Homeowners in the combat zone may be exempted from paying utility bills: what is being proposed
In the conditions of a full-scale war, the issue of paying housing and communal services remains one of the most painful for many Ukrainians. The state has already introduced a number of social support mechanisms for certain categories of citizens, but for homeowners whose properties are located in areas of active hostilities or temporarily occupied territories, the problem of utility charges remains relevant.
What utility payment benefits apply to residents of frontline territories
As of 2026, Ukrainian legislation provides specific support mechanisms for citizens living or having lived in combat zones. In particular, residents of territories where active hostilities are or were conducted can claim housing subsidies even if they have arrears that arose due to the war. Special rules also apply to the assignment and extension of subsidies for internally displaced persons.
Additionally, the legislation provides for the possibility of recalculating the cost of certain utilities if they were not provided or were provided incompletely. If the property was damaged or destroyed, owners can also use state compensation programs after confirming the relevant property status.
At the same time, current legislation does not provide for automatic exemption of all homeowners in areas of active hostilities or temporarily occupied territories from utility charges.
Who else has benefits for paying housing and communal services
Separately, Ukraine has a system of benefits for categories of citizens defined by law.
In particular, discounts on utility payments are granted to combatants, persons disabled due to the war, family members of fallen Defenders of Ukraine, military service veterans, certain categories of pensioners, large families, victims of the Chernobyl disaster, and other persons defined by Ukrainian laws.
The size of benefits depends on the citizen's status and can range from 25% to 100% of the cost of housing and communal services within established social norms.
A petition was submitted to the Cabinet of Ministers demanding the cancellation of utility charges
Against the backdrop of the existing system of benefits, citizens have registered an electronic petition to the Cabinet of Ministers calling for regulation of utility charges for homeowners whose properties are located in areas of active hostilities or temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine.
The authors of the petition emphasize that since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, millions of Ukrainians have been forced to leave their homes to save their families' lives. A significant number of houses and apartments were damaged or destroyed, and in many settlements, living remains dangerous or impossible.
Despite this, owners of such properties, as stated in petition No. 41/010233-26ep, continue to receive utility bills, including for heating, building maintenance, and other services they cannot actually use. As a result, debts accumulate, although people left their homes not voluntarily but due to hostilities.
The petition authors also point out that many internally displaced persons are in difficult financial situations: they pay rent in other regions or abroad, live on social assistance or minimal incomes, and at the same time continue to receive bills for abandoned housing.
A separate problem is the inability of many owners to timely document damage or destruction of property, as returning to areas of active hostilities poses a threat to life.
The petition to the government proposes:
- to exempt homeowners from utility charges for the period when the property is located in areas of active hostilities or temporarily occupied territories and cannot be used;
- to introduce an automatic mechanism for recalculating or writing off such charges;
- to prohibit the accrual of fines, penalties, and other financial sanctions;
- to establish a unified procedure for applying these rules by all enterprises providing housing and communal services;
- to allow confirmation of the impossibility of residence using an official list of active combat zones, documents of internally displaced persons, confirmation of being abroad, or other appropriate evidence.
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