Russian media are reporting that Ukraine has allegedly adopted a law allowing apartments to be confiscated over unpaid utility bills – supposedly “without prior notice”, creating a threat that people could be left without their only housing. However, this information is manipulative, StopFake confirms.

Draft Law No. 14005 does not provide for the confiscation of a person’s only home over minor utility debts. Provisions allowing for the possible seizure of real estate existed before as well – they are applied only when the amount of debt is substantial or when the debtor has no other property from which the debt can be recovered. The document is aimed at automating certain technical processes: when a debt arises, the system may automatically impose an asset freeze, but this freeze is also automatically lifted once the debt is paid. A freeze is a temporary restriction on the disposal of property, not its confiscation.

Disinformation publications, however, deliberately present the situation as if utility debt could lead to the loss of one’s home. “This means that thousands of people who are already barely making ends meet could suddenly find themselves on the street”, “without prior notice”, writes the propaganda outlet Ukraina.ru.

Lawyers and the head of the relevant parliamentary committee, Denys Maslov, confirm that the draft law does not change the rules for confiscating real estate that have been in place for many years. The seizure of an apartment is possible only in exceptional cases – for example, when the amount of debt is significant (exceeding 20 minimum wages) or when the debtor has no other assets from which the debt can be recovered. This is not about “automatic confiscation”, but about a lengthy legal process that necessarily requires a court decision. Under Ukraine’s Law “On Enforcement Proceedings” (Articles 48 and 50), the seizure of a debtor’s only home is a last-resort measure in Ukraine.