High ceilings, wooden floors, stucco and an address in the heart of the city - apartments in pre-war tenement buildings have a character that a new building cannot replicate. They also come with their own specifics: an old building, an owners’ association (wspólnota mieszkaniowa) and sometimes heritage protection. Here is what to check before you buy.
Legal status: the land and mortgage register and the building’s history
Start with the księga wieczysta (land and mortgage register) of the apartment - it can be viewed online in the Electronic Land and Mortgage Registers system. Check who the owner is (section II) and whether the apartment is encumbered with easements and claims (section III) or a mortgage (section IV).
Pay attention to whether you are buying a separate unit with its own land and mortgage register. In tenement buildings, a share in the co-ownership of the whole building with an agreement on the division of use is sometimes sold instead - a more complex legal situation that can make it harder, for example, to obtain a mortgage.
In Warsaw it is also worth learning about the building’s history, including whether any proceedings related to the so-called Bierut Decree of 1945 have concerned it. If in doubt, ask a lawyer for an opinion.
The owners’ association and the renovation fund
A tenement building with separate units usually has an owners’ association. Ask for the resolutions of recent years, the renovation plan, the level of contributions to the renovation fund and information about the association’s debts. Major works - the roof, the façade, the risers, reinforcing the ceilings - can mean higher charges or a loan taken out by the association.
The technical condition of the building and the apartment
- Ceilings - in old tenement buildings they are often wooden; their condition matters especially if you plan alterations, such as moving the bathroom.
- Installations - electrical, plumbing and gas; ask whether and when the risers were replaced.
- Heating - district heating, gas, electric, and sometimes still tiled stoves.
- Damp - cellars, walls at ground level, signs of leaks under the roof.
- Windows and joinery - original box-sash windows are charming, but restoring or replacing them can be costly.
Ask for the reports from the periodic inspections of the building’s technical condition that the manager is required to carry out, and if you have serious doubts, bring a structural engineer or building inspector to the viewing.
Heritage protection
A tenement building may be entered in the register of monuments or in the municipal register of historic buildings, and the whole area may be protected by the local development plan. This determines which works - for example on the façade, the windows or the staircase - require a permit or approval from the heritage conservator. It is worth checking before you plan a renovation.
Everyday life in a tenement building
- Lift - many tenement buildings do not have one, and adding it requires the consent of the association and often of the conservator.
- Parking - parking spaces in the courtyard are rare; check whether a space comes with the apartment and on what terms.
- Cellar and attic - check whether the storage room is entered in the apartment’s land and mortgage register or is just a customary arrangement.
- Neighbours - shops on the ground floor or restaurants in the courtyard affect how quiet the apartment is.
In summary
A well-chosen apartment in a tenement building combines character with the convenience of living in the centre. Apartments in pre-war tenement buildings are one of our specialities - we help you assess the building, the owners’ association and the legal status of the apartment before you decide. See tenement apartments for sale or get in touch.
