Does anyone have difficulties in resolving water utility problems in Bulgaria? We have a problem in Balchik and can't seem to get it resolved. The Director sees the public only between 08.00 and 10.00 on a Tuesday, but is generally never there to see anyone. His Deputy refers us to him as does everyone else in the office. If we go to the office in Dobrich,they refer us back to Balchik. When we write to the main office in Sofia, they also refer us back to Balchik. Seems to be a no-win situation.

Regards, George.

If you have water then fine.Just put about 8 lev a month away to cover it.It took over a year to sort ours out.If you live in a village they usually have a water man who reads the meter and collects the money.Get a local to speak to him.

ABC Property Surveyors.BG wrote:

If you have water then fine.Just put about 8 lev a month away to cover it.It took over a year to sort ours out.If you live in a village they usually have a water man who reads the meter and collects the money.Get a local to speak to him.

Hi ABC,

The problem is he does not speak to the public except at the appointed times I indicated earlier and then makes himself unavailable. He does not speak to the public at all at other times. In my 7th year here, I consider myself local and my girlfriend has been here 35 years and is fluent in Bulgarian. Our problem is that the developer of the property we bought from used a great deal of water and has a huge bill he won't pay, so they are trying to charge us. In two and a half years, we've actually used about one twentieth of what they are trying to charge us. We have been trying to sort it for two and a half years, during which time there have been two changes in the Director at VIK, which is part of the problem.

Regards, George.

This might help George

1. PLAMEN NIKIFOROV
Director, Water Supply and Sewerage Directorate
Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works
17-19 Sv Sv Kiril I Metodii St.
1202 Sofia, Bulgaria
Tel.: +359 2 9882382
Fax: +359 2 980 2838
E-mail: [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.].bg

Mr. Nikiforov is the main point of contact in the Bulgarian government he coordinates enerything in the water utility companies.

Hi Coriolanus,

Sorry but i didn't realise that you had been here a while.I thought you may be a newbie with the old UK attitude of make a phone call and it's done.Unless you have proof of the contractor using the water whilst it was in his name I doubt there is a lot that you can do about it.The water meter must have been read shortly after it going into your name? If so then you have proof that you haven't used the water.They are obviously not too bothered about collecting the money.If it were me I'd let them stew on it.After all if they can't be bothered then why should you? My only other suggestion is some lawyer advice.Perhaps approach your local mayor for a recommendation.If the lawyer is a friend of your mayor there is more chance of something happening.Local mayors have a lot of clout in the villages.A bottle of Johnnie walker Black label can work wonders too! But that depends on your mayor.

I know several brits that this has happened to but for small amounts of water from maybe Gypsies occupying the property prior to their purchase.They refused to pay it and it was forgotten about.They did have a meter reading though!

Hi George good thing you don't live in Sofia look at this I read a few days a go.

Sofiyska Voda, the company operating water supply and treatment services for the Bulgarian capital Sofia and serves 1.3 million inhabitants, has threatened to suspend supplies to its debtors.

Outstanding payments currently amount to BGN 59 M, the concessioner announced, adding that the sum exceeds the investments of BGN 52 M it made in an upgrade of no more than 1% of the sewage system last year.

Blink wrote:

This might help George

1. PLAMEN NIKIFOROV
Director, Water Supply and Sewerage Directorate
Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works
17-19 Sv Sv Kiril I Metodii St.
1202 Sofia, Bulgaria
Tel.: +359 2 9882382
Fax: +359 2 980 2838
E-mail: [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.].bg

Mr. Nikiforov is the main point of contact in the Bulgarian government he coordinates enerything in the water utility companies.

ABC Property Surveyors.BG wrote:

Hi Coriolanus,

Sorry but i didn't realise that you had been here a while.I thought you may be a newbie with the old UK attitude of make a phone call and it's done.Unless you
have proof of the contractor using the water whilst it was in his name I doubt there is a lot that you can do about it.The water meter must have been read shortly after it going into your name? If so then you have proof that you haven't used the water.They are obviously not too bothered about collecting the money.If it were me I'd let them stew on it.After all if they can't be bothered then why should you? My only other suggestion is some lawyer advice.Perhaps approach your local mayor for a recommendation.If the lawyer is a friend of your mayor there is more chance of something happening.Local mayors have a lot of clout in the villages.A bottle of Johnnie walker Black label can work wonders too! But that depends on your mayor.

I know several brits that this has happened to but for small amounts of water from maybe Gypsies occupying the property prior to their purchase.They refused to pay it and it was forgotten about.They did have a meter reading though!

Hi Blink,

Thanks for that, but Nikiforov is the man we contacted and the one that refuses to do anything and referred us back to Balchik.

Hi ABC,

In fact, my partner did manage to see him this morning (finally!). He is not being very helpful and said if we didn't like it, to take them to Court and, in the meantime, they will cut us off. I am just arranging that with my lawyer now. One interesting thing is that the meter does not have any seals, so we'll see what happens about that too.

Regards, George.