Polish government rolls out sweeping housing and property reforms

The Polish administration is advancing several measures aimed at reshaping the country's housing market and property regulations. A draft amendment would require owners who bought municipal apartments at a discounted price to repay the subsidy if they later sell the unit, targeting speculative resale and the rapid decline of public housing stock.

Lawmakers from the left coalition have also tabled a new tax on a third (or additional) residential property. The proposal sets an initial rate of 0.5 % of the property's value, rising by 0.1 % each year to a ceiling of 1.5 %, which could levy up to 7 500 zł annually on a 500 k zł home. The tax is intended to curb investment‑driven housing hoarding.

A revision of the developer act clarifies that balconies, terraces, loggias and internal stairs are excluded from the usable floor‑area calculation, aiming to prevent price inflation from ambiguous metrage rules.

In parallel, a spatial‑planning amendment signed by the president extends the validity of existing land‑use studies to August 2026 and restricts who may apply for building permits, limiting applications to entities that already hold construction rights.

Separately, a draft defence‑related special law has drawn criticism from garden‑plot associations over reduced compensation provisions for expropriated plots. Finally, municipalities have reminded taxpayers that the third quarterly property‑tax instalment is due by 15 September, with penalties reaching 64 080 zł for deliberate evasion.