20 June 2025, 09:00

Lukashenko signs decree to allow renters to buy rental housing

An archive photo

MINSK, 20 June (BelTA) – On 19 June Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko signed Decree No. 235 to grant renters the right to purchase rental housing, BelTA learned from the press service of the Belarusian head of state.

People working in the most in-demand professions will be able to purchase rental housing in population centers with a population of up to 20,000 people (except for Minsk District) under certain conditions.

In particular, applicants should be recognized as people in need for better housing; they should work in the organization that provided this housing and live in this rental accommodation for at least 10 years. Applicants and their family members should not have a history of using government subsidies for construction, renovation or purchase of housing. Applicants should not have residential premises in their ownership in the population center where the rental housing is located; if they had some property, they cannot buy out rental housing until three years pass after ownership was terminated.

Rental housing can be bought in installments for the period of 15 years. Personal privatization checks Housing and family capital can be used to buy such housing.

Local executive and administrative bodies, government agencies (organizations) will be authorized to transfer to the ownership of tenants single-family homes, apartments in semi-detached houses of the state housing stock located in the village, if they were in use for more than 10 years and require major repairs. At the same time, the housing provided for the duration of the employment period may be transferred to the ownership of people who have at least 5 years of work experience in the organization that provided the housing.

Rental housing was discussed at Aleksandr Lukashenko's meeting with senior officials of the Council of Ministers on 29 May. The president emphasized that this issue should be given priority attention in the five-year period.

“Next year we will present a draft social and economic development program, which will be discussed at the Belarusian People's Congress. Before the meeting we need to fine-tune all the provisions: who can qualify for rental housing, where it can be bought, how quickly and on what terms. There should also be an opportunity to acquire rental housing, including through an installment option,” the head of state emphasized.