Landline services are not purchasable.
In a recent development, the Agency for the Protection and Development of Competition has accused doorphone companies in Kazakhstan of misleading consumers by charging subscription fees similar to utility services. The main expert of the department for forming state policy of the committee, Aiman Kozhamuratova, has assured that they will protect consumer rights within their jurisdiction.
The Mangystau region department of AZRK explains that consumers should only pay for actual services if they want servicing or there are breakdowns in the future. This stance is supported by Gabit Omirbek, a lawyer, who calls the doorphone business corrupt and believes that citizens can get their money back if they contact the antimonopoly service and follow a civil procedure.
However, it appears that there is no common practice or regulation for monthly fixed tariffs for doorphone maintenance in Kazakhstan. Maintenance costs, if any, might be handled on a case-by-case basis or included in general building maintenance fees rather than through a fixed monthly tariff explicitly for doorphones.
It is important to note that if doorphone organizations impose illegal services, Kazakhs can appeal to the Committee for the Protection of Consumer Rights. If residents wish to renegotiate contracts with doorphone companies, they have the right to do so on their own terms.
In an unusual case, Shymkent resident Korkem Usibaliyeva has been paying for doorphone servicing monthly for five years, despite the doorphone never needing repairs. This situation highlights the need for consumers to be vigilant and question any unnecessary charges.
The antimonopoly service's decision can be used in a civil procedure to recover the money. To get their money back, residents need to contact the antimonopoly service, obtain an act of response, and then appeal to the court. If the doorphone was purchased by the residents, no one has the right to dismantle it.
The Committee for the Protection of Consumer Rights is ready to defend people's rights regarding doorphone services. If you have any concerns or questions about your doorphone maintenance fees, it may be advisable to consult Kazakhstan’s municipal or housing authorities for the most accurate and current local regulation or housing management policies.
In the face of concerns about doorphone companies' business practices in Kazakhstan, the Committee for the Protection of Consumer Rights emphasizes that citizens only need to pay for actual services and have the right to renegotiate contracts, if necessary. Moreover, if illegitimate finance charges are imposed, residents can seek remedy through the antimonopoly service, following a civil procedure in the industry.
