Apartment with illegal redevelopment may be put under the hammer if the owner refuses to restore it to its original condition, warned the head of the National Center for Redevelopment and Reconstruction. Svetlana Gonenko. She explained to RIA Real Estate all the subtleties and pitfalls of this sensitive issue.

First of all, it is a mistake to believe that redevelopment can only be encountered in the secondary housing market. Many apartments in new buildings are rented out with an open plan, and their owners are under the delusion that they are given complete freedom of action.

“In fact, the construction of walls in such a situation is formally also a redevelopment and is subject to approval,” the expert said.

Absolutely anyone who has seen it in person can snitch on illegal redevelopment, from neighbors to utility workers,” she added. After this, the housing inspector will come with an unscheduled inspection. Its employees, of course, don’t have to open the door, but then they will still get through the court to be allowed in.

The result of the inspection will be a fine of up to 2.5 thousand rubles and an order to formalize the redevelopment as required, and if it is impossible to legalize it, to return everything as it was, at your own expense, of course. Resistance is pointless – the state housing inspectorate will get its way in court.

“When the owner refuses to comply with the court’s decision, the apartment is sold at auction,” Gonenko warned.

She gave an example. A resident of Omsk combined the kitchen with the room so that he had an exit from the bathroom there. They demanded that the home be brought into proper condition, but he did not. The court decided to sell this apartment.