Why Croatians are rushing to buy air-conditioners this winter

Croatians race to beat new rules

As temperatures dip closer to freezing, one might expect Croatians to focus on staying warm. Instead, an unexpected trend has taken hold: a surge in air-conditioner sales.

As Tportal reports, retailers report a 20–30% increase in demand during the past few months, driven not by summer heat but by a new building law.

Many people scrambled to install or upgrade units ahead of the January 1 deadline, when stricter regulations on air-conditioner placement came into effect.

The new law, part of Croatia’s Building Management and Maintenance Act, mandates that external air-conditioning units can no longer be installed on building facades visible from streets or squares.

Instead, they must be placed on side walls, terraces, or balconies in recessed positions. Non-compliance risks hefty fines, ranging from €1,000 for property owners to €10,000 for contractors performing unauthorised installations.

Retailers See a Boom

Retailers and installers were among the first to notice the trend. Frigo-Kor, one of Croatia’s leading air-conditioner distributors, confirmed to Tportal an uptick in sales.

“Interest surged by at least 20–30% as people rushed to beat the deadline. Many were installing units where they’d never had them before,” said a company spokesperson.

Building representatives, too, observed the phenomenon. “It’s been striking how many installations and replacements occurred before January 1. People wanted to avoid the complications of the new regulations,” explained Zdravko Vladanović, head of Zagreb’s Association of Residential Building Co-Owners.

A Legal Loophole?

Some homeowners appear to have sidestepped the rules entirely by installing new units in December, ensuring their placement remains legal under the older, more lenient laws. Critics argue this loophole highlights a lack of foresight in the legislation.

“There are countless unanswered questions,” Vladanović noted, citing issues like the practicality of suggested alternatives, such as units without external components. “It’s not always feasible, especially in older buildings where space and technical constraints exist.”

Challenges for the Future

The law aims to improve urban aesthetics and ensure better cohabitation in multi-unit buildings. However, enforcing it might prove challenging.

Over 3,500 inquiries from concerned citizens poured into the association, questioning everything from installation rules to maintenance requirements.

Retailers also suggest a more balanced approach. “Covering existing units with facade-coloured panels could have been a better compromise,” said a Frigo-Kor representative.

For now, Croatians who acted swiftly have avoided fines and installed their air-conditioners under the wire. But with over 200 unresolved questions about the law, its long-term impact remains uncertain.

As the government seeks to regulate cohabitation in shared buildings, it’s clear that finding practical and inclusive solutions will be crucial.

Until then, the recent winter rush for air-conditioners offers a glimpse of how regulation can drive consumer behaviour, even in unexpected ways.