Volgograd Debates 25% Hike in Capital Repair Fees

From the start of 2026, the minimum capital repair fee in the region has been set at 13.66 rubles per square meter (about $0.15 at current rates). Last year, the tariff was 10.93 rubles (about $0.12 at current rates), meaning a 25% increase. Meanwhile, according to Rosstat (Russia«s Federal State Statistics Service), inflation in 2025 was about 6%.

Doctor of Economic Sciences Igor Belskikh called such a jump economically unjustified. «Neither goods nor services in the construction sector have risen in price as much as capital repair fees. For an apartment with an area of 80 square meters, the payment already exceeds 1,000 rubles a month (about $11 at current rates), which is noticeable for many,» the professor stated. He proposed conducting a public audit of the tariff increase«s justification, which was set back in 2024, and adjusting it in accordance with the current economic situation.

The authorities of Volgograd Oblast hold a different view. The Housing and Utilities Committee stated that the increase is a forced measure. According to the regional capital repair fund, the cost of work has grown by more than 50% over the past three years, and the previous tariff stopped covering actual expenses. Officials emphasize that the minimum fee in the region remains one of the lowest in the Southern Federal District.

The Tariff Regulation Committee added that the planning of the increase takes the current economic situation into account, and the raise is being implemented in stages to minimize the burden on citizens.

Igor Belskikh made proposals for changing the capital repair financing system:

• Allocating funds from the regional budget for co-financing owners« expenses under a 50/50 scheme.
• Introducing public oversight of the fund»s work, similar to a board of directors in the private sector, which would include independent experts and public representatives.

General Director of ZAO «Institute Volgogradgrazhdanproekt» Andrei Kuprikov agreed that the cost of materials and work has grown substantially in recent years, justifying the fee increase. However, he criticized the very concept of capital repair funds, pointing to corruption risks and a lack of transparency in spending.

Andrei Kuprikov proposed an alternative model: homeowners, through their homeowners« associations, would independently organize the assessment and design of work, then receive a targeted preferential loan from the state (at 2–3%) for carrying out the repairs. »People pay money for years but don«t know how it is later used. Why not let them organize the process themselves, and let the state act as a lender?» the expert wondered.