How to get, buy or build your own housing in Belarus? Orphans in Belarus will receive social housing for five years

“We’ve been living in Minsk for ten years now,” says the mother of four children, Alexandra. “We don’t have our own apartment, we registered in the city with relatives in order to get on the waiting list for an apartment. In the meantime, we’re “drifting” around rented houses. Now the owners have asked us to move out.. "It's not clear where to go with the children. We hope that they will give us a social apartment at least for a while." Alexandra’s story is not at all uncommon. An NG correspondent found out who is entitled to social housing and what rights its tenants have.

Experience of decades and countries

The history of the development of social housing goes back more than one decade. Programs to provide citizens with housing at low prices or even free were implemented in many countries: the USSR, China, Canada and other countries. In each of them, the emergence of social housing was due to its own reasons. For example, in Chinese Hong Kong, such a residential construction program was adopted in the middle of the last century due to the need to restore the northwestern region after a fire that left 53 thousand people homeless. There, it was decided to demolish most of the buildings that “survived” the fire and build inexpensive fireproof high-rise buildings in their place.

In Belarus, social housing arose relatively recently, however, the state has already provided thousands of residents with municipal apartments.

“As of January 1 of this year, about 14,800 residential premises for social use were provided in Belarus under lease agreements for social use residential premises of the state fund,” says the head of the legal work and personnel department of the Ministry of Housing and Utilities. Natalya Kukharchik. — Of these, 1,828 were provided last year. At the same time, 19.8 thousand citizens have the right to receive social housing.

Potential owners

According to the Constitution of the Republic of Belarus, citizens in need of social protection are provided with housing by the state and local governments free of charge or at a fee affordable to them in accordance with the law.

Who is eligible to receive “free” housing?

“The procedure for providing residential premises for social use is determined by the norms of the Housing Code of Belarus,” explains Natalya Kukharchik. — The right to receive residential premises for social use is granted to certain categories of citizens who are registered as needing improved housing conditions.

In particular, these include citizens whose living quarters have become uninhabitable due to natural and man-made emergencies, military operations and terrorist attacks; citizens or their children who have diseases that make it impossible to live together with them in the same room or one-room apartment. Orphans and children left without parental care, Heroes of Belarus, the Soviet Union and Socialist Labor, full holders of the Order of Glory and Labor Glory, veterans and disabled people of the Great Patriotic War and disabled people from military operations in other states can count on receiving social housing. Citizens transferred to the reserve from among military personnel and commanding and rank-and-file personnel of the Investigative Committee, internal affairs bodies, the department of financial investigations of the State Control Committee, bodies and units for emergency situations, who were wounded, shell-shocked, mutilated and sick in the line of duty.

In addition, people who have been disabled since childhood due to wounds and other injuries received during hostilities, citizens who have fallen ill and suffered radiation sickness after the disaster at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant or other radiation accidents can apply for social housing. “Free” housing can be obtained by unemployed single disabled people of groups I and II, unemployed single pensioners, citizens whose families have disabled children, as well as certain categories of citizens whose average monthly total income for each family member does not exceed the approved budget of the subsistence level on average per capita, calculated for the 12 months preceding registration of those in need. For example, citizens living in boarding homes for the elderly and disabled, who have been diagnosed with disability group III or who are recognized as capable, large families and mothers who have received the title “Mother Heroine” or awarded the Order of the Mother, Maternal glory, medal of Motherhood, citizens who have taken in three or more orphans.

Nuances of use

“Social housing is provided to these categories of citizens for an unlimited period, and no fee is charged for it,” adds Natalya Anatolyevna. — Citizens only have the right to own and use residential premises, that is, they cannot be privatized, exchanged, divided or sub-leased.

However, social residential premises do not always delight their new inhabitants. Minsk resident Tatyana Sorokina contacted the editor. Her nephew, group II disabled Vitaly Shloido, was given a social apartment in a house built in 1959. For 44 years, no major renovations have been carried out in the apartment building.

“We were assured that the living quarters would be put in order,” writes Tatyana. — We asked to change the front door, repaint the bathtub (it was painted blue), replace the rusty toilet and sink in the kitchen. It is impossible to wash dishes in the kitchen: when you open the tap, water pours onto the floor. They also asked for a new gas stove. The wallpaper in the kitchen has peeled off, and in the hallway there is some kind of wire sticking out of the wall. Of all the above, we only had the stove replaced. What should we, the old and sick, do? If only we could change the sink and toilet - we can live with the other shortcomings....

Natalya Anatolyevna explains: the residential premises provided must meet the sanitary and technical requirements for residential premises. When receiving social housing, its new residents sign an acceptance certificate for the residential premises. If the residential premises do not meet the requirements for residential premises, they must be put in order in accordance with such requirements. After this, the residents themselves must take care of the improvement of their living quarters. In the future, replacement and repair of failed electrical, gas, sanitary and other equipment will be carried out at the expense of the lessor only during major repairs. If the provided social housing does not suit the residents, they can write a refusal.

Large families have privileged rights to receive a free apartment. It is the easiest and fastest way for them to acquire the coveted meters. A large family has an extraordinary right to receive a preferential loan or subsidy for housing construction. If there are three children in a family, then the state pays 75% of the amount of debt on issued loans; if there are four or more minor children - 100% of the amount owed on the loan. Plus, for this category of citizens, a loan for housing construction is issued for 40 years and at the lowest interest rate. The loan covers the cost of up to 20 square meters for each family member, and the loan can amount to 100% of the cost of housing. But all this is possible subject to certain conditions:

a large family must be low-income;
be on the list of large families in need of improved housing conditions and eligible to receive preferential loans or one-time subsidies;
have at least 3 children under the age of 23, unmarried and living with their parents, including those studying or undergoing military service.

Also eligible to receive a preferential loan for housing construction are military personnel, police officers, employees of the Ministry of Emergency Situations, the KGB, employees of the operational analytical center, as well as employees of the presidential security service, the department of financial investigations of the KGB, judges, prosecutors, as well as former military personnel who are registered those in need of improved housing conditions at their place of residence at least 6 months before the day of dismissal. The apartment is not completely free, but still you can’t usually buy housing in our country for that kind of money.

Necessity of business

The next way to get an apartment is to privatize a commercial apartment (formerly a service apartment). But this must be done before July 1, 2016. So, according to the Housing Code of the Republic of Belarus, certain categories of citizens who were provided with official housing before April 8, 2006, have the right to transfer ownership of such residential premises, namely: judges and prosecutors, provided that on the date of filing the application they are considered to be in need of improvement living conditions, have worked for 10 or more years (for judges of the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Belarus - 8 or more years); military personnel, privates and commanding officers, including those transferred to the reserve (retired) and having 10 or more years of military service, and other categories.

Social housing

In our country there are citizens who have the right to receive social housing. Social housing is provided for an unlimited period, and there is no charge for it. The only thing that citizens cannot do with social housing is to privatize it, exchange it, sell it or rent it out. The procedure for providing residential premises for social use is determined by the norms of the Housing Code of Belarus. The right to receive such “free” housing is granted to certain categories of citizens who are registered as needing improved housing conditions. In particular, these include citizens whose living quarters have become uninhabitable due to natural and man-made emergencies, military operations and terrorist attacks; citizens or their children who have diseases that make it impossible to live together with them in the same room or one-room apartment. Orphans and children without parental care, Heroes of Belarus, full holders of the Order of Glory and Labor Glory, veterans and disabled people of the Great Patriotic War and disabled people from military operations in other states can count on receiving social housing. And this is not the entire list of those who can qualify for free meters.

Paradise in a hut

The next method is suitable for those who already own housing - if you can call it that... This category of applicants for a free apartment includes citizens living in houses for demolition. They receive new apartments, usually within a given locality, without worsening living conditions. So, if a resident is the owner of an apartment, then he has the right to expect to receive ownership of another residential premises (monetary compensation in the amount of the market value of the demolished home is also possible). Moreover, the total area of the residential premises provided must be no less than the area of the house or apartment that is subject to demolition. At the same time, at least 15 square meters are allocated for each person.

Care in exchange for... an apartment

This method cannot be called a full-fledged way to get an apartment for free for one reason - it will require certain costs from the new owner of the apartment associated with concluding a rental agreement. The concept of rent is contained in Article 554 of the Civil Code of the Republic of Belarus. The meaning of the rent agreement is that one of the parties agrees to transfer an apartment to the other party in exchange for certain obligations: to periodically pay the rentee a certain amount of money or provide funds for its maintenance in another form. Such agreements are usually concluded by elderly, lonely people who have no one to leave an apartment as an inheritance and who are afraid that towards the end of their lives there will be no one to take care of them. For the recipient of the apartment, such cooperation is also beneficial, because in the vast majority of cases, the costs of maintaining an elderly owner of the living space are disproportionately small compared to the market value of the apartment.

Decree No. 240 has already entered into force on August 7. This means that the allocation of targeted subsidies is about to begin. Who and how will the state support with rubles in their dream of finding their “square meters”?

Only those who are registered as needing improved housing conditions. In this case, subsidies will be issued to pay off interest:

The preferential category of citizens listed in the Decree of the President of the Republic of Belarus dated January 6, 2012 No. 13 “On some issues of providing citizens with state support during the construction (reconstruction) or acquisition of residential premises.”
Current prosecutorial employees and those already dismissed due to age, health status, as well as due to a reduction in the number or staff of employees (in connection with organizational and staffing measures). The length of service in the prosecutor's office is important here - at least 5 calendar years.
Low-income citizens who are building or reconstructing housing in the Mogilev region (in the territories of Krichevsky, Klimovichi, Krasnopolsky, Kostyukovichsky, Slavgorodsky, Cherikovsky and Khotimsky districts).

To repay the principal debt and part of the interest, subsidies will be given to:

large families with 3 or more minor children;
to young low-income families at the birth (adoption) of the first and (or) second child;
orphans and those without parental care;
tenants of social housing, which was provided to them as orphans and children without parental care. The subsidy can be allocated while the fixed-term rental agreement for such residential premises is in force.

What will the subsidies be given for?

for the construction of housing in multi-apartment and semi-detached buildings of economy class, which are included in the list approved by the Ministry of Architecture and Construction of the Republic of Belarus, as well as for the construction (reconstruction) of single-apartment residential buildings;
for the reconstruction of residential premises.

What can be paid for with subsidies?

1. Only part of the interest on a home construction loan obtained from any commercial bank.

2. Part of the interest and principal on the loan.

! Unlike a preferential loan, compensation from the budget will be paid not to the bank, but directly to the citizen.

What is the amount of subsidies for paying part of the loan interest?

1. For large families with 3 minor children – refinancing rate + 2% * .

2. For large families with 4 or more minor children – refinancing rate + 3% * .

3. Large families with 3 or more children under the age of 23, as well as orphans - refinancing rate + 2% * .

* if a lower interest rate on the loan is not established in the agreement

4. others in need of improved housing conditions: refinancing rate – 2%. That is 9.5%.

What is the amount of subsidies for repayment of the principal debt?

Only for young and large families, orphans:

– for families with many children with 3 minor children – 95% of the principal debt on the loan;

– for large families with 4 or more minor children – 100% of the principal loan debt.

– for young families at birth (adoption):

first child – 10% of the loan principal;
second child – 20% of the loan principal.

– for orphans – 35% of the loan principal.

! The amount of the subsidy will be recalculated if the composition of the family changes (first the base cost of the loan will be recalculated, then appropriate changes will be made to the decision of the district (city) executive committee).

MP calculator

Since Belarusbank and Belagroprombank now issue loans for housing construction for 20 years at 14.5% per annum (refinancing rate + 3%), in practice, repaying the debt to these banks through targeted subsidies looks like this:

for large families with 3 children, the subsidy will cover 13.5% (refinancing rate 11.5% + 2%) per annum out of 14.5%;
for large families with 4 children, the subsidy will fully cover the payment of annual interest on the loan (14.5% per annum - 14.5% subsidy);
for everyone else, the subsidy will cover 9.5% per annum out of 14.5%.

Painting by numbers

It is always easier to understand the essence of any innovation with examples. We take as a sample different families who can count on state support under Decree No. 240, and calculate how much more accessible a commercial loan for housing has become in monetary terms.

For what part of the living space will subsidies be provided to pay part of the loan interest?

Example 1.

The maximum standardized cost of residential premises for providing a subsidy for the payment of part of the interest to this family will be 35,640 rubles: 20 sq. meters * x 3 people x 660 rubles ** x 90%.

Example 2. A family of 3 people with a disabled child was assigned on a first-come, first-served basis to the shared construction of a 3-room apartment with a total area of 70 sq. m. meters. Cost of 1 sq. meter - 800 rubles. However, the family already owns a 1-room apartment with an area of 30 square meters. meters.

In this case, the maximum standardized cost of residential premises for providing a subsidy for the payment of part of the interest to this family will be 17,820 rubles: (20 sq. meters x 3 people - 30 sq. meters) x 660 rubles x 90%.

Example 3. A large family with 3 children in turn was sent to share construction of a 4-room apartment with a total area of 90 sq. m. meters. Cost of 1 sq. meter - 800 rubles.

The maximum standardized cost of residential premises to provide a subsidy for the payment of part of the interest for a given large family will be 66,000 rubles: 20 sq. meters x 5 people x 660 rubles x 100%.

Example 4. A large family with 3 children in turn was sent to share construction of a 4-room apartment with a total area of 90 sq. m. meters. Cost of 1 sq. meter - 800 rubles. The family already owns a 1-room apartment with an area of 30 square meters. meters.

The maximum standardized cost of residential premises to provide a subsidy for the payment of part of the interest to this family will be 46,200 rubles: (20 sq. meters x 5 people - 30 sq. meters) x 660 rubles x 100%.

Example 5. A large family with 3 children takes out a loan for the construction of a single-family residential building with a total area of 150 square meters. meters in a settlement with a population of up to 20 thousand people. Cost of 1 sq. meter of house (excluding the cost of outbuildings) - 1000 rubles. The construction of a residential building (excluding the cost of outbuildings) will cost the family 150,000 rubles. The cost of outbuildings is 15,000 rubles.

The maximum standardized cost of residential premises for providing subsidies to this large family (excluding the cost of outbuildings) will be 66,000 rubles: 20 sq. meters x 5 people x 660 rubles x 100%.

The maximum standardized cost of residential premises for providing subsidies to this large family, taking into account the cost of construction of outbuildings provided for in the design documentation, will be 79,200 rubles: 66,000 rubles x 20% + 66,000 rubles.

Example 6. A family of 3 people with a disabled child was assigned on a first-come, first-served basis to the shared construction of a 3-room apartment with a total area of 70 sq. m. meters. Cost of 1 sq. meter - 800 rubles.

The maximum standardized cost of residential premises for providing a subsidy for the payment of part of the interest to this family was 35,640 rubles: 20 sq. meters x 3 people x 660 rubles x 90%.

However, while the apartment was being built, another child was born into the family. Therefore, the maximum standardized cost of residential premises for providing a subsidy for the payment of part of the interest to this family was recalculated. As a result, it amounted to 47,520 rubles: 20 sq. meters x 4 people x 660 rubles x 90%.

For information

* 20 sq. meters - the standard for the total area of residential premises under construction (reconstruction), established in subclause 1.5 of Decree No. 13.

** 660 rubles is the maximum cost standard for 1 sq. m. meters of total living space, determined by paragraph two of clause 8 of Resolution of the Council of Ministers of December 29, 2016 No. 1113.

“Socially vulnerable categories of citizens can transfer non-privatized housing to the category of social housing and live for free. Who are these people? Gennady Prussky."

Gennady Trubilo, Deputy Minister of Housing and Communal Services:

─ In accordance with part two of paragraph 91 of the Regulations on the registration of citizens in need of improved housing conditions, and on the procedure for providing residential premises of the state housing stock, approved by Presidential Decree No. 563 of December 16, 2013, at the request of a tenant of housing belonging to citizens identified in paragraph 63 of the Regulations, the residential premises occupied by him are subject to inclusion in the composition of residential premises for social use.

These include:

1. citizens whose residential premises (including those owned by them) due to emergencies of a natural and man-made nature, military operations and acts of terrorism have become unsuitable for living;

2. citizens with diseases and citizens whose families include children with diseases specified in the list determined by the Ministry of Health, the presence of which makes it impossible for them to live together with other people in the same room or one-room apartment;

3. orphans and children left without parental care, in respect of whom a decision has been made on emancipation or who have entered into marriage, children left without parental care;

4. Heroes of Belarus, Heroes of the Soviet Union, Heroes of Socialist Labor, full holders of the Order of Glory, Labor Glory;

5. veterans and disabled people of the Great Patriotic War and disabled people from combat operations on the territory of other states from among the categories of citizens established in articles 2 and 4 of the Law of April 17, 1992 “On Veterans”;

b. citizens, including those transferred to the reserve (retirement), from among military personnel who have become disabled as a result of a wound, concussion, injury or illness received during the performance of military service duties (official duties), except in cases where the disability occurred as a result of unlawful actions, according to cause of alcohol, drug, toxic intoxication, self-harm;

7. disabled people since childhood due to wounds, contusions, mutilations associated with military operations during the Great Patriotic War or with the consequences of military operations;

8. citizens who fell ill and suffered radiation sickness caused by the consequences of the disaster at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, other radiation accidents, disabled people for whom a causal relationship has been established between injury or disease leading to disability with the disaster at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, other radiation accidents;

9. unemployed single disabled people of groups 1 and 2, except for those specified in paragraph 8;

10. unemployed single pensioners, people who have reached the generally established retirement age;

11. citizens whose families include disabled children;

12. citizens whose average monthly total income for each family member does not exceed the approved budget of the subsistence level on average per capita, calculated for the 12 months preceding the month of registration (and on the day of provision of residential premises for social use), and who have the declared property, the total value of which does not exceed the cost of an apartment of standard consumer qualities based on the maximum norm for the provision of the total area of social residential premises per family member, from among the following categories:

12.1. disabled people of groups 1 and 2, with the exception of people with disabilities specified in paragraphs 8 and 9;

12.2. citizens living in boarding homes for the elderly and disabled, who, during re-examination, were assigned disability group 117 (disability removed) or who were recognized as legally competent in the prescribed manner;

12.3. pensioners, persons who have reached the generally established retirement age, with the exception of pensioners specified in paragraph 10;

12.4. large families, as well as mothers who have been awarded the title "Mother Heroine" or who have been awarded the Order of the Mother, the Order of Maternal Glory or the medal "Motherhood Medal";

12.5 citizens who have taken in three or more orphans or children left without parental care;

12.6. veterans of combat operations on the territory of other states;

12.7. family members of deceased (deceased) citizens specified in Article 22 of the Law “On Veterans”.

Thus, if you belong to one of the above categories of citizens, then the residential premises you occupy can be transferred to social housing if you submit to the local executive and administrative body an appropriate application and documents confirming your classification into one of these categories. In this case, no fee will be charged for the use of social residential premises.

Social housing- This is a way by which citizens are provided with housing not on the right of ownership. The owner of the house or apartment is the state or municipality. Different countries have different mechanisms for the functioning of this system, and the main differences lie in the lists of reasons for providing citizens with this type of housing. In addition, the approach to pricing, contract duration and other aspects may differ markedly. In Belarus, social housing can be obtained by certain categories of citizens under the terms of an indefinite rental agreement.

Social housing has only recently appeared in Belarus, and government officials say that this part of the housing stock will develop rapidly. At the beginning of 2013, 14,800 social apartments across the country were occupied. However, optimistic forecasts that the waiting list for social housing would disappear by the end of 2015 did not materialize. The likely attraction of Chinese investors in the construction of social housing in Brest, Vitebsk, Gomel, Mogilev and Grodno will speed up the process.

Just like social housing, social housing appears in two ways: either a house is built, or it is transferred to the rank of social housing. When asked whether it is possible to privatize social housing in Minsk and other cities of Belarus, the law answers with an unequivocal ban. Also, social housing cannot be divided, exchanged, or donated. In essence, the provision of social housing means possible eviction in the future in cases of gross violations of the terms of the contract. Moreover, if in addition to the citizen to whom it was directly provided, his relatives live in a social apartment, in most cases they will be subject to eviction from the apartment after his death. You can avoid eviction if in the same locality where the social apartment is located, the tenant’s relatives do not have suitable housing for living at the rate of 15 meters per person (in Minsk - 10 meters). This is not the only possible exception, and a complete list of reasons for refusing eviction can be found in Articles 91 and 115 of the Housing Code of the Republic of Belarus. As for the cost of living in a social apartment, no additional payments are provided; the tenant must only pay for the use of utilities on time.

How to get social housing in Minsk

In order to rent an apartment from the state free of charge, you must belong to one of the categories of citizens who are entitled to this housing by law. The algorithm for immediate action is quite simple: You need to submit an application to the local administration and wait your turn. The list of documents required for queuing is quite individual and depends on which category of people in need you belong to. A complete list of documents required for you personally can be found in the One Window service of your district administration. There are usually no major difficulties in the process of applying for social housing. How to get it quickly is a much more difficult question.

Who is eligible for social housing?

The need to provide free housing or housing at very low prices to those who need social protection is spelled out at the highest legislative level - in the Constitution of the Republic of Belarus. Certain categories of citizens from among those who are in line for improved housing conditions are recognized as needing social protection.

Decree of the President of the Republic of Belarus No. 563 dated December 16, 2013 approved the Regulations on the registration of citizens in need of improved housing conditions and on the procedure for providing residential premises in the state housing stock. This provision specifies who is entitled to social housing in Minsk and other localities in Belarus:

Those whose housing is no longer suitable for living in due to an emergency such as a flood, earthquake, military action, etc.
Those who must live in a separate room for health reasons. If a person with a corresponding diagnosis lives with relatives in a one-room apartment, he should be provided with social housing.
Orphans and children left without parental care. What is important here is that such citizens should receive a social apartment in the first six months after their eighteenth birthday or, if they express a desire, in the first six months after their expulsion from higher secondary educational institutions (vocational school, secondary school, university). In fact, these are not deadlines for obtaining housing, but for being placed on a waiting list.
Citizens who have the first or second group of disability and do not have a job or relatives.
Large families and mothers, but only if they have the title “Mother Heroine”
Other categories of citizens

Possible in a large ad database.