From May 2025 to January 2026, the State Administration for Market Regulation launched a nationwide campaign to address significant public grievances regarding inaccurate utility metering and irregular fee collection practices. Utilizing methods such as unannounced inspections and follow-up reviews, the campaign targeted violations including the installation of meters without initial verification, non-compliant price transparency, and failure to adhere to government-set pricing and guided pricing. Authorities adopted a zero-tolerance stance toward utility companies found guilty of improper charging, compelling them to refund approximately 301 million yuan to affected consumers. In total, about 14,000 illegal cases in the water, electricity, and gas sectors were investigated, resulting in fines and confiscations totaling around 235 million yuan. Moving forward, the administration will integrate metering and pricing oversight for residential utilities into routine supervision. It will conduct follow-up reviews to monitor the effectiveness of corrective actions and prevent the resurgence of non-compliant practices. Additionally, efforts will focus on improving regulatory frameworks, optimizing supervision measures, strengthening policy communication, and guiding corporate compliance to foster sustained standardization in the utility sector.
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