Romania's "4–5 times higher" property tax warning: what is actually decided for 2027

The example does not match the headline

The mayor's example: a 50 m² flat in zone A that pays 480 lei a year now would pay 1,200–1,500 lei. That is 2.5–3.1 times more, not 4–5 times (EstateScope calculation). He said some homes would see larger rises, but gave no calculation. The simulation, made with notaries, has not been published.

What is decided

For 2026, Law no. 239/2025 raised the taxable value per square metre. In Buzău, the most common category rose from 1,472 to 2,677 lei per m², about 82% (municipal formula). Age discounts were abolished, and councils could not cut rates below 2025 levels (Law no. 239/2025).

Law no. 239/2025 also established RO e-Proprietate, a system to collect property data for fiscal policy. OUG 78/2025 delays the special rules for company-owned homes until 1 January 2027 (EY). In June, the European Commission wrote that work on the reform was ongoing (COM(2026) 223). The mayor's valuation tables and calculation for Cavnic are not public, so his multiple remains an estimate; actual bills will depend on applicable local rules.

What to check now

• Owners: your bill is set by your local council's decision on rates and zones, not by a headline. Check which zone and category your home is in.
• Buyers: ask for the latest tax assessment (decizia de impunere) and a fiscal certificate showing no arrears. Budget the tax as a range.
• Flats held through a company: ask your accountant what changes on 1 January 2027.

Our reading

After the 2026 rise, the concern is understandable. But the "4–5 times" figure is not supported by its own example, and one mayor's simulation is not a national estimate. The real unknowns are how values will be set and which rates councils choose.

Limitations: the mayor's underlying simulation has not been published, so its assumptions cannot be checked independently. Law no. 239/2025 on Romania's official legislative portal, Buzău's published 2026 formula and EY's note on OUG 78/2025 do not establish an individual 2027 bill.