A resident of Almaty has fallen victim to a dishonest tenant who refuses to pay rent or utility bills. Evicting the man has proven impossible even through the courts, reports Tengrinews.kz correspondent.
In other countries, such as Spain, there is a term called "okupas" - people who unlawfully occupy someone else's property. Property owners often go through a lengthy and painful process to evict these illegal residents from their apartments or homes. Courts typically have little power in these situations. Okupas fiercely defend their rights, dragging legal battles on for months or even years, all while living rent-free in someone else's property.
The Tenant Became an Intruder
One resident of Almaty has adopted this "free living" scheme in someone else's property: he rented an apartment by signing a contract with the owner but, upon moving in, refused to pay rent and utility bills. It turns out he is also unwilling to leave the "free" housing without a fight.
"The man rented my apartment in May 2024 for 200,000 tenge per month. He seemed like a decent person: a lawyer with a family - a wife and two children. As is customary, we signed a rental agreement, and he paid an advance of 170,000. That was the end of it. When the time came to pay the remaining rent and utility bills, he refused to pay," the victim recounts.
The man showed no urgency to leave the rented property with his family either. When the rent debt exceeded 800,000 tenge, and the electricity was cut off due to unpaid utility bills, he changed the locks on the apartment doors. The owner then filed a lawsuit to evict the dishonest tenants and recover the debt.
What Did the Court Decide?
The hearing was supposed to include a representative from child welfare services since the defendant has two minor children, which is significant in this case. However, neither the tenant nor the government representative showed up for the hearing.
Despite this, the court reviewed and partially granted the plaintiff's claim. According to the ruling, the tenant was ordered to vacate the apartment and pay the rent for all months of residence. However, the debts for utility services fell on the shoulders of the property owner.
Nevertheless, the tenant ignored the court's decision and did not leave the apartment. The Almaty resident is now waiting for the court's ruling to take effect, but she fears that the man might file an appeal and continue living rent-free in her property.
65 Episodes in the Debtors' Registry
Recently, the victim checked the tenant's details in the debtors' registry and found that he has 65 entries and three travel bans against him. This, she notes, raises serious concerns about the difficulty of recovering the debts. By the way