Court orders bailiffs to pay compensation for secret apartment sale

The Klimov family from Verkhnyaya Pyshma, Russia, has secured compensation from the bailiff service for the illegal sale of their two-room apartment, but the payout amount was significantly less than requested.

In autumn 2023, the property was secretly sold at auction to repay a debt that had previously been bought by debt collectors. The owners only learned of the deal when the new owner showed up at their home.

In spring 2024, the court found that the bailiffs had exceeded their authority in organizing the auction. Based on this decision, they were ordered to pay compensation for moral damages.

The family«s lawyer, Zarina Adyeva, explained: »From the moment people found out they were no longer owners until the regional court ruled that the bailiffs were wrong, five months passed. All this time, they were sitting on a powder keg. Understanding that courts would not award large sums for moral damages, we asked for only 50,000 rubles ($500 at current rates), even though the suffering the family endured certainly cannot be measured in 50,000 rubles. In the end, they received even less—only 15,000 rubles ($150).«

In addition, the FSSP (Federal Bailiff Service of Russia) was ordered to pay 25,000 rubles ($250) in legal costs for the representative«s services and 3,000 rubles ($30) in state duty. The other party in the case has already filed an appeal against this decision.

After the court ruled in favor of the Klimovs, the bailiffs resumed enforcement proceedings for the debts, even though they had been repaid with the funds from the apartment sale. Additionally, the debtor is being demanded to return 900,000 rubles ($9,000) that were credited to her account after the property was sold and the obligations were settled. Legal proceedings on these matters continue.

The apartment still belongs to the company that won the auction, as protective measures have been imposed on it.