Payment of utilities is one of the obligatory lines in the expenses of citizens. Fulfilling the obligations of depositing funds to the account of suppliers in a timely manner, it is important to choose where to pay utility bills. Some companies charge a commission of 5% of the payment amount or more, while others transfer funds to the account after a few days, which causes inconvenience to payers.
Why choose payment methods for housing and communal services?
Housing and communal services must be paid on time, otherwise users are facing a charge of fines or disconnection for non-payment. Wanting to make payments quickly and with minimal interest to the intermediary, tenants periodically look for new companies where it will be most convenient for them to pay utility bills.
Utility Payment Options
But before choosing a supplier, it is recommended that you familiarize yourself with all methods of transferring funds to the account of housing and communal services:
- Cash deposit at the cash desk of the organization.
- Transfer by bank transfer.
- Payment in "single windows" housing and communal services.
- Transfer of funds in the terminals of financial organizations.
- Enumeration using mobile applications.
- Use of electronic payment methods: online cash desks and wallets.
- Online banking.
Payment in cash at the cash desk of the supplier
The easiest way to save money on commissions to intermediaries is to deposit them in the cash desk of a service representative. To do this, you need to find out the address of the supplier and come with a document for payment, observing the operating mode of the enterprise.
For example, where you can pay utility bills in Almaty to KSK "Dom" company, the client can find out on the front side of the receipt. The document also indicates contact details (phone, email).
The advantage of this method of payment is the absence of a commission for transferring funds. When making money at the cash desk, there are no intermediary services, so the entire amount transferred by the client is credited to the supplierās account.
But this option is inconvenient for residents whose homes are served by several housing and communal services companies. To pay for each of them it is required to visit several offices, which can be located in different parts of the city. This will entail additional travel costs and will take from 1.5 hours or more.
Intermediary banks when paying for utilities
Clients use the services of banks not only for processing cards and loans. Transfer to the utility account is also in demand among visitors to a financial institution.
Unlike suppliers, the benefit for banks in transferring funds lies in the possible commission for the service provided. It may include a minimum amount, for example, from 50 rubles or a percentage of the transfer (0.5% or more).
Sometimes a transfer to the supplierās account is carried out without commission. In such cases, customers do not have to worry about where it is better to pay utility bills.
The absence of a commission at the bank is not a permanent advantage: receipts are paid without interest only if the supplier has concluded an agreement with the company. By agreement, the obligation to pay the commission is taken by the company whose account belongs to the bank's branch.
When sending funds to the bank, the transfer is received within 48 hours. In most cases, money is credited the day after departure. The client is issued a confirmation of the payment made in the form of a check, which indicates the supplier, date of operation, amount and amount of the possible commission.
Banks are one of the most common options where you can pay utility bills, because depending on the financial institution, the size of the commission and the speed of transfer of funds will vary. Sberbank PJSC is the leader in accepting payments from individuals: more than 1.2 million citizens use its services for paying bills daily.
Single Windows - an alternative to bank offices
If the client does not want to pay utility bills at a branch of a credit organization, he can contact companies specializing in accepting payments from citizens. These are called Single Windows.
Companies, unlike banks, are not involved in additional promotion of their products: they make a profit from intermediary operations related to transfers. This is an additional option where customers can pay utility bills without a commission and long queues.
The disadvantage of this method is its remoteness: in contrast to the variety of banks of the Single Window branches in cities, it is several times smaller, so many payers have difficulty finding an organization.
Like banks, āSingle Windowsā does not guarantee payment of all bills without commission, but the list of companies, when paying by the details of which interest is not charged, is more by 10-20%. This is one of the most profitable options where to pay utilities in Moscow: in the capital, the number of branches is 12 times more than in cities with a population of less than 300 thousand people.
Payment of housing and communal services in terminals
Since 2016, payment terminals are used not only as a way to replenish a mobile phone and online wallets. Gradually, their functionality expanded significantly, and one of the new opportunities was the receipt of funds for utility bills.
The advantage of the method is its geography: payment terminals are installed in 9 out of 10 shopping centers, 75% of municipal buildings and 36% of large stores. You can use either a bank card or cash to pay.
This is a modern option where to pay utilities (in St. Petersburg, for example), when there is no way to visit post offices. The disadvantage of this method is the increased commission: when transferring to the supplierās account in the terminal, up to 10% is charged, including the minimum threshold (for example, 10 rubles).
The terminals also do not differ in a wide list of companies: it includes only large suppliers of housing and communal services, for example, Gazprom or Mosenergosbyt.
Using mobile applications of banks and other financial companies
A modern way of transferring funds to pay for utilities is through the use of applications for smartphones. These are mobile versions of online banking or payment companies. They are distinguished by convenient functionality, free maintenance and additional features, for example, printing of the history of operations.
Transferring funds using a mobile application is an online transfer that is credited to the supplierās account from 1 minute to 24 hours. Fast payments are convenient for both the client and the bank: the payer instantly gets rid of debt, and the intermediary receives a commission.
In most banks, when using applications for smartphones, the commission is less than when paying at the bankās office: from 0.5% to 2%. For example, when making payments in the mobile version of Sberbank Online, the maximum fee is 1%, and when paying for housing and communal services in the bankās office, it reaches 3%.
Electronic money when paying for a communal apartment
WebMoney, QIWI or Yandex.Money have long ceased to be used only as an additional wallet. Electronic services are a great option where to pay utilities without a commission.
Unlike banks and other payment acceptance companies, funds transfer using e-wallets is almost instantaneous. In this case, the sender has a confirmation of the operation in the form of an electronic check. The document can be printed and used in case of a dispute as evidence of the fact of payment.
The convenience of the method is its versatility:
- Fast money transfer.
- The ability to use the template for subsequent payments.
- Low commission - from 0% to 3%.
- A large number of service providers. In addition to the list of companies represented, the payer can independently add new details for payment or transfer funds using the specified parameters.
Internet banking to pay for utilities
Paying utility bills conveniently and quickly is possible with the help of Internet banking. This is an online version of the companyās office, simplifying the process of transferring funds to the supplierās account.
Online banking is popular among customers of financial institutions that actively use plastic cards. To enter the system, you must enter a username and password, and operations are confirmed using codes sent to the SMS from the bank. In online banking, it is also possible to save templates and print receipts confirming payments.
The cooperation of housing and communal services companies and banks allows customers to make payments regularly and without commissions. This is beneficial for users who have not decided where to pay utilities without additional expenses for the budget.
The disadvantage of online banks is the possibility of unauthorized access to card data: if customers have lost or voluntarily transferred their passwords to third parties, fraudsters can use the funds in the ownerās accounts.