News

21 July 2026

Deputy Ombudsman Maria Filipova sent a letter to Boris Mihaylov, Executive Director of the National Revenue Agency, urging an investigation into the price increase for the “heat cost allocation” service for the 2026/2027 heating season for customers of “Toplofikatsiya Sofia” EAD.

The reason for the report is an announcement published on 16 July 2026 on the website of “Toplofikatsiya Sofia” EAD regarding the new service rates. A comparison with the current prices for the 2025/2026 season reveals a significant increase in a number of services provided by the suppliers of the heat cost allocation companies.

For customers of “Toplofikatsiya Sofia,” as a heat meter reader, the service fee per account will increase by 40.76%, the fee for reading a heat distributor or hot water meter will increase by 37.30%, and the fee for reading a heat meter will increase by 31%.

The letter also notes that the other heat meter providers have also seen a significant increase in prices—about 30% for customers of “Tehem Services” EOOD, 21% for “Direct” EOOD, 20% for “Nelbo” AD, and 15% for “Dalsia” OOD.

The request to the National Revenue Agency highlights the fact that the prices for the “heat cost allocation” service are not regulated within the meaning of the Energy Act and are not determined under free-market conditions, but are negotiated between heat transmission companies and heat cost allocation companies. At the same time, no information has been published regarding the objective economic factors that would justify the price increase.

“These prices have been set with a complete lack of transparency for consumers, who are required to pay them,” Filipova is adamant.

In the letter, she also notes that the stated increases significantly exceed the annual inflation rate, which, according to the latest data from the National Statistical Institute for June 2026, stands at 5.4%.

The Deputy Ombudsman has referred the matter to the National Revenue Agency, which has jurisdiction under the Introduction of the Euro in the Republic of Bulgaria Act, to review the prices for the “heat cost allocation” service for the 2026/2027 season, as agreed upon between heat transmission companies and heat cost allocation companies.

She emphasises that the prices of this service affect more than half a million Bulgarian households—consumers of heating energy in buildings under condominium ownership—and that the lack of transparency in setting these prices raises questions regarding consumers’ right to information.