Renting accommodation in Poland: where to look and what to look out for

How do you find a flat, house or room to rent – and what should you look out for when renting accommodation? We’ve prepared answers to these questions.

Where to look

As in Ukraine, the most popular way to search for flats to rent in Poland is online, via websites or mobile apps. OLX.pl — a comprehensive Polish classifieds aggregator with an interface familiar to Ukrainians. The site has a large section for searching for accommodation: you can choose from listings by owners and estate agents, and filter by city and district, number of rooms and price.

Otodom.pl — a resource for searching for various types of property. You will be interested in houses (Domy), flats (Mieszkania) or rooms (Pokoje) for rent (Na wynajem). You will also need to select a region or city.

What you need to bear in mind

In every country, the process of finding accommodation has its own nuances. Here is what you should know in Poland to avoid making mistakes.

1. Familiarise yourself with the country’s administrative structure. At the very least, you should know which province you are in – this information is usually provided when searching on websites. For example, Warsaw is the centre of the Masovian Province, Gdańsk of the Pomeranian Province, and Kraków of the Lesser Poland Province.

2. Want to find a flat without an agent? Look for adverts marked ‘prywatne’ or ‘bezpośrednie’ – this means the offer is directly from the owner. Adverts from agencies are easy to spot by the watermarked photos. Incidentally, in some cases the landlord covers the estate agent’s fees – so don’t be too quick to dismiss all listings from

3. Furnishings aren’t a must. While in Ukraine most properties are let furnished, in Poland many flats for rent are unfurnished. Study the text of the advert and the photos carefully to avoid any surprises.

4. How much money do you actually need? Apart from the standard rent, there are several additional costs you should be aware of in advance. Czynsz (rent) — contributions to the housing cooperative: routine repairs and building maintenance. Often, the cost quoted in adverts does not include this. Media (utilities) — utility bills (electricity, water, gas, internet). These usually amount to 100–150 zlotys per person per month. Kaucja (deposit) — a deposit paid upon moving in. It is refunded upon moving out, provided the flat is undamaged and the terms of the contract have been met.

5. Read the contract carefully.

• The tenancy agreement always specifies the length of stay. If you wish to move out early, under certain conditions you may not get your money back. There are different types:
• fixed-term tenancy – usually for one or two years
• open-ended tenancy – you usually need to give three months’ notice before moving out
• occasional tenancy (najem okazjonalny) – to sign this, the owner of another property in Poland must confirm that they will take you in if you are evicted. If you fail to comply with the terms of the contract, the landlord may unilaterally terminate the agreement

It is not guaranteed that you will find the perfect place straight away – demand on the rental market in many cities exceeds supply. If possible, consider options in the suburbs – you can find a good option there at a reasonable price. Don’t lose hope, and we wish you every success in your search!

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