Residents of Chechnya are scared by threats of deprivation of housing because of debts

The residents of Grozny, who have debts on paying utility bills, received anonymous notifications about the upcoming seizure of their housing facilities for debt. However, lawyers have stated that such papers have no legal force and are intended to intimidate the debtors.

The documents entitled "Notification about seizure of housing" was received by hundreds of people, the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent reports. Nobody knows who has sent them.

The people, who have received the "notifications", have experienced some panic, Chechen residents report.

"I have communal debts of 40,000 roubles; I've agreed to pay them in parts, this is allowed. And suddenly, on New Year's Eve, I received this notification," said Laisa, a resident of Grozny.

The aim of sending the notifications is to force apartment owners to pay off their utility debts; therefore, it could be organized by utility workers or local administrations, Timur, another Grozny resident, has suggested.

However, Ruslan, a representative of the republic's advocacy, assures that the residents of Chechnya, who have received such notifications, have no reason to worry.

"These papers have no legal force. According to the law, housing can be confiscated from an owner thereof only based on the court judgement, for which there must be very serious reasons," said the lawyer.