A bill proposing mandatory neighbor consent for renting out apartments on a long-term or daily basis has been submitted to the State Duma, Russia’s lower house of parliament. The bill includes proposed fines for non-compliance.

The proposed legislation would require landlords to obtain written permission from “every owner of all neighboring and adjacent premises” before allowing tenants to occupy their property.

Lawmakers aim to regulate the rental housing market and bring it out of the gray area, while protecting the rights of neighbors affected by short-term rentals. The bill seeks to amend the Housing Code, mirroring the approval process for apartment redevelopment.

Amendments to the Administrative Code propose fines for owners renting out property without a contract or neighbor consent. The fines range from 5,000 to 10,000 rubles for citizens, 10,000 to 20,000 rubles for officials, and 20,000 to 50,000 rubles for legal entities.

In tourist regions, owners with self-employed status who register rental contracts with tax authorities would be exempt from requiring neighbor consent.

Legal experts have raised concerns about the bill’s legal and practical implications. They argue that it duplicates existing mechanisms, violates property rights, and may be impossible to implement due to difficulties in locating all neighbors.

The bill is viewed as requiring revision and raising many questions, with concerns that Russian legislation is not keeping pace with the evolving use of residential premises for temporary accommodation.