“Apartments for 1 PLN” mass complaints to UOKiK
On September 11, 2025, the Act of May 21, 2025 amending the Act on the Protection of the Rights of the Buyer of a Residential Unit or Single-Family House and the Developers’ Guarantee Fund entered into force – known as the Housing Price Transparency Act. It obliges developers to publish full information on the prices of the units they offer on their websites. The legislator’s goal is to increase market transparency and limit practices of concealing prices. The new rules were intended as a step toward better consumer protection, but attempts to circumvent them appeared immediately.
Developers’ obligations
A developer must publish the gross price of each apartment or house, state the price per square meter of usable area, and the prices of ancillary rooms. They must also disclose any other costs to be borne by the buyer. The data must be updated and marked with the date of the change. The aim is to prevent situations in which the buyer is unaware of the true transaction terms and faces hidden costs.
“Apartments for 1 PLN”
On the day the act came into force, offers appeared advertising apartments for 1 PLN per m². In practice, this is an attempt to circumvent the rules by setting a symbolic price in order to formally meet the publication requirement. According to UOKiK, more than one thousand consumer complaints have already been submitted. Clients point out that such prices are fictitious and misleading, as they do not reflect the real conditions of the property sale.
Information vs. offer
A price visible on a website is not always an “offer” within the meaning of the Civil Code. Under Article 66 § 1 of the Civil Code, an offer must specify the essential terms of the agreement, not just the price. However, the legislator provided a safeguard: under Article 19a(6) of the Act, the buyer may demand to conclude the agreement at the most favorable price. Thus, if the advertised price is lower than the final price, the client may invoke the Act. The developer, in turn, would argue that the price was a mistake and not binding.
Violations and risks
Quoting 1 PLN per m² may be considered a misleading practice. In such cases, the developer violates the collective interests of consumers, and UOKiK may intervene. Risks also arise where ancillary room prices are not disclosed or updates are not made. Such practices undermine the purpose of the Act and may be classified as unfair market practices, which carry financial penalties.
Financial penalties
For violating the new obligations, the President of UOKiK may impose a fine of up to 10% of the developer’s turnover from the previous year. Sanctions may apply not only to the company but also to managers who knowingly allowed the breaches. In practice, this creates serious financial and personal liability risks for management. Developers should bear in mind that symbolic prices or a lack of reliable data can result in heavy fines.
Compliance conclusions
The new law requires developers to implement effective compliance procedures. This includes establishing a process for verifying published prices, providing training for sales and marketing teams, and regularly auditing website content. Companies must also remember that consumers may demand to purchase at the advertised price. Therefore, publishing fictitious data is not only a penalty risk but also exposes developers to real consumer claims.
