What Threatens a Resident of Latvia Who Does Not Have Registration

From time to time, some unclear letters arrive in his name, and twice people of suspicious appearance have come looking for him at my address. On one hand, I want to revoke his registration, but on the other hand, it would mean that I would officially make my father a 'person without a permanent residence' with my own hands. What am I risking if I do not do this, and what negative consequences could there be for my father if I do go through with it? Reader from bb.lv"

Answers lawyer Alevtina Grigorenko:

– As the legal owner of the apartment, the daughter has every right to cancel her father's residence registration at the address of the apartment she owns. Moreover, he does not actually live there, pays for nothing, and only appears sporadically.

If the registration is canceled, the father is obliged to register at a new address within a month. This is important because:

• registration is necessary for a person's official connection with the state. In particular, it is much more difficult for a person without registration to receive social assistance and some state or municipal services.

• if a person does not register a residence at a new address or provides a false address, they may face a monetary fine.

Thus, canceling the registration does not automatically make a person homeless legally – it simply obliges them to determine a new address.

As for the reader's risks if her father remains registered at the apartment she owns, the main ones are as follows:

• letters addressed to him (including letters from creditors or government agencies) may continue to arrive at her apartment address;

• various people or services may search for him at this address;

• unforeseen (including unpleasant) situations may arise related to his lifestyle. I recommend consulting a specialist to assess the possible consequences in this specific situation.