The Polish Ministry of Development and Technology is preparing a series of amendments to the Real Estate Management Act that would prohibit intermediaries from receiving commissions from both parties to the same transaction, introduce a minimum scope of responsibilities, and expand the powers of the Office for Transaction Inspections.

If the amendments are adopted, agents will no longer be able to receive a commission from both the seller and the buyer simultaneously. The measure is based on the view that an intermediary working for both parties may act in the interests of only one of them. The government, however, aims to eliminate this possibility: a broker will be required to act in the interests of the party with whom they have signed an agreement. In addition, the changes are intended to prevent situations in which a prospective buyer is pressured into signing a brokerage agreement when they only want to view the property.

The proposal will also change the rules governing advertising. Advertisements published by intermediaries must clearly state that they have been placed by a real estate agent. The bill provides for financial penalties for violations and even a ban on conducting brokerage activities.