"Housing and Utilities Monitor" called the introduction of service fees forced.

The ongoing project "Housing and Utilities Monitor" in Dagestan will be forced to introduce a fee for services starting October 1 to maintain the team and continue providing assistance. The "Patient Monitor" project will continue to operate for free.

As reported by "Caucasian Knot", in February 2024, the organizations providing free legal assistance, "Patient Monitor" and "Housing and Utilities Monitor", were forced to close their offices in two republics due to lack of funds, while work continues in Dagestan.

Housing and Utilities Monitor has been providing free consultations online and in person for seven years, informing about rights on social media, helping to draft appeals, and defending interests in courts. "Together with you, we have achieved repairs of houses, solutions to housing issues, and resolutions to electricity and water outages, helping to obtain compensation for damages. For us, this has always been more than just work. Behind every appeal is a family, a home, anxiety, and hope that you will finally be heard," the organization stated.

To maintain the team, continue addressing complex situations, and effectively protect rights, the organization is forced to make a difficult decision.

"Starting October 1, the services of 'Housing and Utilities Monitor' will be paid. We have long tried to maintain a free format, but today this has become impossible. Payment for services will help us not to stop and continue to be your support in housing and utilities issues. All appeals and cases that we accepted before October 1 will be provided for free – as promised," the human rights defenders stated.

They emphasized that within the framework of the "Patient Monitor" project, assistance will continue to be provided for free, as before. "Issues of medicine, protection of patients' rights, and obtaining necessary assistance remain a free direction for us," they noted.

The head of "Housing and Utilities Monitor", Ziyautdin Uvaisov, previously stated that regulatory authorities should protect the rights of people who often remain without electricity due to prolonged outages in Makhachkala. "This is a clear violation that should not exist. Each of the houses should be fined millions of rubles; the Federal Antimonopoly Service of Dagestan should deal with this, but unfortunately, it is not being done. People have gotten used to it and somehow adapted, although they are still later charged for electricity that was not provided," he told a correspondent of "Caucasian Knot".

"Caucasian Knot" also reported that unresolved issues in the housing and utilities sector are a factor in the growth of protest activity in Dagestan, said the head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs for the North Caucasus Federal District, Sergey Bachurin, on January 19. Makhachkala residents agreed with his opinion. "Problems with water, electricity, heating, and tariffs are not just everyday inconveniences, but triggers for rising social tension that lead to increased protest activity," noted, in particular, the author of the Telegram channel "Ask Rasul" Rasul Asad.

Residents of Makhachkala regularly complain about problems with electricity and water supply. At the end of July 2025, Makhachkala residents complained about prolonged power outages lasting several days. Officials explained the power interruptions by repair work and abnormal heat. In the summer of 2026, Makhachkala residents several times blocked traffic due to lack of electricity.

In August 2025, residents of the Reducer settlement held a spontaneous street action due to the lack of electricity in their homes. After that, the city administration reported that electricity supply to most homes had been restored. In the summer of 2024, residents of the settlement also held a spontaneous protest action due to power outages.