizens are outraged by the high costs of utility services, which could double in price.