Scandalous amendments: Are oppositionists to be dishoused?

Just for three administrative violations a person might be evicted from a flat.

On Thursday “the chamber of representatives” passed the draft Housing Code of Belarus. As the chairman of the commission for housing policy, building and privatization Halina Palyanskaya said to journalists, “the Housing Code is to define rights and obligations of owners of a residential property.” She noted that earlier owners faced a problem – some person could have been registered at their place, but it was impossible to evict him or her later, Interfax reports.

“According to the amended code, it is possible to banish former members of the family without offering them accommodation, if they do not own a share in the residential property,” Palyanskaya the old. As said by her, in some cases it is possible even to dishouse former family members. Palyanskaya attracted attention to the fact that dishousing is possible “except as otherwise provided by a marriage contract or written agreement on the use dwelling premises.”

She added that the Code envisages a possibility to evict the owner of the premises if there is a debt for more than 6 months on unsatisfactory reasons. Besides, Palyanskaya added that it is possible to dishouse the owner if he had been brought to administrative responsibility for three or more times, or violated public order.

“However, the procedure of dishousing is a complicated one,” she noted, explaining that first the owner receives a written warning, and within a month has a possibility to repay the debt. If that does not happen, executive authorities address the court for expropriation, the “deputy” noted. However, she underlined that within a year a citizen can cancel indebtedness, by buying the flat for instance.

“Only a year after compulsory sale is possible,” she said. She explained that due the sale of the flat the executive authorities search a less comfortable dwelling for a citizen, and repay the debt. If something is left, the money is given to the owner.”

She also informed that the New Code has a provision which supplements to the mortgage services law, which is not working at the moment to the extend we would like it to. She explained that it decreases risks of the banks which had issued mortgage loan. They have a possibility to evict the debtor, she explained. She added the bank receives a possibility to sell mortgaged dwelling, and the citizen receives back in full the money under the mortgage agreement.

The deputy stressed the law clarifies all problematic issues related to eviction in case there underage children in the family. Palyanskaya says the decision on expropriation is issued with participation of guardianship agencies.