Critique of the Provisions of the Russian Civil Code on the Termination of Tenancy Agreements in a Comparative Legal Perspective

Abstract

Imperatively established by the Russian civil legislation judicial procedure of termination of the residential tenancy agreement by the landlord is criticized in the article. Evaluation of its effectiveness for the formulation of the proposals for the development of the art. 687 of the Russian Civil Code is the purpose of the study. Its objective is comparative analysis of the legal regulation of the termination of the residential tenancy agreement by the landlord under the Russian Civil Code, legislation of 4 republican (Texas, Idaho, Utah, Wyoming) and 4 democratic (Washington, New Mexico, New York, Illinois) American states with taking into account legal regulation of relevant relations in Germany and France. The purpose and the objective of the study determine the predominant use of the method of comparative legal analysis. Two alternative models of reform of the art. 687 of the Russian Civil Code, whose provisions are recognized as a relic of Soviet law, ineffective in a market economy, were offered by the authors. The experience of Germany and France is an argument in favor of so-called regulatory model of reform that allows the unilateral termination of the residential tenancy agreement by the landlord only on the reasons provided by law (not by the agreement). An analysis of the legislation of both republican and democratic American states permits characterizing it as a less restrictive to the principle of freedom of contract, since it allows stating in the agreement the reasons for its unilateral termination by the landlord. However, it excludes the right of the parties of the residential tenancy agreement to provide to the landlord the right of its unmotivated unilateral termination. Unlike legislation of the USA, this right might be provided to the landlord under so-called dispositive model of reform, proposed by the authors as the closest to the actual situation in the Russian market of residential tenancy. It is assumed that the condition for realization of this right must be a notice to the counterparty at least 1 month in advance. Within this model right of unmotivated unilateral termination of the agreement may be provided to the landlord only if the same right is granted to the tenant. One of the advantages of this model is that its implementation will eliminate due to lack of demand the widespread practice of stating in the residential tenancy agreement restricting the legal capacity of citizens and therefore void conditions. It will contribute to the unloading of the Russian judicial system by eliminating disputes over these conditions.