Rental agreements in Moscow are usually prepared by your real estate agent and are rarely notarized. A standard lease is written in two languages - Russian and English. Contracts are relatively short, but the terms may vary, so please read carefully before you sign.

Moscow rental terms are usually from one to three years. An early termination is easy requiring only a one to three-month notice to the landlord. Early termination by landlords is not customary and is against Russian legislation, unless a tenant is in breach of an agreement. Most landlords are individuals, and standard rental terms are favorable for a tenant. Landlords usually insist on a right to inspect the property on a regular basis.

Rent is always denominated in dollars and is usually paid monthly or quarterly. Longer prepayments are made to reduce the rent. Rental payment in cash is still common, however, many landlords accept wire transfers in rubles or dollars. A one-month rent security deposit is required by most of the landlords in Moscow. However, we recommend ensuring that the rental contract allows you to apply it toward the last month rent as there is no procedure to assess damages and guarantee fair deposit return.

Landlord’s Paperwork:

The peculiarity of Russian real estate legislation is such that the ownership right and the right of use are separate. People who do not own the property have the right to use it if they are permanently registered (propisany) in the property. The permanent registration is indicated in the passport and should be checked. The list of persons registered in the apartment can be obtained in the local building administration (ZhEK).

Standard ownership documents may include a variety of documents depending on when and in what manner the property was acquired.

Certificate of the State Registration of Ownership Rights states the address of the apartment and the name of the owner. If there is more than one owner of the property it indicates the share owned in the property, but does not list other owners of the property.

Privatization documents list all owners and their shares. It comes in two parts: the Agreement of Transfer and the Certificate of Ownership.

Sale-Purchase Agreement lists all the current owners and the date of purchase.

Other forms of conditional agreements that result in transfer of ownership and involve regular payments to the original owners.

Tenant’s Paperwork

There is no elaborate credit check for tenants in Moscow. Landlords usually ask for a copy of a passport and visa, and in some cases for a proof of employment. It is also customary to leave a contact person and a phone number of your office.

In Moscow, tenants are required to be temporarily registered in their residence. Tenants can register in the Moscow Visa Registration Office (UVIR), using their landlords notarized consent or a rental contract.

Rental contracts of one year or longer need to go through the state registration in the State Registration Office (Moszhilservis). It is a bothersome procedure that requires the personal presence of both the landlord and the tenant. To avoid this, the length of the rent is often kept at 364 days.

It is also beneficial to be an employee of an accredited entity – it allows you and your landlord to save 20% VAT, if your landlord is incorporated.

Read an article about rental agreements in Moscow (The Moscow Times. July, 2006)