Rationale behind a landlord covering expenses for two apartments despite residing in just one.
In Russia, the responsibility of paying for maintenance services and utility bills falls on the owners of residential premises, regardless of whether the apartments are occupied or not. This obligation is established in the Housing Code of the Russian Federation and supported by the Civil Code.
According to the Housing Code, owners of residential premises must pay for maintenance services and utilities to ensure the upkeep and proper functioning of the housing stock. This obligation applies to all residential premises in their ownership, whether occupied or vacant.
The Civil Code, which supports contractual and property rights, including obligations between homeowners and housing service providers, reinforces the owner’s responsibility to pay. The owner’s responsibility to pay arises from ownership and the maintenance agreements typically established under Russian law.
While some limited exceptions or reductions in payment may occur in particular cases, such as when an apartment is officially recognized as uninhabitable or undergoing major repairs, these conditions require formal documentation and approval by relevant housing authorities, not just voluntary non-use.
Unlike some countries, Russian legislation does not contain a general provision allowing ownership without payment of communal services for multiple owned but empty apartments. Owners maintaining multiple apartments must budget for ongoing maintenance and utilities, as these costs reflect communal infrastructure and fixed expenses of the living space.
The search results did not provide direct excerpts from the Russian Civil Code or Housing Code on this matter, so this answer is based on standard legal interpretations of Russian housing regulations as of 2025 consistent with the general principles found in legal overviews of Russian legislation. No indications of recent legislative changes or exceptions relieving owners from such payments emerged in the results.
Therefore, owners must pay for maintenance services and utilities on all owned apartments unless a formal exception is granted under strict regulatory procedures. It is essential for property owners to understand and adhere to these requirements to avoid any potential legal issues.
- In accordance with the Russian Civil Code, homeowners have contractual obligations towards housing service providers, which include paying for maintenance services and utilities.
- To ensure the upkeep and proper functioning of their residential properties, owners must set aside a budget for ongoing maintenance and utility costs, as these expenses contribute to communal infrastructure and the fixed costs of living space.
- As outlined in the Housing Code, lobbying for exemptions from maintenance and utility payments requires formal documentation and approval by housing authorities, regardless of whether the apartments are occupied or not.
