Developers and estate agents criticized by UOKiK

The Chairman of Competition and Consumer Protection Office (UOKiK) Cezary Banasiński told a press conference on Monday that his Office called into question 40% of specimen contracts signed by development companies and 19.5% of deals signed by real estate agents. According to Banasiński the main irregularities relate to an unequal division of rights and duties of clients and companies selling property, which gave construction companies a privileged position, while imposing tough obligations on buyers. Moreover, developers imposed far too high penalties on clients who wanted to withdraw from contracts. The Office asked the Consumers and Competition Court (SOKiK) to enter those questioned parts of contracts into the Register of Banned Clauses (RKN). "Once it is in the register, a consumer can demand that it be withdrawn from their contract, even if the contract was signed earlier," said Banasiński. During the press conference the Office announced that Warsaw-based JW Construction Holding refused to accept any of UOKiK's judgements. (Parkiet, p. 6; www.onet.pl) M.M.