Astana, 26 October. Members of the Kurultai have begun drafting amendments to the housing law that would set out how documents, keys and powers are handed over when the chair of a homeowners' association (OSI) changes, and make it easier to reach residents in emergencies, said Yekaterina Smyshlyayeva, a deputy from the Adilet party.
She said a clear procedure for handing over documents and powers would prevent delays in changing management and keep associations working without interruption. Deputies also want to consider digitising housing and utilities and access to owners' data so that residents can be contacted quickly in emergencies. The amendments on associations are to be adopted by the end of 2027.
Smyshlyayeva believes some provisions of the law are too broad: for example, a chair's duty to "ensure comfortable living for residents" is something a chair cannot fulfil. Responsibility for risers is being discussed separately: they are currently the association's responsibility, yet management company staff have no access to them inside flats. The amendments are being prepared following the party's "Bizdin Kala" project: the party held 20 regional forums with 7,500 participants and gathered about 200 proposals.
An OSI is a form of apartment-building management in which owners create a legal entity themselves, elect a chair and manage the building's common funds; OSIs replaced the former flat-owners' cooperatives (KSK). Kazakhstan has more than 60,000 apartment buildings, more than 14,000 of which need major repairs, the deputy says.
What it means: The new parliament is taking up the most everyday part of legislation, the management of apartment buildings. The main problem deputies name is the transition when a chair changes and a building is left without documents, keys or access to its account.
Who benefits: Residents of apartment buildings get fewer conflicts when association management changes and quick contact in emergencies. Chairs get narrower duties they can actually perform.
Background: The Kurultai is Kazakhstan's unicameral parliament formed under the new Constitution; at its first session in August the President tasked it with bringing legislation into line with the Constitution. In its first month the Kurultai considered 44 bills.
