Thousands of homeowners may have a problem. The new regulations are already in force
New regulations will come into force from 2026, which may mean costly improvements or even partial demolition of the building for people building a house or investors.
From the beginning of 2026, amended construction law regulations will apply. One of the most important novelties is the introduction of the so-called “yellow card” for investors who deviate from the conditions specified in the building permit during construction. So far, detecting irregularities often meant immediate suspension of work. Now, construction supervision is to first give the investor a chance to correct the errors and bring the investment into compliance with the approved design.
60 days for corrections. Then an inspection by officials
If inspectors find violations, the investment owner will receive an official warning and a deadline to remove the violations. 60 days are allocated to implement the recommendations.
After this time, construction supervision will check the construction site again. If all irregularities are removed, the case will end without further consequences. Otherwise, officials will be able to suspend the investment and initiate remedial proceedings.
The problem may appear just before the end of construction
“Rzeczpospolita” points out that the new regulations apply not only to large developer investments, but also to people building single-family houses. Real estate market experts point out that the moment of detecting non-compliance may be crucial. If errors are discovered at the final stage of work, their removal may require the demolition of part of the already completed building.
An additional difficulty is the inability to freely extend the deadlines set by construction supervision. This means that investors will have to act quickly, often incurring additional costs.
Easier legalization of unauthorized construction
The amendment also provides for a solution beneficial to owners of older facilities. Simplified legalization of unauthorized construction will be possible when at least 10 years have passed since the completion of the works.
In practice, this means it is easier to sort out the legal status of buildings that have operated for years without the required formalities. However, this does not mean complete freedom – the investor will still have to meet the conditions specified by regulations and construction supervision.
Demolition does not disappear from construction law
Although the new regulations give investors a chance to correct mistakes, they do not eliminate the possibility of ordering demolition. If the irregularities turn out to be serious or the owner does not follow the officials’ recommendations, construction supervision will still be able to resort to the most severe measures provided for in the regulations.
