The first 30 days after purchase: A guide for the new property owner in Bansko

Do it, but only for a short time. Many new owners – especially foreigners or people accustomed to the comforts of the big city – live with the dangerous delusion that once they leave the notary's office, the job is done. This is a mistake that could cost you dearly.

In Bulgaria, and specifically in a municipality Bansko, the bureaucratic clock starts ticking at the moment of the deal. If you miss the legal deadlines for registration, you risk not only fines from the municipality, but also the nightmare of waking up without electricity in mid-January because the lot is still registered to the old owner and he has closed it.

To save you the stress and running around, we have prepared this detailed „"Survival List"“ for the first 30 days of your ownership.

STEP 1: Receiving the registered Notarial Deed

On the day of the transaction, you sign the notarial deed, but it is not yet a valid document before the institutions. The notary must present it to the Registry Agency, where a registry judge enters it in the property register. This procedure takes technological time.

• Deadline: Usually 3 to 7 days after the transaction.
• Action: Call the notary's office before you go to confirm that the document is ready. Get at least 2-3 certified copies of the deed, as you will need them for all subsequent steps.

STEP 2: ERM West (Current) – The most critical task!

In Bansko this is the most common stumbling block. You have a statutory period of 30 days, to change the meter lot number to your name. If you are late, the procedure becomes more complicated, and if the old owner (especially if it is a company) decides to "pull the switch", restoring power can take weeks.

How does the procedure work in Bansko?

1. You go to the ERM West (Electrohold) Customer Center. The closest and most convenient office is located in Razlog (5 km from Bansko). Check the opening hours in advance, as there are often queues.
2. Required documents: Copy of the new Notarial Deed, ID Card and (very important!) Transmission protocol. This protocol must be completed on the day you pick up the keys and must contain the meter readings as of the date of change of ownership.
3. You are filling out an application for changing the account holder.

STEP 3: Blagoevgrad Water Supply and Sewerage (Water)

The procedure is similar to that for electricity, but the office is located in a different location. In Bansko there is a remote office of the Water Supply and Sewerage Department, where you can submit the documents.

• Deadline: 30 days from acquisition.
• Documents: Copy of notarial deed and handover protocol with water meter readings.
• Important detail: The officials will check if the old owner has any unpaid debts. If there are any, the Water Authority may refuse to transfer the lot until they are cleared. Make sure the seller has paid everything before you end your relationship with them.

STEP 4: Bansko Municipality (Local Taxes)

By law, every new owner must declare the property to the Local Taxes and Fees Directorate in Bansko Municipality. The deadline for this is 2 months from the date of issuance of the notarial deed.

What is being served?

You must fill out a "Declaration under Art. 14 of the Real Estate and Property Act". This is a long and detailed document in which you describe the property - square footage, floor, type of construction, year of construction, presence of an elevator, etc. Based on this data, the municipality calculates your "Tax Assessment", on which you will pay annual building tax and garbage fee.

STEP 5: The Condominium Owner (The Home Manager)

This is the step that almost everyone forgets, but which is critical for your peaceful life in the complex. In Bansko, most apartments are in buildings with "Closed type" or with active condominium ownership.

• Find the property manager or complex manager (there is usually a contact board in the entrance).
• Introduce yourself as the new owner and fill out „"The Owners' Book"“ (this is a legal requirement).
• Find out about the size of maintenance fee, how it is formed and what are the payment methods.
• Ask for the house rules and access code/chips for the front door.

STEP 6: BULSTAT (For foreigners only)

If you are a foreign citizen and do not have a Bulgarian Personal Identification Number (PIN) (or LNC), you have an additional obligation. You must register with the Registry Agency (BULSTAT Register) within 7 days of purchase. You will be issued a unique BULSTAT number (similar to a PIN), which will serve as your identifier before tax authorities and utility companies.

Conclusion

The first 30 days after the purchase are filled with tedious administrative work, but it is inevitable. A week of focused running around the institutions will save you years of headaches and confused bills. Don't leave things "for the next time you come", because in Bansko the institutions do not work on the weekend, when you are usually here for a vacation.