Baku, September 28, 2025
In Azerbaijan, many citizens continue to face difficulties obtaining a “chikharish/kupcha” – the official certificate confirming ownership of real estate. Without this document, property cannot be fully registered, leaving homeowners without legal certainty over their rights.
Lawyer Amid Askerov, speaking to Metbuat.az, explained that the Law on the State Register of Real Estate defines the rules for registering property rights at every stage – when ownership first arises, when it is transferred to another person, when an encumbrance such as a mortgage is imposed, or when rights are terminated.
According to Askerov, the most common problems stem from missing or incomplete paperwork.
For private houses, the land plot itself may lack proper documentation, or the plot may not be zoned for residential construction.
In the case of apartment buildings, authorities often have not issued occupancy permits or acceptance acts, which certify that a building is fit for habitation.
To avoid such complications, Askerov advises buyers to check all legal documents before purchasing land, houses, or apartments, and to complete transactions only through official procedures.
“Verifying the paperwork in advance is the only way to ensure you will later receive the chikharish,” he stressed.
But beyond individual diligence, experts warn that the root causes lie in systemic flaws. Gaps in regulation, inconsistent enforcement by state agencies, and opaque decision-making processes create fertile ground for delays and corruption risks.
Until oversight improves and registration procedures are streamlined, the burden of navigating the bureaucracy will continue to fall disproportionately on ordinary citizens.
