The long-term rental market in Ukraine remains one of the key housing channels for a significant portion of the population. According to an OLX Real Estate study, 51% of respondents had already rented housing or were in the process of arranging a lease, another 19% planned to rent an apartment or house within the next two to three months, and 14% within a four-to-six-month horizon. A separate segment of the survey focuses on families with children: 51% of respondents had experience renting housing with children, yet for many of them, the search was accompanied by noticeable barriers.
Scale of the Problem: Nearly Half of Families Faced Difficulties
Altogether, 49% of respondents with experience renting with children reported difficulties of varying degrees when searching for an apartment or house. Oksana Ostapchuk, Head of Sales Development at OLX Real Estate, attributes this to persisting prejudices among property owners in the market: listings still feature caveats that having children automatically implies a higher risk of property damage. According to her, in practice, tenants' responsibility depends primarily on their attitude toward someone else's property and compliance with agreements, rather than on whether there is a child in the family. Such concerns, in the expert's estimation, not only complicate the housing search for families but also narrow the pool of potential tenants for the owners themselves.
Owners' Concerns and Reality: Numbers Do Not Support the Myth
The survey results show that the widespread fear of property damage caused by children is in most cases not confirmed by tenants' experiences. 56% of respondents reported no serious damage caused by children at all, another 35% noted only minor damage, and 8% spoke of serious damage to housing or property. Thus, living with a family with children is not an automatic factor in the destruction of rented housing. Even when damage occurred, tenants and owners in most cases found a way to resolve the situation. A comprehensive survey conducted among more than 7.7 thousand tenants and 402 landlords complements the picture from the owners' side: when choosing tenants, owners primarily evaluate financial capabilities (59.7%), then the presence of pets (59.1%), and only then the presence of young children (42.6%), while over 71% of owners are ready to rent out housing to families with children.
The Role of Realtors and Contractual Protection Mechanisms
Some tenants turn to real estate specialists when searching for housing. Among respondents with experience cooperating with realtors, 29% reported that the specialist completely helped find housing, and another 29% noted partial assistance. In addition to selecting options, a realtor can help discuss living conditions for a family with children, property liability, and possible compensation with the owner. OLX Real Estate recommends agreeing in advance on liability terms for potential damage and fixing them in the lease agreement, which helps avoid misunderstandings and protects the interests of both parties.
Context: Pets and Seasonal Demand for Private Houses
The topic of restrictions for families with children fits into a broader context of barriers in the rental market. It was previously reported that 73% of Ukrainians who looked for housing with pets faced difficulties, whereas 47% of tenants experienced no problems with property damage caused by pets. Simultaneously, ahead of winter, demand for renting private houses increased: in September, the largest surge in ad responses was recorded in Chernivtsi Oblast—up by 163% year-on-year, which experts attribute to the availability of autonomous heating and water supply during power outages. Collectively, the survey data indicate that having children does not in itself imply inevitable property damage, while clear agreements and a responsible attitude toward property remain the key factors.
