keys by contract: a guide to renting a home

Admiralcom

An independent reference on renting a home. We neither let nor find housing and are not an agency; we are not connected with the former site on this domain. Not legal advice.

Glossary

Glossary

A tenancy agreement uses words you rarely hear in everyday conversation. The glossary below puts them into plain language, making it easier to read your own agreement and ask the other side questions that get to the point.

If a word in the agreement is unclear, ask about it before you sign. After you sign, it applies to you.

— Editor's note

The explanations are deliberately simplified and based on Chapter 35 of the Russian Civil Code. For exact wording, open the Code itself, and to assess your own case, talk to a lawyer.

Parties and the agreement

Landlord
The party that provides a home for payment: the owner or their representative. In everyday speech, the owner of the flat.
Tenant
The party that receives a home to possess and use for living in and pays for it. In everyday speech, the renter or lodger.
Residential tenancy agreement
An agreement under which the landlord gives the tenant a home for payment, to possess and use for living in. It is made in writing; in Russia the rules are set out in Chapter 35 of the Civil Code.
Permanent residents
People who live in the flat with the tenant and are usually named in the agreement. Their written consent is needed, for example, when the tenant ends the agreement early.

Term and rights

Short-term tenancy
A tenancy for up to one year. Some of the rules in Chapter 35 do not apply to such an agreement, so what it says itself matters all the more.
Priority right
The tenant's right, when the term of an agreement other than a short-term one ends, to conclude a new agreement ahead of others. No later than three months before the term ends, the landlord must offer renewal or give notice of refusal.
Encumbrance
A restriction on ownership that arises, for example, under a tenancy agreement. If the agreement is concluded for a term of at least one year, the encumbrance is subject to state registration.

Documents and money

Handover report
A document the parties sign when the flat is handed over: the date, meter readings, number of keys, condition of the rooms. It is useful to draw up the same kind of report when moving out.
Inventory
A list of the furniture, appliances and other items that stay in the flat, with notes on their condition. It is usually attached to the report.
Security deposit
Money the tenant pays to secure their obligations; people often just call it a "deposit." It is a way of securing an obligation under Article 381.1 of the Civil Code, and the return terms are best written into the agreement.
Power of attorney
A document by which the owner authorizes another person to act on their behalf, for example to let the flat and sign the agreement. The tenant should read it in full.
Written claim
A written demand from one party to the other: for example, to return the security deposit or compensate for damage. It is usually the first step before anyone thinks about court.
  • Basics

    What residential tenancy is, what each party is expected to do, how long an agreement can last and which payments it should cover.

  • Documents

    The tenancy agreement, handover report, inventory, proof of payment, power of attorney and notice of termination: why you need them and what to check.

  • FAQ

    Short answers about the form and term of the agreement, the security deposit and utilities, moving out, disputes and scams.

  • Guides

    Step-by-step checklists: verifying the owner, the handover report and inventory, utilities, breakdowns, guests and pets, ending the lease and getting the deposit back.

Sources

  • Russian Civil Code, Chapter 35 "Tenancy of Residential Premises"
  • Russian Civil Code, Article 381.1 "Security Deposit"

This guide summarizes Chapter 35 of the Russian Civil Code, "Tenancy of Residential Premises," and Article 381.1 on the security deposit. The rules change from time to time, so before signing, check the current version on the official legal information portal and the text of your own agreement, and if a dispute arises, talk to a lawyer.