UK, Ireland / Exploiting Polish Workers by the UK businesses [90]


And the BNP councillors all half-a-dozen of them have a deplorable record of incompetence and idleness.


The lady in question could have handled it better. Seems like a ham-fisted attempt to try it on. Surely her employers were fully cognizant she didn't speak English when they hired her. In that case it is their responsibility to make things understandable for her. Locking horns wouldn't work here.

Real Estate / What does 250,000 zl buy in Wroclaw? [30]

Wroclaw Boy

That would make sense, but agents are indeed devious. And so is my friend.

I'm not sure if the agent worked for a company or was a one mane band, like so many are here. He was supposed to be the agent for the vendor. My friend, the buyer, slipped him a bung to work in the buyer's favour. And illegally recompensed him for any legal income he lost out on by doing this.

Naughty, but that's human nature sometimes!

Real Estate / What does 250,000 zl buy in Wroclaw? [30]


Exactly. Though in this case it was a kind of fraud against the vendor. The commission I imagine stayed at the same percentage; the agent would probably have had to work on the vendor a bit to convince them to take a lower price. My friend mentioned it as if it was no big deal, so I suspect it happens quite often.

Food / Where to buy whole turkey in Kraków [5]

Bomi certainly stock them in Warsaw. Lamb too.

Is there a 'Piotr i Paweł' in Kraków? They might have them.

Real Estate / What does 250,000 zl buy in Wroclaw? [30]

We're talking at cross purposes, I think.


It was he who suggested it to the agent.


Who knows? If there were, it wouldn't have made much difference. Agents want to make the best commission they can, and quickly, so they can concentrate on the rest of their list. My friend wanted the land, and wanted it as cheaply as possible. It was worth his while to recompensate the agent for his reduced commission by offering him some cash.


The buyer paid the bribe. Why would an agent bribe somebody?


That would have been very foolish indeed.

Real Estate / What does 250,000 zl buy in Wroclaw? [30]

Wroclaw Boy

Yes. It was probably him who suggested it to the agent, knowing him as I do. I got the impression it's not unusual. He seemed quite blase about it.

Real Estate / What does 250,000 zl buy in Wroclaw? [30]

The person who told me about that had just done it himself. It cost him (I think) 5000zl, but saved a small fortune.

Real Estate / What does 250,000 zl buy in Wroclaw? [30]


Very true.

But here in Warsaw, people have told me they've bribed agents to get the price down. As long as the bribe covers what they'd lose in commission and a bit on top, some of them are up for it.

I just looked on Onet for flats in Wrocław around 250000, and some do seem optimistically priced. And on the market for a long time.

I don't think Poles will stop advertising their real estate at a price 'do negociacji' any day soon, but while credit is hard to get, I'm sure many sellers can be talked down to a more realistic price.

History / The Poms who stood by the Poles in WW2 [156]

Poland however had a huge army and huge military budget at that time! Though their weapons were old and their military infrastructure ancient.

UK, Ireland / Can I join the British Royal Marines if I"m a Polish citizen? [17]

trix42

And good luck - hope it goes well for you!

History / The Poms who stood by the Poles in WW2 [156]

PlasticPole

All but one married European Royalty, but none of them to Hapsburgs. The Hapsburg dynasty is/was catholic, which would have been a problem at that time, more because of politics than religion.

History / The Poms who stood by the Poles in WW2 [156]


The British Royal family are not Hapsburg, and response time to the invasion of Poland was hardly slow.

History / The Poms who stood by the Poles in WW2 [156]


I used to say Elizabeth the second and first, etc, until I discovered it was wrong. The higher of two conflicting regnal numbers is always used; the Scottish courts ruled on the matter a couple of years ago after someone mounted a legal challenge, though through tact, The Queen doesn't use EIIR in Scotland.

Anyway,

about Hitler's plans for Britain, there has been a story going around for donkey's years (completely unprovable, but interesting all the same) that the Germans planned to divide Britain (or at least England), as they had France. A 'Vichy' type government in the south, based in Norwich, and a government of occupation in the north, based in York.

Apparently (so the story goes) the Germans expected resistance to be stronger in the north. Also the political map of England has of course long been red in the north and blue in the south.

The story of a Leeds-based government is pure fantasy based on Hitler's admiration for a housing scheme in Vienna that was replicated in Leeds.

It would be interesting if any documents exist to shed light on these theories.

Work / Staying beyond 3 months as Sp. z o.o founder and manager [22]

delphiandomine

Ireland and Estonia! Wow!

Of course, once you cross the border for a holiday, a visit home, a business trip, then you've got another three months, so it goes on ad infinitum. Rather like the old visa runs.

And many (if not most) expats in Poland take holidays, visit home, etc.

Work / Staying beyond 3 months as Sp. z o.o founder and manager [22]


That's possible. I also suspect the Polish government guidelines contravene one, if not two of the EUs Four Freedoms (Freedom of Residence, Freedom of Labour, Freedom of Capital, Freedom of Goods and Services), and they don't want a legal challenge.

Warsaw is the place where most European Lawyers (not to mention immigration services) are based, and enforcing that could prove costly for them.

Work / Staying beyond 3 months as Sp. z o.o founder and manager [22]


No it isn't - it refers only to occupation of a flat or house. Nothing else, and I suspect a large proportion of the foreign residents here don't have one.


Indeed, you never know. But in the unlikely event of the government collapsing, the situation would be so chaotic that rounding up and persecuting EU citizens would be far from their list of priorities.


Quite possibly. I was just asked for some ID. I showed them my passport. They didn't even record the number. That was through UPC.


Here in Warsaw, I've not seen them ask for such things since EU entry. There is no requirement to carry out economic activity or have personal assets.


Not least because the baba in the office probably hasn't been given clear guidelines from her bosses whose job is mostly about non-EU citizens. The position in Warsaw seems to be that they can't ordinarily refuse you if you're from the EU, so they issue the card with out fuss.

A far cry from the way it was ten years ago!

Work / Tutoring English/Nannying in Warsaw [13]


If you're in Warsaw in the immediate future, I know a reputable language school who are looking for (the Director of Studies texted me yesterday) a female native speaker. The school is female owned/managed so nothing dodgy - they probably just have a lady client who has made a specific request.

They do in-company lessons only, teaching mostly corporate managers and are based in downtown Warsaw, though their clients are probably spread round town. I don't know how many hours are on offer, probably just a few.

They usually expect people with experience/training, but given that they have a specific need for a female, and most native speakers in Warsaw are male (and it's urgent enough for them to ask a competitor if he knows someone), they might be flexible on that.

If you'te interested, PM me and I'll put you in touch with them. Anyone else interested, for that matter, please feel free to PM.

Work / Staying beyond 3 months as Sp. z o.o founder and manager [22]


No it isn't - it refers to real estate (owned or rented) only.


There isn't a new government, the present government isn't expected to collapse any day soon, and any future government is unlikely to start persecuting EU citizens, given the number of Poles residing elsewhere in the EU.


Not inconceivable, but then again, nobody's suggested any such legislation.

Of course it's not inconceivable that we could be hit by a meteorite.


Through a company of course. I'm hardly likely to pay for my own mobile, or car leasing.

Though last month I signed up for a new internet connection privately, just using my passport.


Wow! Where on earth do you live? I used to do the paperwork for any of my employees (all British citizens) who wanted one and asked for help with it, and was never asked for employment details. Not since EU entry in 2004, anyway.


I just used to help them with the form, get them to drop it off,and wait for the letter to say it had arrived.

UK, Ireland / Exploiting Polish Workers by the UK businesses [90]


No. Most people are far too sensible to touch them with a bargepole.

But there are one or two suspicious posters who only post on matters of UK immigration.

Work / Staying beyond 3 months as Sp. z o.o founder and manager [22]

I like your posts too, but you're mistaken on a few points here.


That's a 'zameldowanie', registered address, not residence permit. Two entirely different things.

And legislation to remove the zameldowanie is pending, and lack of one is no longer enforced. Three weeks ago I had to get the police to evict a tenant and they didn't bat an eyelid about me not having one.


But they haven't. And they can't deport to another part of the EU unless you're a terrorist, or your presence is prejudicial to the wellbeing of the country. Unless you want to vote or get a mortgage, they aren't an essential. I have a moblile phone subscription, and leasing contracts without one.

If you're registered as self-employed (so easy in Poland nowadays) or have a limited company, that counts as a legal entity and anyone with their own business who pays for their car or phone privately shouldn't be allowed out after 9pm anyway.


No. If you're a member of the management board of a limited company, and you're frequently out of Poland, and not a Polish citizen, it is quite legal and correct to pay tax on your director's fees (so they should be your main source of drawings) at only 19% on a monthly basis, without taking account the 'próg' or any other taxable income. You still have to pay any dopłata at the end of the year, but what you do with the moohlah in the meantime is up to you.


If someone really wants the Karta Obywatelstwa it takes a few days. To register as self-employed took me four visits to offices, two days in all (mind you, I already had a NIP - that would be a small delay, but you can use the 'provisional' NIP quite correctly if need be). To register a limited company took a phone call to a lawyer and one visit to his office to have the Akt Notarialny (printed off the internet) witnessed.

Though somebody completely new to PL might (instead of trailing round govt. offices and being bled dry by lawyers setting a company up) do very well to use your service lindenia.net. Looking at the site, it seems a good idea, especially for non-EU nationals.

UK, Ireland / Can I join the British Royal Marines if I"m a Polish citizen? [17]

There should be something for non-citizens who come from friendly countries.They'd have to swear allegiance to the Crown, but it isn't a problem for the police, who are recruiting Poles.

UK, Ireland / Can I join the British Royal Marines if I"m a Polish citizen? [17]

Amathyst

I didn't know that. It's a shame really.

Trix, how old are you? If you're under a certain age, or a University student, there may be some more options.

UK, Ireland / Can I join the British Royal Marines if I"m a Polish citizen? [17]

Do they really bury people up to their necks in sand?

Work / Staying beyond 3 months as Sp. z o.o founder and manager [22]


If you're from Belgium, and a Belgian citizen, then you don't need a residence permit. There's a thing called a 'Citizenship Card' (Karta Obywatelstwa) that you can have, if you like, but no-one can force you to get one. I never have. Your Belgian passport entitles you to be in Poland, as if you were a citizen here.

If you want to set up a limited company, there are certain tax advantages to not having such a card, though they may change soon. As Harry says, registering as self-employed may be a good way to start, and is easy to do. A downside is that you'd be automatically liable for social security payments (a board member of a limited company receives director's fees on which there's no social security bill), not to mention the whole heap of beaurocracy involved. An upside is the aforementioned tax advantage, especially if you're regularly outside Poland.

UK, Ireland / Can I join the British Royal Marines if I"m a Polish citizen? [17]

But if you can wait a year, you should be able to start the application process for citizenship etc.

In the meantime, why not enquire about the TA?

Food / Pescaterian food in Poland? [16]

It's Boston Port. There are two, the original on ul. Puławska (behind Banja Luka restaurant) the second (a bit posher looking) on ul. Żelażna.

Work / Staying beyond 3 months as Sp. z o.o founder and manager [22]

Moonlighting

Hi. It would be useful to know which country you're from.

Travel / Bonfire Krakow [3]

At the end of November?

There are a few hotels that will do an ognisko, even in the snow, plenty around Zakopane.

Travel / Katowice airport travel to Kedzierzyn Kozle [5]

Or just get the airport bus to Katowice bus station and see if anyone from the Christening party will give you a lift from there - it isn't far.

UK, Ireland / English tossers give Brits a bad name in Poland [139]

Me too.

Try Toruń. There aren't any stag parties there, and if there were, they'd be locked up in the twinkling of an eye.

I was stopped by police on three times on a night out, just checking papers. We were two middle-aged (ish) men, one of us Polish. If anything that level of policing is overkill, but for sure there wasn't any rowdiness in the streets that evening.