Buying Property in Poland

Now Poland has joined the EU buying property in Poland for EU citizens is a process that should not present too many problems.

Several points to consider

• You will need an official translator to read the contract to you. This will cost between £35 and £80
• You will need to apply for right to buy

You can only buy a home in a completely straightforward way if you have Polish nationality.

If you do not have Polish nationality and are buying a holiday home you have to apply for permission from the Polish Home Office which must be obtained before you complete. Information on how to do this can be found (in English and Polish) at http://www.mswia.gov.pl

However, if you are buying a home to move permanently to Poland even if you do not have Polish nationality, you do not have to apply for special permission to purchase real estate but you will have to apply for permanent residency etc. (information on this also at www.mswia.gov.pl).

The process of buying property in Poland is relatively simple and easy. If you use an estate agent there will be a fee but generally they are well worth it and far, far more hardworking and helpful than their equivalents elsewhere. For example, they can pick you up from the airport and take you to see the property or to a meeting with the notary.

After viewing a house you can negotiate directly with the owners or through the estate agent if you use one. Generally, building surveys are not carried out. You will be able to find out from the deeds when the house was built and examine what state it is in at present. If you wish you may ask a building company to come over and quote for any repairs/renovations before you make an offer (they may charge for this).

Once you have negotiated a price you have to make an appointment with a notary for the sale to be legally binding - both the buyer and vendor use the same notary and often all meetings are with all parties present - this makes sorting out any queries/problems much easier, faster and cheaper than in other systems, such as the British one. It is customary for the buyer to cover the notary's fees (which will include all taxes that have to be paid - the fees are approximately 2% - 2.5% of the total price). If you are not fluent in Polish (even if your co-buyer is) it is essential for an official translator to be present - they will translate the discussion and the documents to you and will be required to sign the documents also. They typically charge around £30/$50 an hour and can be found easily in a telephone book (or the notary can arrange one for you).

The notary will draw up an 'initial contract' which will outline the details and any conditions that must be met before the sale completes (e.g. repairs). A deposit will be paid by the buyer, which is non-refundable unless it is the vendor that pulls out of the sale (it is possible to stipulate that double the deposit will be paid by the vendor in case of them pulling out). A date by which the 'final contract' (i.e. completion) must take place will be stated.

After the initial contract the notary will carry out the necessary checks/searches and the vendor must supply the appropriate documents. At the final contract meeting the rest of the money must be exchanged and the vendor must supply a document drawn from the "council" offices on that day stating that there are no loans secured on the house. It is important to note that in Poland loans secured on a property stay with the property, not the owner, and will thus be passed onto the new owner, which is why this document is essential.

Once the sale is completed it is customary to spend the rest of the day with the old owner driving round the electricity/telephone/water etc. provider offices to change billing details. Unfortunately, this can rarely be done by telephone or letter.

NB. The team behind meetpoland.com intends the above information to be used as an initial or supplementary insight. If you intend to purchase property in Poland it is essential that you do further research and contact official bodies such as the British or American Embassy in Poland or the Polish Embassy in your country. We cannot accept any responsibility for anything arising from this information.

Meet Poland FAQ