Astana, 22 October. Otbasy Bank, which keeps the queue for state housing, may suspend or remove more than 200,000 of the more than a million people in the queue after an audit of the lists, Azat Ashimov, director of the bank's first housing department, told a conference in Astana.
"Out of a million citizens, more than 200,000 may be suspended or removed. We are not removing anyone yet — we are analysing the situation," Ashimov said. Grounds for removal may include owning housing, in some cases more than ten flats, loss of citizenship and moving abroad. Income does not affect removal. Those who do not meet the requirements will be notified; if information in state databases is outdated or wrong, it can be corrected.
Previously some applicants refused consent to the processing of personal data, thereby blocking checks; this year the bank gained the right to carry out the audit without consent. After that, according to Ashimov, a person holding shares in 400 flats was found who had earlier refused consent to checks. To join the queue a person must not have owned property for the past five years, but a rule allowing shares of no more than 50% let owners of shares in several flats — for example, a third in each of three — register. An amendment has now been made to the law: such a share is allowed only in a person's sole home.
Ashimov also answered a question on whether the new categories of family well-being will affect access to housing programmes: "As of today, within the support instruments we implement, these requirements have not yet been introduced." The bank works under the existing rules, that is, the income level for rental or credit housing.
What it means: According to the bank, the state housing queue is inflated by almost a fifth: it includes people who own property or have left the country. The clean-up has not started — the bank is still analysing the data, and those removed will be able to correct errors in the databases.
Who benefits: Applicants who genuinely need housing: if those not entitled to help are removed, the rest will move up faster. Owners of shares in several flats, citizens who have left and those whose data in the databases prove wrong are at risk — they will have to prove their entitlement.
Background: From 2027 part of social support in Kazakhstan will be granted with regard to family well-being categories; such requirements have not yet been introduced for Otbasy Bank's housing programmes. The bank also described an applicant in Almaty who had waited for housing since 2011 and in the past two months turned down 11 flats because of their location: applicants may now wait for an option in the district they want if suitable housing is available there.
List of sources used: Atameken Business, NUR.KZ, Zakon.kz
Artificial intelligence was used in preparing this material.
