One ordinary phone
May serve everyday communication and personal use.
Household equipment
Ordinary household furnishings are protected by Article 446.
Work computer
Professional need must be proved and the price threshold reviewed.
Expensive duplicate
A second high-value device requires individual assessment.
Which equipment may remain
Article 213.25(3) of the Insolvency Law excludes assets protected from enforcement. Article 446 of the Civil Procedure Code protects ordinary household furnishings and personal-use items, except jewellery and other luxury goods.
An ordinary communications phone, refrigerator, washing machine, cooker and basic family computer are assessed by purpose, quantity and value rather than label alone. The legislation contains no guaranteed list of brands, models or prices.
| Situation | Working position | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Only ordinary phone | May qualify as personal-use property | Purpose, condition and current market value |
| Refrigerator, cooker or washing machine | Usually ordinary household use | Household composition and absence of an equivalent duplicate |
| Computer required for work | Professional protection may apply subject to a value limit | Contracts, occupation, software and lack of an alternative |
| High-end gaming PC or several new phones | Greater inclusion and sale risk | Configuration, value, users and necessity |
| Rented, leased or relative-owned device | Not the debtor’s asset if third-party title is proved | Agreement, receipt, payment and possession |
| Secured equipment | No automatic immunity | Security agreement and outstanding balance |
When sale risk increases
Risk is higher where equipment has material market value, is unnecessary for ordinary life, duplicates other devices, is collectible or luxurious, or was acquired shortly before filing without a clear source of funds. The financial manager inventories and values assets; the commercial court resolves exclusion disputes.
Equipment necessary for a profession is protected only within Article 446: items worth more than RUB 10,000 do not receive that professional-item immunity automatically. This does not mean every computer above that amount must be sold; other grounds and the full facts still matter.
Equipment evidence self-check
Select the facts already supported. This measures preparation, not a guaranteed exclusion.
Evidence to prepare
- receipts, contracts, statements and warranty records;
- photos of model, serial number and condition;
- comparable second-hand market listings;
- evidence of ownership by a spouse, child, employer or another person;
- employment or customer contracts and software needs for work equipment;
- medical evidence where a device is needed for health reasons;
- a complete list of similar household devices.
Practical workflow
Inventory
List every device, owner, user and component.
Value
Use current worn value rather than the original purchase price.
Classify
Separate household use, personal use, work, security and third-party property.
Document
Support material statements with records.
Disclose
Give accurate information to the financial manager and court.
Resolve disputes
Use an exclusion application and evidence of actual necessity where appropriate.
Frequently asked questions
Will the only smartphone be taken?
Not automatically. Ordinary personal use, value, condition and other devices are assessed.
Can a remote-work computer remain?
Potential grounds exist, but professional necessity and Article 446’s value threshold must be addressed.
Are a refrigerator and washing machine sold?
Ordinary household items are protected, while valuable collectible or duplicate items need separate assessment.
What if a relative owns the device?
It should not enter the debtor’s estate if third-party title is proved; an oral assertion alone is weak evidence.
May I replace an expensive phone before filing?
Any sale or replacement must be genuine, market-based and disclosed. Artificial value removal may be challenged.
Primary legal sources
Related guides
Asset realisation · Property inventory · Bankruptcy without assets
Own expensive or work equipment?
We can review title, value, use, security and inventory evidence without promising automatic exclusion.
INITIAL CONSULTATIONGeneral information as at 30 August 2026. Each item is classified on its facts and evidence.