Illustration: AI
Around 200 thousand people in Kazakhstan could be removed from the subsidised housing waitlist following a review by Otbasy Bank. This was announced by Azat Ashimov, director of the bank’s First Home Support Centre Department. The main reasons are owning a home or losing Kazakh citizenship; income is not a factor in removal from the list (lsm.kz).
What happened
Otbasy Bank has been reviewing the waitlist since September 14, checking information about those registered. Previously, these checks required the individual’s consent. The bank can now carry them out independently.
According to Ashimov, around 200 thousand people on the waitlist may not meet the requirements for subsidised housing programmes. The bank is currently analysing this information. The bank representative cited private home ownership and the loss of Kazakh citizenship as the main reasons.
What this means for people on the waitlist
The bank will notify each person 10 days before removing them from the list. During that time, they will be able to submit additional supporting documents if needed.
The bank has already sent more than 30 thousand notices. Around 10 thousand people have already been removed from the list following letters from local authorities, as they had been provided with housing. The remaining roughly 20 thousand notices were sent to people who had taken out mortgages.
How information is updated
According to Ashimov, people on the waitlist see in their online accounts that their status has been suspended and seek an explanation. If the information can be corrected, they do so through government agencies. If it cannot, they will be removed from the list.
The bank representative also stressed that income is not a factor in removal from the list. The main reasons he cited for removal were home ownership and the loss of citizenship.
How many people are on the waitlist
According to Ashimov, more than a million people are on the waitlist. Around 480 thousand of them belong to socially vulnerable groups.
“Those among them who no longer meet the criteria for housing need will definitely be removed from the list, because they infringe on the rights or interests of those who do meet these criteria and are waiting for support,” Ashimov said.
The bank continues to analyse information about people on the waitlist. Those facing removal will receive 10 days’ notice so they can submit the necessary supporting documents.
