How to Rent an Apartment in Poland — What to Watch Out For and How to Avoid Scams

How to Rent an Apartment in Poland — What to Watch Out For and How to Avoid Scams

Renting an apartment is usually one of the first things you need to sort out after arriving in Poland. In this article we show you where to look for listings, what a good rental agreement should include, the most common scams, and how to verify a landlord before you hand over any money.

Where to look for an apartment

• Listing sites — the most popular are OLX, Otodom, and Gumtree. They let you filter listings by city, price, and number of rooms.

• Real estate agencies — they charge a commission (usually equivalent to one month's rent), but they check the landlord's documents and help with the formalities.

• Facebook groups and messaging apps — popular among immigrant communities (e.g. groups for Ukrainians in a given city), but they require more caution, since listings aren't verified in any way.

Private landlord or agency?

Renting directly from a landlord is usually cheaper (no commission), but it requires more vigilance on your part when verifying things. An agency costs more, but it takes on some of the risk for you — a good agency checks the legal title to the property before listing it.

What should a rental agreement include?

A good rental agreement, whether signed with a private individual or through an agency, should specify:

• both parties' details (full name, ID document number),

• the exact address and description of the property,

• the rent amount and payment deadline,

• the deposit amount and the conditions for its return,

• the term of the agreement and termination conditions,

• who covers utility costs (electricity, gas, water, internet) — and on what terms,

• the technical condition of the apartment at handover (ideally with a handover protocol and photos).

Deposit — how much and how to get it back

A standard deposit is equivalent to one or two months' rent. It should be returned in full at the end of the tenancy, provided the apartment hasn't been damaged beyond normal wear and tear. To improve your chances of getting your deposit back:

• take detailed photos of the apartment at move-in and move-out,

• draw up a handover protocol signed by both parties,

• keep proof of your deposit payment (a bank transfer, not cash with no receipt).

Common rental scams

• Fake listings — an attractively cheap offer, photos copied from another site, and the "landlord" happens to be abroad and asks for prepayment before you've seen the apartment.

• Time pressure — "five other people are viewing the apartment today, you need to decide and pay a deposit right now."

• A request to transfer money to a private account before signing the agreement — never pay a deposit or security deposit before you've seen the apartment in person and signed the contract.

• Impersonating the landlord — someone renting out an apartment that doesn't actually belong to them (e.g. subletting without the owner's consent).

How to verify the landlord and the apartment

1. Ask to see their ID and compare the details with the contract.

2. Ask for the property's land and mortgage register number — you can check it for free in the electronic Land and Mortgage Register (ekw.ms.gov.pl) to confirm who actually owns the property.

3. If the person renting it out is the owner's proxy, ask to see a notarized power of attorney.

4. Be suspicious if the landlord avoids meeting in person or having a video call before signing the agreement.

Registering your address

After signing the rental agreement, you should register your place of residence — this matters, among other things, when applying for a residence card. You'll find a detailed guide in our article on registering your address in Poland.

Utilities and billing

Check whether the rent includes the so-called administrative fee (payment to the housing cooperative/association), and whether utilities (electricity, gas, water) are billed separately based on meter readings. When you move in, note down the meter readings — this protects you from being billed for the previous tenant's usage.

Common tenant mistakes

• signing the contract without reading it carefully,

• no handover protocol with photos,

• paying a deposit in cash with no receipt at all,

• not verifying the landlord in the land and mortgage register,

• verbal agreements that never get written into the contract.

This material is for informational purposes only. For official, up-to-date, and complete information, please contact the relevant government institutions or qualified professionals. Want to see everything explained step by step? The full article, along with many other important topics, is available at familyinpoland.com. If this video was helpful to you, subscribe to Family in Poland to get more practical information about living and working in Poland. Thanks for watching!