The rental market in Poland is vast: from hostels to luxury apartments in the old town. If you plan to stay in Poland for a long time, we advise you to rent your own accommodation.
You can entrust the search for an apartment or room to specialists or solve the housing issue yourself.
A few words about realtors:
As in many countries around the world, there are real estate agencies in Poland. An experienced real estate consultant will help you find suitable options and conduct a transaction. But remember, the realtor will charge you a commission for the support. The consultant's services will cost up to 100% from the monthly housing payment. The services of a qualified person will help you save time and nerves.
And if you decide to go this route on your own, write down our advice.
The most popular resources for finding housing:
First, decide on your budget and the type of accommodation you want to rent.
The most budget option is a bed in a hostel or dormitory. Accommodation here is suitable for students or singles. Polish dormitories are divided into state and private. Therefore, living conditions can vary significantly in both quality and cost. As a rule, 2-3 people are accommodated in one room, rarely 1. The premises in the dormitory have all the necessary conditions: furniture, laundry, kitchen and sanitary area. The latter can be shared on the floor or in the "block". Unlike a dormitory, accommodation in a hostel is less comfortable. Up to 10 people live in a hostel room, the kitchen and toilet are shared.
If your budget is limited, but you want comfort and personal space, then consider the option of sharing an apartment.
The owners of the apartment can live in it themselves and look for roommates. They will offer you to share free rooms. There is another option. The apartment can be rented exclusively to tenants. In any case, remember that you will have to share common space with your neighbors: kitchen, bathroom, toilet and hallway. In such "communal apartments" there are certain rules. They can vary, but most often there are typical ones, such as silence after 22:00 or a complete ban on visits from strangers.
For people who value personal space, we recommend renting separate housing (apartment/house).
In Poland, small apartments called Cavalier (cavalry). This is a small-sized apartment with an area of about 20-30 square meters. Often in a cavalry the living room area is combined with a mini-kitchen. The advantage of this type of apartment is the low cost of rent and utility bills.
For those who are moving to Poland with family or friends, the option of renting a full-fledged premises is the most acceptable.
It can be an apartment or a house. As a rule, apartments have all the necessary furniture. If the apartment is located in a new complex, then you may have a parking space and, perhaps, piwnica (pub, storeroom). The amount of utility payments will depend on the area of the housing and the number of residents.
Important concepts and terms that you will find useful:
Koszt wynajmu (kosht vynaymu) - the amount that you pay directly to the owner of the apartment for rent (sometimes only this amount is indicated in the advertisement).
Сzynsz (chinsh) — a floating amount, which includes payments related to the maintenance of the apartment, property tax and payments to the repair fund, payments for the maintenance of the elevator, intercom, cleaning of the territory, removal of waste water and liquid waste. Often, owners include expenses for electricity, heating, gas, Internet and television in the Czynsz amount.
Caucja (caution)) — a cash deposit that the landlord can use to cover possible losses from the tenant's actions. The deposit is usually equal to the cost of a month's rent. It is returned at the end of the contract, provided that the landlord's property was not damaged and the lease itself was not terminated early.
Meldunek czasowy (meldunek chasovy) - registration at the place of residence (propiska). Remember, in order to temporarily register you only need to have a rental agreement for housing (umowa najmu lokalu mieszkalnego).
