Online Platform for Utility Debt Collection Set to Launch in Russia
The digital service is expected to cut administrative costs and speed up debt recovery.
A nationwide digital platform for the online collection of overdue utility payments is set to appear in Russia by 2028. Users will receive notifications through Gosuslugi (State Services Portal).
Today, the vast majority of utility debts are collected through paper-based procedures, slowing the process and increasing the workload for magistrate judges. Officials expect the new digital service to reduce administrative costs and streamline collections.
As Konstantin Krokhin, a lawyer and housing-sector expert, told the newspaper Komsomolskaya Pravda, an online debt recovery process and the option to file claims electronically already exist. However, the current remote collection system has a flaw: management companies must spend time gathering debtor information they often do not have. According to Krokhin, the issue could be resolved by integrating GIS ZhKKh (State Information System for Housing and Utilities) with the unified GAS Pravosudie (State Automated System “Justice”).
Digital Tools Cut the Number of Debtors
The share of on-time utility payments in Russia has increased as digital services have expanded, according to a study by Doma.ai. In 2025, the number of property management companies where residents pay their bills on time rose by 12 percent. Management firms are actively rolling out online dashboards, mobile apps, chatbots, and messenger-based reminders.
To prevent households from accumulating debt, a dedicated chatbot in Max will remind users about upcoming housing and utility payments. By the end of 2025, a building-level chat is expected to launch for every apartment block in Russia within the national messenger. The chats are created by state housing oversight authorities and administered by the building’s management company. An integrated chatbot, Gosuslugi Dom (State Services Home), will send reminders about meter readings and payment deadlines. Its functionality may expand over time.
