Despite the fact that house books are no longer kept, extracts from them remain an important document for real estate transactions, applying for benefits, replacing a passport and in many other life situations. We tell you what extracts from the house register are and how to get them.

What is an extract from the house register
? An extract from the house register is a housing registration document containing information about the owners and other residents who have ever been registered in a particular household.

The house book reflects:

• property address;
• Full name and passport details of all those registered;
• citizenship of residents and attitude to military service;
• date of registration and check-out;
• previous registrations;
• family relationships between residents.

House books were kept to record residents in apartments and private houses. In apartment buildings this was done by management companies, and in the private sector by the residents themselves. However, in 2017, the Ministry of Internal Affairs was entrusted with maintaining housing records, and in April 2018, the department issued administrative regulations that do not mention this document.

With the development of digitalization, the state has the opportunity to obtain the same data from electronic sources. Old house books in most regions have been digitized and archived.

But, oddly enough, even after this, the extract from the house register did not lose its relevance for citizens.

It is still needed in a number of cases:

• To receive benefits and allowances.
• When applying for a new passport.
• To adopt a foster child.
• When going to court for orce or alimony.
• And, of course, for real estate transactions.

When selling a home, an extract from the house register allows buyers to make sure that they are not in for surprises in the form of registered strangers, and in the future no one will try to challenge the deal. It can also be useful when inheriting housing and privatizing municipal apartments.

The originals of house books are usually stored in the administration, passport office, Federal Migration Service or in the archives. You cannot take a document for study – you can only get an extract from it.

Archival (extended) and current statements: what is the difference

There are two types of extracts from the house register. The current one reflects the current situation and contains information about the people registered and actually living in the house/apartment.

This is what an extract from the house register looks like This is what an extract from the house register looks like

The archived (also extended) statement contains data on all residents ever registered at a specific address. This is what buyers usually ask from property owners.

Who can receive the document

Extracts are available only to the owners of the apartment or house, their legal representatives by power of attorney, as well as officially registered residents (with the written permission of the owner).

Some government agencies (Rosreestr, Ministry of Internal Affairs) and courts (upon request) also have access to this information.

What documents are needed to obtain an extract?
To order an extract, you will need several documents.

For homeowners this is:

• passport (and its copy);
• papers confirming the right to property (extract from the Unified State Register, certificate of ownership or social tenancy agreement);
• personal house book (for owners of private houses);
• completed application form.

If you are not the owner of the property, but are simply registered there, add to this list the written permission of the owner to receive data. The owner’s authorized representative will need a notarized power of attorney.

How to get an extract and how long it is valid

There are several ways to do this, and they are all free. Today, the statement is available both electronically and in paper form. You can order a document online in some regions at State Services.

To submit an application, log in to your personal account, then find the administration section at your place of residence and select from the list of services “Receiving an extract from the house register” or “Receiving archival certificates and extracts”.

You can receive a current statement on the same day of application or in a maximum of 24 hours. The extended one will have to wait 3-7 days (in some regions it takes longer).

Both forms of statement are also available when visiting the MFC in person. Employees of multifunctional centers independently find out where exactly the house register is stored and request information. The deadlines for receiving the document are the same as on the government services portal.

If both of these options are not available in your region, a paper document can be obtained from the administration, management company or HOA, or passport office (FMS). The issuance period will increase and in standard cases will be from 10 days . Moreover, if you do not know where exactly the document is stored, it makes sense to contact several authorities at once.

The validity period of the received extract is not limited by law, but the information in it may become outdated, so government agencies set their own temporary requirements for the document.

Can they refuse to issue an extract?

Yes, if the applicant is not the owner of the property, is not registered at this address and does not have a power of attorney from the owner. It happens that the application for an extract itself is filled out inaccurately, and then you have to write a new one.

They will refuse you if you do not have the necessary documents, as well as if they are expired or unreliable.

How can I replace an extract from the house register?

If you were unable to obtain an extract from the house register for one reason or another, do not despair: sometimes it can be replaced with other documents.

It can be:

• extract from the apartment card;
• a copy of the financial and personal account of the tenant of the residential premises;
• a copy of the warrant for residential premises;
• unified housing document (for Moscow);
• certificate of registration in form 9 (for St. Petersburg and a number of other cities).

Sample certificate in form 9 Sample certificate in form 9

If you are not given an archival extract, then you can submit an application for privatization instead, if it contains the data and signatures of those who refused it. You can also present documents confirming that a person has lost the right to privatization (for example, if he privatized another object or died).