Chapter 35 of the Civil Code
The main rules on residential tenancy in Russia: the definition of the agreement, written form, term, renewal and termination. These are the articles the sections of this guide summarize.
Updates
Changes and Updates
You will not find housing market news or guesses about future amendments here. Instead, there are pointers: which rules this guide relies on, where to find their current text and how to notice for yourself that a rule has changed. Below them is a catalogue of articles for English-speaking readers.
A summary of the law ages faster than the law itself. Check the date of the version, not the date of the article you are reading.
We do not discuss draft laws or guess what will be passed tomorrow. This page has a humbler task: to show how to check whether the rules this guide describes are still in force.
What this guide relies on
The rules and sources worth rereading in the original.
Article 381.1
General rules on the security deposit as a way of securing an obligation. They are not limited to tenancy, so it is useful to spell out the return terms in the agreement itself.
The official portal
The texts of Russian laws and their current versions are published on the official internet portal of legal information. It is more reliable than summaries on random web pages.
Tax questions
The rules for paying tax on income from letting a home depend on the landlord's status and change from time to time. Look for up-to-date guidance on the Russian Federal Tax Service website.
Article catalogue for English-speaking readers
Over time, this catalogue will collect standalone articles in English about renting a home. Their topics come from the questions tenants and landlords ask most often, and each text is written from scratch for English-speaking readers rather than translated.
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Topics in progress
- Move-in checklists: how to record the condition of a home with photos and notes
- Splitting household bills fairly when you share a rental
- How to talk to your landlord about repairs without a falling-out
- Ending a lease on good terms: notice, cleaning and the final walk-through
Editorial rules
- Articles in this catalogue are written separately for each language version and are not translations.
- Some articles link to third-party websites, including gaming services; we do not control their content, prices or terms.
- We do not let or find housing, or publish advertising for agencies or listing services, rankings, prices or reviews.
How to keep track of changes
Look for the text of the rule, not a summary
The easiest way to open the article you need is on the official legal information portal, which also shows when it was last amended.
Check the date of your agreement
Amendments do not always apply to agreements signed earlier. Before drawing conclusions, compare the date of the change with the date you signed your agreement.
Read the amended rule in full
Sometimes just one word in an article changes, and the meaning of the rule becomes different. So compare the old and new text in full, not by the heading or a brief description.
Discuss anything important with a lawyer
If a new rule could affect your dispute or a large sum, consult a lawyer first and only then act.
Related sections
- Basics
What residential tenancy is, what each party is expected to do, how long an agreement can last and which payments it should cover.
- 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.
- Glossary
A glossary of renting terms: landlord, tenant, short-term tenancy, handover report, security deposit, encumbrance.
- FAQ
Short answers about the form and term of the agreement, the security deposit and utilities, moving out, disputes and scams.
Sources
- Russian Civil Code, Chapter 35 "Tenancy of Residential Premises"
- Russian Civil Code, Article 381.1 "Security Deposit"
- Official Internet Portal of Legal Information (general reference)
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.