Russian lawmakers have voted in favor of making a new legislation that would protect the rights of permanent residents in apartment blocks from the discomfort caused by the constant tenant turnover. Now, apartment owners may require permission from their neighbors before renting out their property on a per-day basis. The bill was proposed after a decree was put in place in order to prevent hotels from being compared with short-term apartment rentals. Following the success of the bill in the first reading in the State Duma, lawmakers are prepping for the second reading of the bill. The new legislation aims to amend the housing code that regulates the use of residential premises in Russia. It asserts that at least 75% of block residents should vote in favor of allowing individuals to rent out their apartments short term. The legislation will not affect long-term rentals, according to reports. The purpose of this initiative is to support and aid the development of communities within residential blocks. The main aim of the legislation is to improve the living conditions in multi-family blocks and comply with the housing code. It is believed that having the majority of residents vote in favor of short-term rentals will be a more respectful approach to the entire community and will provide legal clarity. The hope is to reduce neighborhood conflicts caused by short-term renters and encourage constructive dialogue among neighbors despite differing views on apartment rental rules. According to Izvestia, some experts believe that about 200,000 people are now renting out their property on a per-day basis in Russia. At the same time, the NAFI analytical agency estimated that, as of 2019, about 10 million Russians were living in rented apartments. This new bill has drawn both positive and negative feedback from both officials and business leaders. Rifat Garipov expressed his hopes that this bill could help residents to resume normal lives and stave off chaos in their building. While the bill received criticism from Maria Zhukova, the director of the Miel real estate agency, who sharply criticized the initiative, saying it would completely wipe out the daily rental business. Svetlana Razvorotneva shares the same opinion and stressed that the bill should be significantly amended before going to its second reading. As the second reading is being prepared, discussion about the definition of the minimum rental period and the lack of mechanism to hold those who violate the new rules accountable. It was suggested that the bill should more strongly consider the unique circumstances facing each rented apartment. These kinds of disagreements about the proposed bill could significantly impact its success in the second reading. It is essential for lawmakers to consider the potential impact. The bill sparks substantial debate surrounding the implications of the legislation, requiring additional discussion and careful consideration of the concerns raised by various officials and experts.
Overall, the legislation has the potential to provide a more stable and comfortable environment for permanent residents in apartment blocks, as well as support for legal clarity in this sphere. The bill aims to better regulate the short-term rental sphere while also providing a legal framework for residential premises.
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