Vitebsk region's overdue population debt for utility services has decreased by Br2.6 billion since 2009.

July 27, Vitebsk / Diana Kurilo - BELTA /. Overdue debt of the population of the Vitebsk region for utility services from 2009 to 2011 decreased by Br2.6 billion, and its share decreased by 12%, the housing and communal services department of the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee informed a BELTA correspondent.

Accounts receivable of the population for housing and communal services as of July 1 of the current year are estimated at Br20.8 billion, which is 30% of the total accounts receivable of housing and communal services enterprises. Approximately one-fifth of the debt - Br4.9 billion - is overdue payments. The department noted that for the same period last year, the amount of overdue payments by the population exceeded Br7.6 billion, accounting for almost 36% of the total debt of citizens.

To combat debtors, housing and communal services enterprises carried out targeted work. Utility workers issued more than 20 thousand written warnings about the disconnection of utility services, and more than 4 thousand tenants had these services terminated. Over 6.1 thousand enforcement orders and lawsuits, and applications for summary proceedings totaling Br2.7 billion were filed with courts, prosecutor's offices, and notary offices. Courts satisfied 77% of the lawsuits and enforcement orders. By court decision, six families were relocated to smaller living spaces due to debts to utility companies.

As noted by the specialists of the department, the most effective way to reduce the level of overdue debt is to write off penalties for citizens who have fully paid off the principal debt. In the region as a whole, in the first half of the current year, penalties were written off upon applications of 188 citizens for the amount of Br241.9 million, while Br278 million of the principal debt was repaid.-0-