Ukraine's New Housing Code Ends an Era of Free Property Transfers

New Housing Code Approved

According to ХВИЛЯ: Ukraine's parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, has passed a new Housing Code, marking the end of a long-standing policy allowing citizens to acquire state-owned housing for free. The law was voted through its second reading on January 13 and is now awaiting the president's signature. This legislative change is part of broader post-war reforms aimed at modernizing the country's property market. Citizens who wish to complete this privatization process will have at least one year to do so after the nationwide martial law is lifted.

The Privatization Process

From start to finish, the procedure to privatize a dwelling will take roughly three months. It is important to note that the right to privatize on preferential terms is preserved for specific population groups, including:

• military personnel
• police officers
• emergency service workers
• orphaned children

“You have time for this. Specifically, you have one year after martial law ends in our country.” - Andrii Stavniuk

Consequently, the new Housing Code introduces significant changes to the housing privatization process, providing citizens with a limited timeframe to formalize their property rights.

The changes brought by the new Housing Code could substantially impact Ukraine's real estate market, as the time limits for privatization may encourage citizens to more actively secure their housing rights. The preferential conditions for specific population categories remain in place, which may support socially vulnerable groups during the transition to the new privatization rules. These reforms could also form part of the government's wider strategy for post-war recovery and housing policy reform.