Property Taxes Have Risen Dramatically — Pensioners Hit Hardest

The Ghișeul.ro digital payment platform for state services crashed on Friday for several hours, as thousands of Romanians attempted to check their new property taxes for 2026. The technical outage could not have come at a worse time, given that the deadline for paying with a 10% early-payment discount falls on 31 March.

When the site came back online, Romanians were in for a major shock. Residential property taxes had risen dramatically, with some properties seeing their bills doubled or even tripled compared to the previous year.

Concrete examples of alarming increases

Cases posted on social media illustrate the scale of the problem: a two-room flat now carries a tax bill that has jumped from 480 RON in 2025 to 870 RON in 2026. Another documented case shows an even more dramatic rise — from 1,050 RON to 3,328 RON for a flat and its associated land.

These increases are hitting seniors and pensioners particularly hard, as they often own older properties in city centre areas that have been significantly revalued. For many pensioners on fixed incomes, these rises represent a financial burden that is almost impossible to bear.

Payment methods and available relief options

To avoid bank charges, seniors can use the Ghișeul.ro platform or its dedicated mobile apps for Android and iOS. Setting up an account takes approximately five minutes, and payments can be made with any bank card featuring 3D Secure technology.

For those less familiar with technology, login credentials can be obtained directly from the Local Taxes and Duties Directorate by phone or email, upon presentation of identity documents. A modern alternative is the ROeID app, which provides a unified digital identity for accessing public services.

Experts warn that these steep increases will prompt many property owners to put unoccupied properties up for sale, which could drive down prices in the property market whilst also pushing up rents on occupied homes.