Aspects of Consumers’ Rights Protection for the Centralised Urban Heating Services

This study approaches the issue of urban heating services in the current context of development and crisis. The importance of the energy area is highlighted in a globalised world as well as of knowledge, current state and the implications on the efficiency and sustainability of urban energy for the increase of the quality of the consumers’ life. In this paper the author aims to present the results of researches carried out on the protection of the consumers’ rights, excepting top management in a utility service regarding the centralised supply with thermal energy (example the status of Petroșani municipality). This perspective, less common – as usually the consumers are consulted on how their rights are observed – wished to extend the vision on the issue of interest in the general interest economic services area. The research was based on the assumption that there is a contractual partnership between the service supplier and consumer and that both perspectives are important to be investigated. Based on a structured interview valuable information was obtained regarding the observance of consumers’ rights in the area of urban centralised heating service. Some information highlights the actual state and other aim/target its improvement.