Renting a flat to foreigners – advice
Text from 2019. Laws, rates and prices may have changed since then. Ask an agent
Recently the Polish rental market has seen a growing number of people coming from Ukraine. Does renting a flat to foreigners carry additional risk? What should you pay attention to when planning such a move?
• Is renting worthwhile?• Renting a flat to foreigners – basic information
• A normal level of risk
Is renting worthwhile?
In theory, renting out a flat brings nothing but benefits. Since we do not need the property anyway (we do not live in it), all it takes is an advertisement for the flat to start earning its keep – and with plenty to spare. That is the theory, at least.
In practice it is a very competitive market in which you have to work hard to win tenants. The situation was given a considerable boost by relatively recent changes in the law. They enabled freer movement of people between Ukraine and Poland. Obtaining a residence and work permit was also made much easier (the two were combined in one document). There has also been a considerable rise in the number of students coming from beyond our eastern border. All this means that renting out flats has become more profitable.
Renting a flat to foreigners – basic information
Before you rent out a flat to foreigners, it is worth paying attention to the language spoken by the future tenant of your property. You have to start with the text of the advertisement posted online. It is best to write it in both English and Polish.
Remember also that the tenancy agreement must be understandable to both parties. Here too, it is a good idea to draw it up in English, although it is common practice to include a clause in the agreement in which the tenant confirms that they have had the document translated themselves and are familiar with its content.
HOW DO LANDLORDS GET ON WITH TENANTS? FIND OUT!
A normal level of risk
How does renting a flat to foreigners differ from renting to Poles? The main difference may be communication difficulties, especially if one of the parties does not know English. The risks associated with renting out a flat are, however, very similar in both cases.
There is always a risk that a tenant will stop paying rent or carry off expensive equipment from the flat (if it was equipped with any). The most popular safeguard in such cases is a suitably sized deposit, which acts as a safety buffer. Let us remember, though, that the higher the deposit, the less attractive the rental listing.
Dishonesty among tenants is not linked to nationality, so if both the landlord and the newcomer speak a common language and find common ground, there is no major reason not to sign the agreement. Trust your intuition and remember that if someone comes to Poland to work, they are probably not looking to create problems for themselves from the outset.
