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Power Outages and Broken Appliances: A Guide for Residents
Dealing with a power outage can be more than just an inconvenience, especially when it causes your appliances to break down. Yevgeny Rosenталь, CEO of Rosenталь Group, offered some advice on what to do if this happens.
"Let's face it, power outages are usually thanks to the network organizations, not us," says Yevgeny. But proving the link between the outage and the appliance malfunction can be tricky.
Lawyer Irina Sivakova, in her Telegram channel "Legal nuances (18+)", offers some steps to take if your appliances stop working after a power outage.
Here's what you should do:
1. Investigate the Outage:Contact both your managing company and energy provider to find out why the power went out. Gather any documentation or notifications about the outage.
2. Get an Expert Opinion:Have a specialist inspect the damaged appliance and write a report detailing whether the malfunction was likely due to power fluctuations.
3. Identify Responsibility:Based on the information you've gathered, determine which party (the managing company or energy provider) is responsible for the damage.
4. File a Complaint:Write a formal complaint to the responsible party, demanding they cover the repair or replacement costs. Include the expert report and any other evidence. You can send this to both organizations if you're unsure who's at fault.
Keep in mind that this process, including expert evaluations and legal proceedings, may cost you money. If you're unsuccessful in claiming compensation, a lawyer might suggest taking the case to court.
In Russia, if you believe a power outage caused by network organizations or managing companies led to appliance malfunction, follow these steps to claim compensation. Remember, public protests are not common due to legal restrictions[3], so it's advisable to pursue legal and consumer protection channels instead.
- If a power outage has caused your appliances to malfunction, it would be beneficial to investigate the outage by contacting both your managing company and energy provider to find out why the power went out and gather any relevant documentation.
- To strengthen your claim for compensation, consider having a specialist inspect the damaged appliance and write a report detailing whether the malfunction was likely due to power fluctuations, as this expert opinion could help identify responsibility and support your formal complaint to the responsible party.
