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Ivan Topor

Head of real estate and construction practice, lawyer, candidate of legal sciences

09.06.2025 336 1 min.

How to legalize self-construction?

Legalization of unauthorized construction is the process of recognizing ownership of an illegally constructed facility, provided that it complies with building codes and permits are obtained.

Back in the early 2000s, a court decision was enough to confirm ownership of a building. However, in the 2010s, the prosecutor’s office began to appeal such decisions, and many real estate objects turned into self-construction objects from the point of view of the law. So how to protect your rights and legalize your own real estate? Answers the head of the real estate and construction practice of the company “DE-JURE”, lawyer Ivan Topor.

An important point: if a person built any structure on land that does not belong to him, it is impossible to legalize it. Moreover, the owner of the land or the urban planning authority can file a lawsuit in court regardless of when this building was built, and demand its demolition.

In other cases, the developer can go through all the procedures provided for by law for the relevant construction works, after the completion of construction. In particular, he must develop project documentation, obtain approval for the start of construction work and the readiness of the object for operation (this list is not exhaustive and depends on the nuances of a specific case). However, this method is not suitable for all objects. Depending on the circumstances, the path of “legalization” of an illegally constructed object is chosen. A “DE-JURE” lawyer will help you figure out which one.

Автор: Ivan Topor
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