Is the lot a house, a share or an unfinished building?
Save the notice, sale terms and draft contract. Record cadastral numbers, address, designation, area and share. A residential house, garden house and unfinished structure are different lots. A photograph of a finished house does not establish its registered status.
Compare the land register extracts with the inspection: extensions, storeys, outbuildings and actual area. Obtain title documents and explanations for discrepancies. Do not assume an unregistered extension can automatically be regularised after purchase.
How do house and land rights fit together?
| Circumstance | Pre-bid check |
|---|---|
| The debtor owns house and land | Both cadastral numbers and the scope of lot and contract. |
| The land is leased | Lease, term, permitted use, rent and conditions. |
| A share is sold | House share, land rights, use arrangements and practical access. |
| Access crosses someone else’s land | A legal basis for passage, not just a visible road. |
Civil Code Article 552 links transfer of a building with rights to the land occupied and needed for use. Buying the house does not confer ownership of all surrounding land: establish the type and extent of the right. See the detailed auction land checklist.
Occupants, internal access and utilities
Ask in writing who occupies the house, on what basis and when it will be vacated. Article 558 requires identification of people retaining statutory residential use after purchase and their rights. Address registration and a retained use right differ; “everyone will be deregistered” is not a legal analysis.
Request an internal inspection. Bankruptcy Law Article 110 provides for examination of assets and title documents. Record roof, foundations, heating, water, electricity, meters, drainage and damage. Check connection documents, equipment ownership and service terms. “Gas nearby” is not a functioning gas connection.
If access is refused, retain the request and reply. Unknown condition should not be treated as zero cost: obtain information or factor the uncertainty into the participation decision.
A full-cost calculation
Hypothetical example: maximum purchase price ₽3,000,000, survey ₽20,000, estimated repairs ₽400,000, utility restoration ₽150,000 and reserve ₽200,000. Total: ₽3,770,000, excluding individually assessed registration charges and other applicable costs.
If a ₽300,000 deposit is credited towards the price, the price balance is ₽2,700,000. Do not add the deposit to the ₽3,000,000 twice. The reserve is a planning assumption, not cost statistics or a guarantee of adequacy.
Documents after winning
Match the results protocol, signed contract, payment evidence and handover record. Article 551 requires title transfer registration; an auction protocol does not replace registration. Article 556 calls for a transfer record or equivalent document.
🔑 Open the house acceptance list
House and land cadastral numbers; actual delivery date; keys and access; room condition and listed defects; included assets; meter readings; utility documents; occupants; missing documents and reservations. Attach agreed photographs.
Do not acknowledge keys or vacant possession that were not delivered. If delivery is refused, preserve evidence and assess contractual remedies rather than forcing entry or evicting occupants yourself.
When further review is needed
A mismatch between the lot and register, disputed occupation, missing access, court restrictions or unregistered reconstruction needs individual review before bidding. Do not assume every encumbrance disappears after an auction.
Start with checking the notice and platform and the application process. An owner facing personal insolvency has a different question: the fate of a garden-community house in bankruptcy.
Frequently asked questions
Does the sale include all surrounding land?
Not necessarily. Establish cadastral boundaries, ownership and the right transferred.
Is the house necessarily vacant?
No. Actual delivery and retained residential rights need separate verification.
Are photographs enough?
They do not establish technical condition, land rights or access. Request documents and an inspection.
Sources and review date
Legal provisions checked on 24 October 2026. Future amendments not yet in force were not applied. Examples are hypothetical.
A pre-bid review can examine the house–land connection, occupation rights and handover terms for the particular lot.
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