3 errors in letters to the office that cost 2 months

Using vague descriptions instead of hard data

The biggest error for developers is writing about a 'modern residential building of high standard' instead of providing specific parameters. An official in the Department of Urban Planning and Architecture at Kolegiacki Square does not need marketing, but numbers. If in the application for development conditions you do not precisely specify the above-ground building area, e.g., 1,138.5 m2, and instead write 'about 1100 m2', you are guaranteed a request for correction. In 2023, we handled an investment in Jeżyce where a lack of precision in the roof description halted the procedure for exactly 47 business days.

There must be mathematical order in the documents. If you plan 43 parking spaces, you must demonstrate that each of them fits within the standard, rather than hoping the official will figure it out from the layout themselves. We know these procedures inside out and we know that ambiguities raise concerns for officials. When an official has a doubt, the safest path for them is to send a letter asking for clarification, which automatically suspends the deadline. The paperwork must be correct to the centimeter, otherwise your construction machine will sit in the depot for 2 months longer.

Instead of adjectives, use tabular summaries. During the analysis of 34 applications that came to us for correction in the first quarter of 2024, we noticed that replacing descriptive text with a specific summary of technical parameters shortens the time of the first official response by an average of 11 days. Concrete facts on the table is the only language that accelerates stamps. Avoid fluff about architectural vision – focus on how the project fits into the building line designated by neighboring plots numbers 12/4 and 15/8.

An official in Poznań does not need architectural vision. They need a table with specific square meters that leaves no room for doubt.

Failure to precisely indicate infrastructure connections

The second error is a vague treatment of access to public roads and utilities. Investors often assume that since a water pipe runs in the street, the matter is obvious. Nothing could be further from the truth. In a letter to the office, you must refer to specific assurances from providers, e.g., a letter from Aquanet dated March 14, 2024, with reference number AQ/2024/987. If you don't do this, the official will ask the provider themselves, and that extends the process by another few weeks. At Casacombug Urban Lobby, we always attach a list of all branch approvals with their issue dates.

For projects in Wilda or Łazarz, where the infrastructure is dense and old, every error in the road plot number is a disaster. We had a case of a client who mixed up one digit in the plot number belonging to ZDM. The result? The office sent an inquiry to the wrong unit, received a negative answer, and issued a refusal. Unwinding that took us 68 days. It was a pure human error in copying documentation that cost real money. No unnecessary moves – check every plot number three times before shipping.

Remember that access to a public road is not just a physical entrance. It is a legal status. If your plot does not directly border a public road, you must demonstrate an easement. Many applications fail because the developer wrote 'access ensured' without attaching an excerpt from the land register of the neighboring plot from no more than 30 days ago. In such situations, we apply the principle of redundancy – we give the official more evidence than they ask for, so they have no reason to ask additional questions.

Ignoring deadlines and lacking a response strategy

The third error is passivity after sending the application. Developers often wait 'to the limit' for the office's move, not monitoring the case's progress. According to the KPA, the office has a specified time, but in practice, this time is elastic. Our method is regular contact with the inspector handling the case. Not to rush them, but to ask if anything is missing. On average every 14 business days, we make a control phone call to the department. Thanks to this, we know about any gaps 2h 14min after they are noted, rather than 10 days after receiving a registered letter.

Many investors are afraid of 'annoying the official'. That is an error. An official is an administrative employee who has their own procedures and hundreds of cases on their desk. Your case must be complete and legible for them to want to consider it first. If you receive a request to supplement gaps, you usually have 7 days for it. Responding at 'the last minute' is asking for trouble. We respond within 48 hours. A quick reaction shows that the investor is reliable and determined, which subconsciously mobilizes the other side to act.

In December 2023, we helped a developer from Grunwald who had been waiting 3.2 months too long for a decision. It turned out that a letter asking for clarification had gotten stuck in the post, and he was simply waiting. One visit to the office and a look at the files was enough to get the case moving in one day. The paperwork must be correct, but you also need to know when to go and personally check what stage your file is at. Do not be afraid to use your rights as a party to the proceedings.

Passivity is the most expensive strategy in development. Monitoring a case every 14 days shortens procedures by one-third.

Incorrect powers of attorney and fees

Formal errors, such as a poorly paid power of attorney (the famous 17 zlotys), are a classic that still paralyzes investments. Often developers send a transfer to the account of the City of Poznań, while the stamp duty should go to a specific account dedicated to a given type of action. At Casacombug Urban Lobby, we have a list of the 12 most common financial and legal traps that we check before every shipment of documentation. These are details that save a lot of time.

A power of attorney must be precise. If you authorize someone to 'represent before the office', it is too broad and unclear for many inspectors. A specific scope must be indicated, e.g., 'to obtain a decision on development conditions for plot no. 48/2'. In February 2024, we corrected documentation for a project in Strzeszyn, where a previous advisor had prepared faulty powers of attorney for 3 different people. The office rightly concluded that it was unknown who had the right to sign procedural letters. Time loss: 24 days.

Also, ensure the registry documents are up to date. A KRS (National Court Register) older than 3 months is still sometimes a flashpoint in some proceedings. Although offices have access to electronic systems, providing a current printout with the application eliminates the risk that the system is currently 'not working' or the official does not have the authorization to check it. For investments with a budget of 4.7 million PLN, it is not worth risking a delay due to a lack of one piece of paper that costs 0 PLN and 5 minutes of printer time.