Living abroad and refugee status do not exempt Ukrainian property owners from the obligation to pay their housing bills. This is stated in the ruling of the Boryspil City District Court of the Kyiv region.
The conflict concerned a woman, the owner of an apartment, who left for Bulgaria at the very beginning of the full-scale invasion. For the period from October 2022 to December 31, 2024, she accumulated a debt of UAH 9,233. During the trial, she stated that she was not physically present in Ukraine and provided a copy of her international passport as confirmation.
The woman stated that she did not use utilities, such as water, an elevator, and building infrastructure. However, the court sided with the Association of Co-Owners of the Apartment Building “Happy Meters”. The court decision stated that ownership of real estate imposes financial obligations on the owner that do not disappear due to moving abroad.
The amount of the debt included contributions to the maintenance of the house and the surrounding area (janitors, repairs of communications, lighting of entrances), central heating and removal of solid household waste. The court ordered the woman to repay the debt in favor of the condominium association.
Analyses confirm that this problem affects a wide range of people. According to OpenDatabot, last year 28.3% of all civil cases in the courts concerned debts for utility services, while claims for bank loans and credits made up only 12%.
Lawyers remind: even if the housing is not damaged and is not in a combat zone or occupation, the owners are obliged to pay for “fixed” utility services. This includes building management, central heating and a monthly fee for gas distribution. At the same time, you can be exempted from paying for water, electricity, and gas as a commodity if the meters show zero consumption or the owner has provided a certificate of non-occupancy. However, contributions to the condominium association remain mandatory.
