politics
May 8, 2026
Lawyer warns of hidden obligations when inheriting an apartment
An heir may receive not only ownership of an apartment but also the obligation to provide housing to a third party, if specified in the will. RIA Novosti, 05/08/2026
TL;DR
- Heirs may inherit an apartment with the obligation to grant a third party the right to use it, as specified in the will.
- This encumbrance, a testamentary refusal, persists even when the inherited apartment is sold to a new owner.
- Buyers of inherited properties must examine the will for any testamentary refusals before completing a transaction.
- Failure to do so could result in purchasing a property burdened with a lifelong right of use for a third party.
- The right of a beneficiary lasts for three years and cannot be inherited, but the new owner must still fulfill it if it's in the will, or face legal action.