Selling a flat or house? Documents the notary — and buyer — will ask for

Two questions that will definitely be asked

When selling property, two topics always come up — regardless of whether you're selling a studio flat in a block or a house outside the city. The first will be asked by the notary: "is there an energy performance certificate?". The second will be asked by the buyer (or their appraiser or bank): "what is the condition of the electrical installation?". It's worth having a written answer to both before you publish the advertisement.

Certificate: without it, you won't sign the deed

From 28 April 2023, the certificate is mandatory for every sale — the buyer must receive it with the notarial deed, and the notary records the handover of the document. Failure to comply with the obligation carries a fine, in practice up to 5,000 zł. 2026 added further requirements:

• energy class in the advertisement — the sales offer must show the class (A+–G) and EP indicator, like an energy label on household appliances;
• new certificate format — documents issued from 29 May 2026 have a clear, graphic class; older ones remain valid, but in advertisements, they look pale compared to offers with a class;
• historic buildings not exempt — buildings under conservation protection also need a certificate when selling.

The certificate is prepared by an authorised person, and the document receives a number in the central register (CRCEB) — without this number, it's just a piece of paper. You can read more about the document itself and the classes in a separate guide on the energy certificate.

Electrical installation: this is where negotiations are decided

The certificate is mandatory — but it's the condition of the installation that can genuinely affect the price. "Old installation, probably aluminium, everything will need replacing" is one of the most common arguments to reduce the price by several thousand. It works because usually no one has proof that it's otherwise.

Such proof is a protocol from the inspection and measurements: insulation resistance, electric shock protection, residual current device test — with results and assessment. If the installation is in good working order, the protocol settles the matter. If something needs improvement, you find out before the transaction — and you decide whether to fix it or factor it into the price, instead of negotiating blindly. We describe exactly what an electrician measures in the post about measurements and the protocol.

When selling a house, a second issue arises: a single-family house is subject to periodic inspection under Art. 62 of Prawo budowlane — an electrical installation inspection at least once every 5 years is the owner's obligation. Increasingly, both buyers and banks financing the purchase are asking about this. The easiest way to catch up on a overdue inspection is when obtaining the certificate.

In what order to do it

1. before publishing the advertisement — order the certificate (class and EP must be in the advertisement) and an inspection with measurements (an argument for the asking price);
2. one technician visit — measurements and data collection about the property can be done at once, usually in 2–3 hours;
3. documents by email — the certificate with the CRCEB number and the measurement protocol are kept in one folder with the rest of the transaction papers;
4. at the notary — you hand over the certificate, the notary records it, matter closed.

How much does it cost

Ordered separately: a certificate for a flat from 399 zł, an inspection with measurements and protocol from approx. 491 zł — together approx. 890 zł and two dates to keep track of. In the “inspection + certificate” package, both services are carried out during one visit, and the certificate then costs 308 zł instead of 399 zł — package from 799 zł gross. You see the price in the reservation, before confirming the date.