Tuesday, 21 July 2026
The cyberattack that disrupted the systems of Romania’s National Agency for Cadastre and Land Registration (ANCPI) has interrupted property transactions at a time when the country’s residential market was recovering from a slow start to the year, according to Crosspoint Real Estate, the Romanian associate of Savills.
Data compiled by Crosspoint from ANCPI shows that apartment transactions fell by 16.6% year-on-year during the first quarter of 2026. Activity then recovered, with residential sales increasing by 2.2% in April, nearly 16% in May and more than 26% in June compared with the same months of 2025.
More than a week after the cyberattack, key land registry services remain unavailable. Land Book extracts and property title registrations, both essential for completing real estate transactions, cannot currently be issued.
The disruption comes shortly before changes to Romania’s VAT regime take effect on 1 August. From that date, the VAT rate for certain new homes will increase from 9% to 21%. The measure applies to properties pre-contracted before 1 August 2025 for which a 20% deposit has been paid. According to Crosspoint, the higher VAT could increase the purchase price of an individual property by as much as €14,000.
“The impact of the ANCPI disruption extends well beyond the VAT changes. Every procedure requiring Land Book extracts or title registration has effectively been put on hold. The delays are also affecting permitting documentation and the entire transaction process, not just the signing of sales contracts,” said Oana Popescu, Head of Residential at Crosspoint Real Estate.
She warned that longer delays could begin to affect buyer behaviour.
“If the disruption continues for more than two weeks, the risks increase significantly. Buyers may begin to question their decisions, compare alternative properties or reconsider agreed prices. Such reactions could lead to transactions being cancelled that would otherwise have been completed,” Popescu said.
For buyers who have already entered into pre-sale agreements, the interruption is creating additional legal and financial challenges. Crosspoint notes that contracts may need to be amended because of force majeure provisions, while fluctuations in the euro exchange rate could increase costs during the delay.
According to the consultancy, the consequences extend beyond the residential property market.
“When real estate transactions are delayed, the capital tied to those deals does not automatically move into other parts of the economy. This interrupts the normal flow of investment and has indirect consequences for consumption and broader economic activity,” Popescu said.
