Conflict settlements in the housing and utility sector

The authors consider the issues resolving relationship conflicts between tenants, their associations (homeowners associations, housing associations, a tenement house panel) and the housing and utility companies in the framework of the housing and utility sector reforms. The authors identify the principal causes of conflicts and contentions in the sphere, noting that, with a potential escalation of social aggression in the housing and utility sphere, the absence of a system of cooperation between the local self-governing bodies and the tenant associations makes it imperative that routinely functioning consulting authorities engaged in tenement housing regulation and management be established. For the purpose of conflict settlement in the housing and utility sector, the authors propose a number of innovative approaches based on the participation of exerts and conflict mediation. The authors believe it timely that housing-and-utility-focused mediation services be set up in the Moscow region. The authors describe the organization of their activities, and provide recommendations for local self-governing bodies and tenement house panels, aimed at the development and promotion of mediation in the sphere of housing and utilities in the Moscow region and a resolution of the existing conflicts.