Property Rights in Russia

In Russia, property may belong to individuals, companies, the state or municipalities, and foreigners generally enjoy the same rights as Russian citizens. For land and buildings, ownership exists only once it is recorded in the Unified State Register of Real Estate. A sale contract, a will or a court decision is the basis, but the register entry is what makes you the owner.

Attorney Elena Petrova represents owners who live in California and other countries and hold apartments, houses or land in Russia. This guide explains how those rights are structured and defended.

Forms of Ownership Recognised by Law

The Civil Code recognises private, state and municipal ownership. Private owners may hold property alone or jointly with others. Shared ownership comes in two forms: shared with defined shares, and joint without shares, which is typical for spouses.

Beyond ownership, the code knows limited rights in property. These include easements over a neighbour's land, lifetime inheritable possession of land granted in Soviet times, and the right of a person to live in a flat under a will or maintenance contract.

Registration as the Moment of Ownership

Rosreestr keeps the register and issues extracts that confirm ownership. Paper certificates of title are no longer issued; the extract has replaced them. Applications go through a multifunctional centre, a notary or online.

A foreign owner may apply through a representative. The power of attorney must be notarised, apostilled and translated.

Remedies Available to an Owner

An owner who has lost possession can claim the property back from someone who holds it unlawfully. If the owner still possesses it but someone interferes, such as a neighbour blocking access, a separate claim removes the obstruction.

Where the register itself is wrong, the owner may ask the court to recognise the right or declare the other party's registered right absent. Compensation for damage and lost income may be claimed on top.

Typical Property Conflicts

Most disputes we see involve relatives. Heirs argue over shares, one co-owner occupies the whole flat, or a former spouse claims half of property bought during the marriage. Another group concerns boundaries of land plots and unauthorised buildings.

Sales by a person without authority are a separate risk. The code protects a good-faith buyer in some cases, and the original owner may then keep only a claim for money against the wrongdoer.

Rights of Foreign Citizens and Companies

Foreigners can buy and own apartments, houses and commercial premises. They cannot own farmland, land in border areas and certain other territories listed by the President. Farmland may instead be leased.

Counter-sanction measures introduced since 2022 require special approval for some transactions with persons from countries the government lists as unfriendly. Payment routes and the right to receive sale proceeds abroad are also restricted. These rules change often and must be checked for each deal.

Holding Title Safely From Abroad

An owner abroad risks missing a fraudulent transaction or an arrest imposed on the property. You can file an application with Rosreestr prohibiting any registration without your personal participation. That single step blocks most schemes using forged powers of attorney.

Keep utility and property tax payments current, because debts lead to enforcement against the asset.

How the Attorney Protects Your Property

We start with the register data, the title history and the documents in your hands. Then we assess the risks, file protective applications and, if needed, bring a claim in the Russian court.

You receive explanations in English and can follow the case without travelling to Russia.

The main channel of communication with the attorney is email: attorneypetrova1@gmail.com.