Most refugees from Ukraine currently residing in Poland are forced to rent housing. The country's real estate market offers a wide range of accommodation options for foreigners. Here is what you should pay special attention to when renting an apartment or house
When choosing an apartment for rent, you need to be extremely careful, especially if you are looking for housing abroad. The majority of Ukrainians in Poland rent, so they may face various difficulties and nuances. To make sure that you are renting an apartment on favorable terms, we will tell you what to look for.
Ask questions to the landlord
When communicating with the landlord, find out the answers to the questions you are interested in. If the landlord is evasive, you shouldn't sign a lease with them.
What topics should you discuss right away? Be sure to find out about the possibility of keeping pets and inviting guests (especially for a long period of time).
Viewing the apartment
Remember! Viewing the apartment is always free. If the rental announcement indicates the cost of a visit to the apartment, it is better to avoid such an offer. We would like to add that you are not obliged to sign a contract or pay a deposit before viewing the apartment.
We recommend paying attention to:
• Infrastructure near the house: availability of shops, pharmacies, playgrounds, transport stops, etc;
• The owner's temperament. Since you will often have to communicate with this person and possibly solve sensitive issues, you should like the owner;
• The condition of the furniture and appliances. Together with the owner, fix the damaged objects, take photos. If you wish, you can draw up an acceptance certificate, which lists the furniture and appliances and their condition;
• Meters - they must be in good condition;
• Neighbors. Find out who lives nearby and meet them if possible.
Checklist of questions before signing a lease agreement
Fraudsters can operate in the real estate market, so you should first check the owner's right to rent out the property. If you are confident in the landlord, do the following:
• Find out the cost of utilities and ask how much higher the payment will be in winter. Read here to find out what the average cost of a communal apartment is in 2023;
• Agree on who will pay for the repair of household appliances and furniture;
• Discuss how long you need to give notice of termination;
• Determine the amount of the security deposit - in Poland, it is usually equal to the amount of the monthly rent.
Lease agreement: important points
Landlords in Poland are reluctant to sign a short-term agreement. The standard term is 12 months, so it is not possible to terminate the contract without losing the deposit before the end date.
Tip: Prepare the agreement in two languages - Polish and English or Ukrainian. Both you and the tenant should be able to understand what is written in the document.
Make sure that the agreement includes the following items:
• the cost of payment;
• the amount of the deposit and the terms of its return;
• the cost of utilities;
• date of payment;
• term of the agreement;
• valuation of the property in the apartment;
• contact details of the owner and the tenant.
In no case should you sign a contract without reading it.
Where to look for housing?
We recommend using reliable resources, such as the following popular websites: olx.pl, gratka.pl, otodom.pl, Rent.me.
We remind you! Ukrainians in Poland can not only rent housing, but also work officially. Find out which cities in the country have the highest salaries by following the link.
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