How to get compensation for destroyed housing during the war

3 July 2024 10:51

Experts estimate that during the full-scale war, Ukraine’s housing stock suffered USD 58.9 billion in damage. In total, there are more than 250,000 damaged or destroyed properties. Ukrainians who have lost their homes or whose real estate has been damaged as a result of Russian military aggression can receive compensation for restoration. [ Komersant explains how to get compensation from the state.

Compensation is paid in several stages:

since May last year, funds have been allocated for minor repairs to damaged homes;
in August 2023, compensation for completely destroyed housing was launched;
after 1 January 2024, you can receive compensation for self-replacement of damaged housing;
compensation will also be paid for major repairs in the amount of UAH 200 thousand or more.

Who can receive compensation?

Only individual homeowners whose home was

destroyed due to hostilities after 24 February;
is not subject to restoration;
is located on the unoccupied territory and not in the area of active hostilities.

The homeowner must not have a criminal record for crimes against national security and must not be on the sanctions list.

The property must also be registered in the State Register of Real Property Rights (SRRP).

Compensation is available for the following types of destroyed housing:

Private residential houses
Garden and country houses
Apartments
Residential premises.

Important! Destroyed outbuildings such as sheds, summer kitchens, garages, etc. are not eligible for this compensation. The aim of the programme is to provide housing for those whose homes have been destroyed.

Who has priority?

The priority groups are military personnel and families of fallen soldiers, people with disabilities of groups I and II and large families.

What are the conditions?

The property to be purchased must be located in the unoccupied territory and not in the area of direct hostilities.

How to get compensation for destroyed housing

If your apartment or private house is destroyed as a result of Russian aggression, you should first file an information report about the damaged property. This can be done through the Diia app or portal, the ASC or a notary.

Diia will send the information to the local government of the community where the destroyed house is located. The local authorities will verify the information and draw up an act on the destroyed housing, which will be recorded in the Register of Damaged and Destroyed Property administered by the Ministry of Communities, Territories and Infrastructure of Ukraine.

Ukrainians temporarily residing abroad can also apply for a housing certificate through Diia. However, when the local authority records the fact of the destruction of the house on the spot, it is advisable to have the owner or his authorised representative present to confirm the decision of the local authority set out in the act.

Then you should apply for a housing certificate. This can be done in the Diia app in the “eRestoration” section.

Get the decision of the local council commission on the amount of the certificate. You can view your housing certificate in the Diia app.

Choose new housing and book the funds under the certificate. Make an agreement with the seller and submit an application in the Diia app to reserve the funds.

Then you should contact a notary to complete all the procedures. The notary will confirm the relinquishment of ownership of the destroyed property and draw up a purchase and sale agreement for the new property.

Get your new home. If the amount of funds in the certificate is higher than the cost of the new home, you will be able to claim payments from future reparations.

What documents are required

You need to have documents confirming your ownership of the destroyed housing. It is necessary that the information about the ownership is in the State Register of Real Property Rights. If any notarial or registration acts were performed with the house or apartment since the beginning of 2014, then the ownership information is definitely in this register.

If the house is older and/or nothing has happened to it since then, you need to have paper documents. In this case, you need to contact the Centre for the Provision of Administrative Services or a notary who has the authority of a state registrar – they will be entered into the register.

If information about the ownership of the property is not in the register of real rights to real estate and, at the same time, paper documents have been lost, then the issue of ownership will have to be resolved in court.

How is the amount of compensation determined?

The amount is determined in accordance with Cabinet of Ministers Resolution No. 600 of 30.05.23. It takes into account the total area of the property multiplied by the weighted average cost of 1 square metre of housing.

The basis for the calculations is the average market value of housing in Ukraine, based on an analysis of pre-conflict real estate transactions.

The Commission calculates the amount of compensation for destroyed real estate using a formula established by law, separately for houses and apartments.

The calculation takes into account

the value of 1 square metre of housing on the secondary market in Ukraine as a whole
regional coefficient;
number of rooms;
year of construction;
area of the property and other indicators.

At the same time, monetary compensation for destroyed housing is provided only within the following square metres

no more than 150 square metres for apartments;
no more than 200 square metres for a manor house, garden or country house.

What kind of housing can be purchased with a housing certificate?

You can buy an apartment, a house, a living space (a room in a dormitory) or invest in future real estate.

It may well be that the cost of the new housing you want to buy with the certificate will be higher than the amount specified in it – then you will have to pay the difference at your own expense.

A person can choose the region where they want to buy a new property, as well as the type of property. It can be an apartment, a house, or an investment in housing. A person is also free to choose a notary to work with.