A developer announces “−10% until the end of the month”. You are looking at the offer from another country, the price list is in Polish, and the deadline is close. The good news: you do not need fluent Polish to check a discount, because only numbers and dates matter. The developer must show on its website the price per m² of every unit and, with each price change, keep the earlier data with its date (art. 19a ust. 2 of the Developer Act, as at October 2026). If the “discounted” price has applied for months, or is higher than the lowest price before the cut, the flat has not become cheaper; only the slogan in the advert has changed.
Legal basis: the Act of 20 May 2021 on the protection of the rights of buyers of residential units or single-family houses and on the Developer Guarantee Fund, consolidated text Dz.U. 2026 poz. 880. Legal position as at October 2026.
Three questions before you pay a reservation fee:
- From what date does the “discounted” price apply, and did it already apply before the promotion was announced?
- What did the same unit cost in recent weeks, especially in the 30 days before the cut?
- Has the price per m² fallen for the same floor area, or has only the total changed because the area or the content of the “package” changed?
Where to find the date and the price history
The developer’s website. The developer publishes the price per m² of the unit’s usable floor area, the prices of ancillary rooms and of rights needed to use the unit (if not included in the unit price), and other charges. Amounts include VAT. The page is updated on the day the price changes, with the date of the change and with earlier data kept from the start of sales (art. 19a ust. 1 and 2). The developer must also give the address of this page in adverts and offers (art. 19a ust. 3), so a “−10%” banner should lead to the price list.
The dane.gov.pl portal. The developer sends its data to the minister responsible for digital affairs once a day, and the minister publishes it on the open data portal (art. 19b ust. 1 and 3). In files following the ministry’s template each price has a column with the date from which it applies. The data is licensed CC0. The file changes from day to day, so note the download date. From 11 November 2026 the data structure is to be set by a ministerial regulation (amendment of art. 19b, Dz.U. 2026 poz. 1077); as at 7 October 2026 it had not appeared in the Journal of Laws.
Our catalogue. In the flat list, the “Price as of” column shows the price date from the developer’s file or, where that is missing, the file date. The price index gives the median price per m² in every development, with the data date. We do not publish day-by-day change histories, so look for the history of a specific unit with the developer. We describe the method in detail, with examples, in the article on how to check a promotion against open data.
Checking a discount step by step
- Save the advert. Take a dated screenshot and check whether it gives the address of the price page.
- Find the unit in the developer’s price list. Write down the price per m², the unit price, the date of the last change and the earlier prices.
- Download the dane.gov.pl file from the same day. Find the unit number and the date from which the price applies. How to find the dataset for the right development is described in the article on how to find a developer’s file on dane.gov.pl.
- Compare the price date with the promotion date. If the “discounted” price applied before the promotion began, the promotion did not lower it.
- Find the lowest price of the 30 days before the cut. If the price was raised just before the promotion, the discount from the inflated price is smaller than it looks.
- Count in zloty per m² for the same area. The unit price can change because of a different area, not a different price.
- Add the parking space and storage room. Check their prices and dates, especially when the promotion covers a “package”.
- Compare with the median in the development in the price index. That is context, not a verdict on whether the price is a good deal.
Two examples from developers’ files
Below are entries from developers’ files on dane.gov.pl, amounts including VAT. They show how to read a price history; we do not know whether the developers announced these changes as promotions, and we draw no conclusions about the market from them.
Scroll the table sideways to see all columns.
| Development (district), unit | Entry in the file | What follows |
|---|---|---|
| Aleja Krakowska 201 (Włochy), M2, 75.19 m² | PLN 1,258,345 (from 02.09.2025) → PLN 1,157,926 (from 05.08.2026) → PLN 1,052,585 (from 09.09.2026) | Two cuts 35 days apart: −9.1% against the previous price and −16.4% against the first |
| Osiedle Śpiewających Ptaków (Wawer), house 11, 94.14 m² | PLN 835,000 (11.09.2025) → 909,000 (17.02.2026) → 949,000 (08.08.2026) → 929,000 (21.08.2026) | The 2.1% cut came 13 days after a rise. The lowest price of the 30 days before it (PLN 909,000) is lower than the price “after the cut” |
Own analysis based on dane.gov.pl data; Aleja Krakowska 201 files of 3 October 2026, Osiedle Śpiewających Ptaków of 4 October 2026. We calculated the percentages ourselves.
How much history the files really contain
Less than you might expect. In 22 developments in our catalogue with files on dane.gov.pl, there were 960 flats on offer (files downloaded on 4 October 2026):
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| What is in the file | Flats | Developments |
|---|---|---|
| Date from which the price applies | 726 (75.6%) | 18 of 22 |
| At least one earlier price of the unit | 42 (4.4%) | 6 |
| Two or more earlier prices | 12 | 4 |
Own analysis based on dane.gov.pl data (files downloaded on 4 October 2026).
Most often the file shows only the current price with a date, so earlier prices have to be viewed on the developer’s website, where art. 19a ust. 2 requires them. That is why we give no “average cut” and no share of developers raising prices before a promotion: the history of 42 flats in 6 developments is too little for such conclusions.
Does the “lowest price of 30 days” rule apply?
This is not known for certain. The rule comes from the Act on informing about the prices of goods and services (consolidated text Dz.U. 2023 poz. 168): when a price is cut, the lowest price of the 30 days before the cut is shown next to it (art. 4 ust. 2), including in adverts that state a price (art. 4 ust. 5). However, the Act does not apply to price information governed by a separate act (art. 2), and prices of developer flats are governed by art. 19a of the Developer Act. The explanations of the President of UOKiK of 8 May 2023 speak of businesses advertising goods and services, but say nothing about real estate. Legal position as at October 2026.
So do not count on the developer stating the lowest price of 30 days itself; work it out from the history on its website.
If you are buying from abroad
A promotion deadline puts pressure on every buyer, and more on a foreigner, who views offers remotely, cannot read the Polish price list and converts prices into their own currency. What is worth knowing (as at October 2026):
Count in zloty, not in euro or dollars. Price lists and dane.gov.pl files give prices in zloty. An exchange-rate move over a week can “create” a discount that is not in the price list, or hide a real one. Compare only PLN per m² and the dates from the price list.
Glossary for the price list:
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| Polish | Meaning |
|---|---|
| promocja, rabat, obniżka | promotion, discount, price cut |
| cena katalogowa / cena regularna | list price / “normal” price |
| cena obowiązuje od | the date from which the price is valid |
| historia cen / historia zmian cen | earlier prices of the unit |
| najniższa cena z 30 dni | lowest price before the cut |
| cena za m² / cena lokalu | price per m² / price of the whole unit |
| pakiet, miejsce postojowe, komórka lokatorska | package, parking space, storage room |
What you can manage remotely. A developer agreement (umowa deweloperska) requires a notarial deed (art. 40 ust. 1), and a power of attorney for it also requires a notarial deed (art. 99 § 1 of the Civil Code, consolidated text Dz.U. 2026 poz. 795). According to the explanations of the Polish consulate in Stockholm, a consul does not certify a signature on such a power of attorney. So before the promotion ends you can usually manage remotely only a reservation agreement, if the developer offers one. The reservation fee does not exceed 1% of the price in the prospectus (art. 32 ust. 2). Ask for the discounted price per m² and the floor area to be written into the reservation agreement, and check the history of that price before signing. Agree the form of the power of attorney from abroad with a notary in Poland in advance.
A parking space in a “package” and the MSWiA permit. A foreigner buys a self-contained residential unit in Warsaw without a permit from the Ministry of the Interior and Administration (MSWiA), whatever their nationality (art. 8 ust. 1 pkt 1 of the Act on the acquisition of real estate by foreigners, Dz.U. 2017 poz. 2278), and a non-residential unit (a garage) or a share in it too, when the purchase serves housing needs (art. 8 ust. 1 pkt 1a). A permit is, however, needed for a share in a separate property sold with the flat, for example in an access road or part of the estate, and a transaction without a required permit is void (art. 6 ust. 1). If a promotion adds a parking space to the flat, ask before reserving in what form it is sold. This does not apply to citizens of the EEA and Switzerland.
Money from abroad. A notary and a real estate agent are obliged institutions (art. 2 ust. 1 pkt 13 and 18 of the Polish AML Act, consolidated text Dz.U. 2025 poz. 644). They apply financial security measures when entering a business relationship and for an occasional transaction equivalent to EUR 15,000 or more (art. 35 ust. 1 pkt 1 and pkt 2 lit. a): they identify the client and the beneficial owner, and examine the source of assets where circumstances justify it (art. 34 ust. 1 pkt 1, 2 and 4 lit. b). A short promotion deadline does not shorten these checks, so prepare documents on the source of funds in advance.
When the contract price is higher or the advert raises doubts
Contract price higher than the price list. If the price on the developer’s website differs from the one offered when the agreement is concluded, you may demand the agreement at the price most favourable to you (art. 19a ust. 6). On the day of signing, save the price page with the date visible, download the dane.gov.pl file and report the discrepancy in writing before you sign.
An advert that may mislead. Under the Act on counteracting unfair market practices (consolidated text Dz.U. 2023 poz. 845), misleading action can concern the price, the way it is calculated or the existence of a special price advantage (art. 5 ust. 3 pkt 5). Spreading true information in a misleading way can also mislead (art. 5 ust. 2 pkt 2), as can omission (art. 6 ust. 1). In all circumstances bait advertising is unfair (art. 7 pkt 5). Whether a particular promotion breaches these rules is for UOKiK or a court to decide, not the buyer or an agent.
No prices or history on the website. A breach of the duties in art. 19a counts as a practice infringing collective consumer interests (art. 19a ust. 5), for which the President of UOKiK may impose a fine of up to 10% of the previous year’s turnover (art. 106 ust. 1 pkt 4 of the Act on competition and consumer protection, Dz.U. 2025 poz. 1714). Legal position as at October 2026.
FAQ
How can I tell whether a developer discount is genuine?
Compare three things: the date from which the “discounted” price applies, the earlier prices of the same unit, and the price per m² for the same floor area. The developer must show price changes on its website with the date and keep the data from the start of sales (art. 19a ust. 2 of the Developer Act, Dz.U. 2026 poz. 880, as at October 2026). If the “discounted” price already applied earlier, or is higher than the lowest price before the cut, the flat has not really become cheaper.
Where can I see the price history of a developer flat?
On the developer’s website, where the Act requires the price to be updated on the day of change, dated, and earlier prices kept (art. 19a ust. 2). The second source is the developer’s file on dane.gov.pl, where each price carries the date from which it applies. Earlier prices are usually missing from the files: in 22 developments in our catalogue, 42 of 960 flats had at least one earlier price (files of 4 October 2026).
Must a developer state the lowest price of the 30 days before a price cut?
This is not settled. The 30-day lowest-price rule is in the Act on informing about the prices of goods and services (Dz.U. 2023 poz. 168, art. 4 ust. 2 and 5), but it does not apply where a separate act governs price information (art. 2), and flat prices are governed by the Developer Act. As at October 2026 it is safer to work out the lowest price yourself from the history on the developer’s website.
The discount ends at month-end and I am abroad. What can I manage in time?
A developer agreement (umowa deweloperska) requires a notarial deed (art. 40 ust. 1 of the Developer Act), and a power of attorney for it also requires a notarial deed (art. 99 § 1 of the Civil Code). Agree with a notary in Poland how such a power of attorney can be prepared abroad. Remotely you can usually manage at most a reservation agreement, if the developer offers one: the reservation fee may not exceed 1% of the price in the prospectus (art. 32 ust. 2). Ask for the discounted price per m² to be written into it, and check its history first.
What if the contract price is higher than the discounted price list?
If the price on the developer’s website differs from the price offered when the agreement is concluded, you may demand the agreement at the price most favourable to you (art. 19a ust. 6 of the Developer Act, as at October 2026). On the day of signing, save the price page with the date visible, download the dane.gov.pl file and report the discrepancy in writing before you sign.
Found a flat on promotion and planning a visit to the sales office? Write to us before your first visit: the developer must be told in advance that you are coming with us, and we will go to the meeting together. Beforehand we will compare the price history of the flat in the developer’s price list and on dane.gov.pl, go through the information prospectus and the draft agreement with you, and point out what to ask the developer or a lawyer. We serve clients in 7 languages. A buyer on the primary market does not pay us a fee. Our remuneration on the primary market comes from agreements with developers.
Jawno · +48 692 649 839 · infojawno@gmail.com
This text is for information only and is not legal advice. Legal position as at October 2026.