As a result of Russia’s armed aggression, thousands of Ukrainian families have lost their homes or have been forced to repair their damaged properties. The State’s eRecovery programme provides an opportunity to receive compensation. In practice, however, navigating the compensation process often involves legal challenges, ranging from the absence of ownership information in state registers to the loss of property documents or refusals by compensation commissions.
To help people affected by the war better understand the available compensation mechanisms, the NGO Get it back, at the request of the Ministry of Communities, Territories and Internally Displaced Persons of Ukraine and with the support of the Council of Europe, has prepared the Legal Guide “How to Obtain Compensation for Housing Destroyed as a Result of the War?”
The publication provides practical guidance on the eligibility criteria for compensation for damaged and destroyed housing, the available forms of compensation, the application procedure, and the initial steps that property owners should take.
Particular attention is paid to complex cases, including the restoration of lost documents, proof of ownership where access to the archives of the Technical Inventory Bureau (BTI) is unavailable, inheritance procedures, co-ownership issues, and appeals against decisions of compensation commissions.
The Guide also aims to dispel common myths surrounding eRecovery programme and to help readers better understand their rights and the options available to them under the State compensation mechanism.
The publication offers step-by-step guidance on the relevant procedures, helping property owners identify the documents they may need to obtain compensation, understand the applicable administrative requirements, and determine how to proceed when obstacles arise. Its aim is to make the compensation mechanism more accessible and easier to understand, particularly for people facing complex legal or administrative circumstances.
By addressing the most common legal challenges and providing practical recommendations, the Guide seeks to strengthen the ability of people affected by the war to exercise and protect their property rights. It will also help people engage more confidently with the public authorities responsible for implementing the State compensation mechanism and understand where to turn and how to seek assistance if compensation has not been granted.
Read and download the Legal Guide to learn how to protect your right to compensation and what steps you need to take to obtain it – follow the link.
This material was prepared within the framework of the Council of Europe project “Further strengthening judicial and non-judicial remedies for the human rights protection of the war-affected people in Ukraine”.
