Use permit (Act 16)

Apart Estate offers real estate in Bulgaria with Act 16 (habitation certificate): apartments and studio apartments, houses, and villas. In this section of our website, you will find finished and ready houses and apartments in Burgas, Saint Vlas, Nessebar, Bansko, Pamporovo as well as many other cities and resorts. Buying an apartment with Act 16, you can be sure that it is suitable for permanent living, seasonal vacations and is an excellent investment.

What is Act 16 in Bulgaria and why is it so important when buying an apartment

Buying property in Bulgaria with Act 16. Sales of apartments and houses in Bulgaria with a habitation certificate As soon as a residential building is fully built, a special commission checks its compliance with the construction documentation and whether it is ready for habitation. If no problems and inconsistencies are identified, the developer receives permission to put the building into operation. This permit (habitation certificate) in Bulgaria is called Act 16.

After receiving Act 16, apartment owners have every right to move to their new property and live there. In accordance with the Art. 178 of the Property Law, it is impossible to use the real estate for living before this moment.

There are many reasons for this. The safety of the residential building has not been proven. Electricity and water can be turned off at any time. Electricity will have to be paid at industrial rates. Apartments cannot be registered with the tax authorities and in the real estate registry, and it is impossible to obtain a residence permit or permanent residence in Bulgaria.

Advantages of buying real estate in Bulgaria with a habitation act

There are many advantages to purchasing an apartment with Act 16 in Bulgaria. The most important thing is that your apartment or house is now completely ready. You can see how the residential building, the area around it, and the apartment itself look like. You also can see the construction quality, problems and advantages.

Having the apartment ready, it is much easier to imagine how to finish it and what furniture to buy. There are no longer risks that it will not be completed and that it will turn into another long-term construction project with disappointed owners.
Among the advantages of buying property with Act 16 from Apart Estate, there are following:

Your apartment is completely ready. If you bought it with a rough finish, you can start decorating it. If the apartment was sold on a turnkey basis, it is enough to purchase furniture and immediately celebrate a housewarming.
A habitation certificate is a guarantee of the quality of the residential building.
An apartment with all documents is an excellent investment. It is enough to prepare it for living, as you can immediately rent it out and receive income.
Banks provide loans for the purchase of finished housing.
You can use real estate as a pledge to obtain a loan for other needs.
Electricity and water are supplied at tariffs for the population.
A notary act for an apartment with Act 16 can be included in the package of documents for obtaining a residence permit and permanent residence in Bulgaria.

Ideally, it is better to buy apartments in Bulgaria at the stage of Act 16. The only disadvantage of such a purchase is that the prices for apartments with the habitation act are much higher than when buying it at the construction phase upon obtaining Act 14 and 15. More information about Acts 14, 15, 16 and at what stage of construction they are issued can be found in the article: act 14, act 15 and act 16. Stages of construction in Bulgaria.