Grab Your Mops: Fines and Eviction for Clutter
Fines for cluttering apartments are proposed to be increased at least tenfold.
In Russia, it is forbidden to store certain items in apartments, and cluttering the premises can lead to a fine or even eviction. We explain all the nuances in this article.
What is prohibited to store at home
Explosives
The list of prohibited items for storage in apartments includes flammable and explosive substances. These include:
household flammable liquids (gasoline, kerosene);
gas cylinders with flammable gases;
gunpowder and pyrotechnic products.
Additionally, Russian law extends the ban not only to apartments but also to balconies, loggias, storage rooms, and even common areas of the building — attics and basements.
Chemicals
Also prohibited are items and substances that pose chemical, biological, or radiation hazards. This refers to toxic chemicals not intended for household use:
concentrated acids and alkalis; potent pesticides;
insecticides;
mercury;
poisons.
Even a minor leak or evaporation can cause severe poisoning, emphasized lawyer and head of the Avanti Law House Nadezhda Borzenko.
«Biological threats include, for example, pathogenic microorganisms or improperly disposed biological waste that creates a risk of infection. Radiation hazards are posed by sources of ionizing radiation: industrial devices, radioactive substances, and certain »souvenirs« like minerals with high natural radiation,» the lawyer noted.
Weapons
Stricter rules apply to the storage of weapons. Federal Law No. 150-FZ of December 13, 1996 «On Weapons» prohibits keeping in residential premises unregistered firearms, ammunition, and bludgeoning cold weapons (brass knuckles, flails).
«This also applies to storing air guns with a muzzle energy over 7.5 J in an apartment if they are not registered in the prescribed manner. Such violations are a direct basis for criminal or administrative prosecution,» the lawyer stated.
What can get you evicted
Storing items that do not meet sanitary and epidemiological requirements is also prohibited. This includes:
storing large volumes of flammable trash;
rotting waste or other items leading to unsanitary conditions, persistent odors, and insect infestation.
«Such actions may be classified as negligent handling of housing or a direct violation of neighbors» rights,« the expert warned.
If a person causes material damage or harm to someone«s health through their actions, they may be held liable. In this case, they must fully compensate for the damage. Also, for such a violation, they may be fined or even evicted from the apartment.
«In cases where storing dangerous items poses a direct threat to others, other owners have the right to file a lawsuit not only to eliminate the violations but also to forcibly evict the guilty person without providing alternative housing,» Borzenko stated in a conversation with Gazeta.Ru.
Currently, fines for organizing «dumps» inside an apartment for citizens range from 500 to 1,000 rubles ($6 to $11), for officials and individual entrepreneurs — from 1,000 to 2,000 rubles ($11 to $22), and for legal entities — from 10,000 to 20,000 rubles ($111 to $222).
However, it is proposed to increase them at least tenfold. The State Duma is already preparing this bill.
«An indexation of fines for this offense by at least 10 times is necessary — up to 5,000–10,000 rubles ($56–$111) for individuals, up to 10,000–20,000 rubles ($111–$222) for officials and individual entrepreneurs, and up to 100,000–200,000 rubles ($1,100–$2,200) for legal entities,» said Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Construction and Housing and Utilities Sergey Kolunov in a conversation with TASS.
He emphasized that when such people start paying with rubles, they will definitely begin to respect the rights of their neighbors.
You can also incur fines during apartment renovations, specifically for the smell of paint, noise, and storing construction materials in the entrance. We wrote more about this in a separate article.
