News

28 October 2025

Ombudsman Velislava Delcheva sent a letter to Energy Minister Zhecho Stankov urging urgent measures in connection with the Supreme Administrative Court's suspension of the formula for calculating the heat energy emitted by building systems in multi-unit buildings. Delcheva warns that this creates a legal gap in the middle of the heating season, which could affect thousands of heat energy consumers.

"If the heating season begins without clear rules for heat energy costs for building systems, citizens will find themselves in a situation of uncertainty and lack of transparency in their heating bills. A quick solution is needed to ensure fairness and legality in the distribution of heating costs," the Ombudsman emphasized.

In her letter to the Minister, Velislava Delcheva recalls that back in February 2025, the Ombudsman Institution requested an opinion from the Ministry of Energy on how consumers' monthly bills would be calculated after the announcement of the intention to develop a new formula for calculating the heat energy emitted by building systems.

In March 2025, the Ombudsman expressed a negative opinion on the proposed draft amendments to the Heat Supply Ordinance, stating that the text was unfounded, unlawful, and did not protect consumer rights.

"A professional and thorough analysis is needed to ensure transparent, accurate, and fair determination of the amount of heat energy emitted by the building's heating systems. Citizens are calling for clarity because they are paying bills they do not understand," the letter further states.

The Ombudsman points out that the Institution receives numerous complaints and reports from citizens insisting on a fair and transparent method of calculating energy consumption by building installations and on the accurate distribution of costs among owners. Delcheva recalls that similar requirements are also laid down in Directive 2012/27/EU on energy efficiency, as well as in the judgment of the EU Court of Justice of 23 October 2025 (Case C-760/23), according to which the rules and parameters for calculating customer costs must ensure transparency and accuracy of individual metering.

At the end of the letter, the Ombudsman urges the Minister to specify what concrete and urgent measures will be taken to overcome the legal gap that has arisen and to protect the rights of heat energy consumers.