The acquisition and use of attics by residents in new residential buildings is a controversial issue. Although attics are not intended for residential use, there are many instances of citizens using these areas and housing cooperatives putting them up for sale.
Attics, being technical floors, can also be viewed as special spaces for carrying out the regulation work of elevators and other networks.
In a statement to Modern.az regarding the topic, Milli Majlis member Aydın Hüseynov stated that if the aforementioned area is intended for residential use, then a residential extract (title deed) is issued. However, if it is not intended for residential use, but for some other type of activity, this is clearly indicated in the document:
“That is, the purpose of the object is specifically noted in the extract: whether it is for residential use or for any other purpose. In attics intended for residential use, naturally, electricity, gas, water, and other utility supplies are provided. In this case, the citizen is considered a full-fledged resident.
Property expert Elnur Fərzəliyev stated that in some buildings, the attic part is designated as a “penthouse”. In such cases, there is an open area, a balcony part, in front of it, and an extract (title deed) is issued for that part. The designation is also shown as an apartment.
"In some cases, after the building is constructed and handed over, the top floor is converted into an apartment either by the housing cooperative or by the residents living on the top floor. In this case, the designation of the attic is crucial. If it is a technical floor, it should not be bought or sold. If it is a “penthouse”, naturally, personal use is permitted.
The attic is primarily designated as a technical floor. It is intended for the placement of equipment and communication lines. A technical floor is considered a non-residential area. You see that a citizen has even opened a door from inside their apartment to the attic”.
The expert emphasized that there is a height problem in attic areas, and full apartment dimensions are not provided. Access is only possible via stairs:
“Even if these areas are renovated, they are not considered comfortable for living. These problems exist nationwide. Being the uppermost part and not constructed like apartments, cooling problems arise in summer and heating problems in winter. If there is a leak in the roof, the attic is directly damaged. There have been cases where a part of the roof covering was torn off during strong winds, and as a result, all the repairs inside the apartment became unusable. From this perspective, it is risky. Therefore, the selling price of attics is usually cheaper than ordinary apartments. If the square meter of an apartment in the building is 2000 manats, in attic areas this price ranges between 800–1000 manats. People buy these and either use them themselves or rent them out to generate income.
In fact, extracts (title deeds) should not be issued for such attics. In very rare cases, it is possible to obtain extracts for attics in some buildings, but these cases are exceptions. In most buildings, since attics are designated as technical floors, the corresponding apartment document is not issued".
