Inspecting damaged housing and receiving compensation

As a result of the war, Ms Maryna*'s apartment in Bilopillia, Sumy region, was damaged. In order to receive compensation under the state programme ‘E-Restoration’, Ms Maryna applied to the city council for an inspection of the damaged apartment. However, she was denied, citing the fact that the city does not conduct inspections of damaged homes due to security risks.

As the approaching cold weather made it impossible to live in the apartment with broken windows, the woman was worried about restoring her home, so she turned to lawyers from the Danish Refugee Council (DRC) for help.

A DRC specialist assessed the situation and suggested an option for pre-trial settlement of the dispute through cooperation with the Sumy Regional Administration, which could assist in conducting an inspection by a commission at the Bilopil City Council.

After establishing contact with the Sumy Regional Administration, DRC's lawyer filed an application outlining the problem and requesting assistance in conducting an inspection of the damaged property. As a result of the application, the administration responded to Maryna's situation and sent a letter to the Bilopil City Council requesting a survey.

A short time later, a commission visited the woman and inspected her damaged property. As a result, all the conditions for receiving compensation were met, and Ms Maryna received funds to restore her damaged property.

The provision of legal aid in Sumy region was made possible thanks to funding from the European Union.

*Name changed.