Parliament is preparing a single law to bring real estate services out of the shadows
The Verkhovna Rada Committee on State Power Organization plans to combine three bills for comprehensive regulation of real estate agents in Ukraine. The legislative initiative provides for the introduction of uniform work standards, the creation of a professional union, and mandatory cashless payments. This is reported by the portal PromPolitInform, citing information from the Verkhovna Rada.
Today, Ukraine lacks a cohesive legislative framework to regulate the work of real estate intermediaries. As a result, consumers frequently face unfair practices, such as demands for cash payments without executing contracts or the dissemination of fake listings. The absence of registers and mechanisms for professional liability makes it impossible to protect clients’ rights in conflict situations.
By comparison, other participants in real estate transactions, such as notaries, appraisers, or auditors, operate under strict professional rules and bear disciplinary liability. The real estate services sector largely remains in the shadows, as evidenced by the meager figures in official reports on housing rental income for 2025.
Mechanisms of State Regulation
The baseline bill No. 16145 proposes the creation of the Ukrainian Union of Real Estate Specialists as a single self-regulatory organization. Mandatory conditions for admission to professional activity will include completing training, successfully passing an exam, and entering the agent’s data into the Unified Register. This will allow clients to verify the identity of their counterparty before starting cooperation.
The new rules provide for mandatory written contracts and exclusively cashless payments. Payment for services will be assigned to the customer, and collecting commissions simultaneously from both parties to a transaction will only be possible with their written consent. In case of violations, sanctions are envisaged, including deprivation of the right to engage in professional activity.
Processing Alternative Initiatives
In addition to the main draft No. 16145, two alternative documents — No. 16145-1 and No. 16145-2 — have been submitted to parliament. Olena Shuliak emphasized that the presence of such proposals indicates an acute need for changes in the market and the readiness of MPs to work on them.
The Committee on State Power Organization, Local Self-Government, Regional Development, and Urban Planning plans to review all three versions to create a single high-quality legislative act. The goal of this work is to establish a transparent environment that will protect clients’ interests while not restricting owners’ rights to independently dispose of their property.
Photo: Verkhovna Rada
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