A municipal enterprise in Odesa won a million in a lawsuit against a TV station

The Odessa-based television company "GLAS" has been ordered to pay more than 1.36 million hryvnias to a regional municipal enterprise. For years, the television station failed to vacate the municipal premises after the lease agreement expired and did not reimburse the costs of the utilities it consumed.

This is stated in a ruling by the Commercial Court of Odesa Oblast.

Specifically, the following amounts were ordered to be paid by the television company to the regional municipal enterprise:

• 630,830.55 hryvnias—compensation for utility and operating expenses for 2021;
• 730,200.79 hryvnias—a fine equal to double the rent for the late return of the premises;
• 16,332.38 hryvnias — court fees.

The court’s decision will become final after the deadline for filing an appeal has expired, provided the defendant does not appeal it.

According to the case file, since 2012, PJSC “Joint-Stock Radio and Television Company ‘GLAS’” has leased non-residential premises from the Odesa Regional Council’s municipal enterprise “Service for the Operation of the Integrated Property Complex—Administrative Building No. 2.” The lease was extended several times, but the lease term finally expired on December 31, 2020.

After the contract was terminated, the television company failed to return part of the premises as required by the acceptance and transfer acts and continued to use them. Meanwhile, the regional municipal enterprise paid the bills for utilities and maintenance services consumed by the tenant.

Previously, the court had already confirmed the termination of the lease agreement and issued a ruling ordering the broadcaster’s eviction; however, at that time, it denied the claim for recovery of operating expenses, as they were claimed as contractual payments rather than direct damages. In the new lawsuit, the utility company demanded reimbursement of these expenses specifically as damages, and also imposed a penalty for the delay in returning the property.

Representatives of the “GLAS” television company did not file a response to the complaint and did not submit any objections to the court; therefore, the case was heard under the rules of simplified proceedings.

Юлія Калабайда