Missed the inheritance deadline? Here's what you can do

In July 2022, Vira fled the Bakhmut district of Donetsk region to the city of Dnipro to escape the hostilities. That same year, she lost her mother, who left her a house in the village of Novoluhanske as an inheritance. Although the house had been damaged, completing the inheritance procedure remained essential, as compensation could not be obtained without it.

However, the woman was unable to deal with the paperwork immediately. Relocation, the loss of a close family member, and adapting to life in a new city during the war had a significant impact on her well-being. In addition, Vira underwent lengthy medical treatment: she had surgery and, for several months, was practically unable to walk.

She returned to the inheritance issue only in August 2025. At that time, she contacted a notary, but was refused because the six-month deadline for accepting the inheritance had already expired.

With this refusal, Vira sought legal assistance from the Charitable organisation Caritas Mariupol. After analysing the situation, a lawyer prepared a claim to the court requesting an additional period for accepting the inheritance. The reasons for missing the deadline were considered valid, as her serious health condition and medical treatment were confirmed by supporting documents.

The court granted an extension of the deadline for submitting the inheritance application, enabling the woman to reapply to the notary and obtain a Certificate of the Right to Inheritance.

However, another challenge arose: the cost of notarial services became a significant financial burden. Thanks to Caritas Mariupol, the woman received financial assistance to cover these expenses.

As a result, Vira was able to:

1. obtain a Certificate of the Right to Inheritance;
2. register her ownership rights in the State Register of Rights to Immovable Property;
3. submit documents to participate in the eVidnovlennia programme and apply to the Register of Damage for Ukraine (RD4U).

This story demonstrates that even if the deadline for accepting an inheritance has been missed, the situation can still be remedied with timely legal support.

* The image is illustrative and does not depict the specific events described in this story.

Access to free legal aid in Dnipropetrovsk region became possible thanks to the partnership between the Charitable organisation "Caritas Mariupol " and the Danish Refugee Council, with funding provided by the European Union.