What is the best way to find a rental apartment (Trojmiasto)? Newspaper, online, Realtor, other? Are rental scams, like the ones in Paris (when someone rents you an apartment they do not own) widespread?
If you go through an agent, is there a fee to you? Is it a percentage of the rent?
There is a local newspaper that has a large accommodation sectin each Wednesday, I'm told that most of the good places are gone by 10am. Finding accommodation here does seem to be tricky but if you can hold out a few weeks you can often get a great place!
Watch out for agencies, I'm told that in addition to a month's rent in advance, a month's rent (or 1.5 months) as deposit, many also charge the tennant a month's rent commission that you don't get back. How's that for twisted, the customer pays the commission for the sales guy!
Finally, one more hint; I was with friends last week looking at a flat with them and the landlady explained, via another friend interpreting, that the deposit is "non-returnable" and claimed this was "standard practice". Thinking she could pull the wool over the eyes of foreign students she was maybe a little miffed when they quite clearly said "sod off!". So, I assure you that retaining of deposits is not standard practice, if anybody tells you this, walk away.
Whatever you do... don't volunteer free accommodation for an ex for 2 months... :)
