Real Estate / Poland's flat rental agents and the anger they brew in me.... [60]

Found a new scam. A company is putting a listing up and when you call they say you have to pay 300pln and sign a contract to get access to their list of flats. THEN you can look at the one they listed. This should be illegal...if it is and somebody knows how to report it let me know. I am sure the Police won't care at all however.

Travel / No warnings to soccer fans going to Euro 2012 about Polish drivers and Polish roads? [40]

Pawian, I agree with Milky. Signaling is not the norm. And a half a blink as you whip out into oncoming traffic doesn't count :P

Speaking of not warning tourists I wonder how many got caught out by the holiday today. You'd think during this time they'd open anyway as A. They are losing a lot of business and B. It inconveniences all the people from out of town who didn't know to plan ahead.

Life / Which services is Poland still waiting for? [218]

Yeah whenever I see promo photos of new buildings of flats with ponds and trees all around I think "nice mosquito farm". I like Warsaw's concrete jungle as the bugs are not so prevalent. I have skipped on flats because they had trees a meter from the window etc. Not worth the hassle.

Real Estate / Poland's flat rental agents and the anger they brew in me.... [60]

Ah hell my English is so international from living all over I mix vocabulary all the time. I mean saying "bollocks" is just fun.

Yeah agents suck and have somehow injected themselves into a large portion of the market. Nobody likes them yet people still hire them to list when its so simple. And the owners are always there to show the flat so it's not like the agent has access whenever and provides a service. They get in the middle and make communication difficult and ask for a lot of money for this.

Real Estate / Poland's flat rental agents and the anger they brew in me.... [60]

I understand. Just learning how to say you don't speak Polish can open up a lot of interaction though.

"Przeprasam ale nie mowie po polsku...czy pan/pani mowi po angielsku?" (Excuse me but I don' speak Polish...do you speak English?) and if they do they will and if not you move on. My Polish is shameful...but I interact a lot. Just today a guy asked me for directions on the street and kept talking and talking...wouldn't let me get a word in. So while he was rambling I looked up the address he mentioned ( I made ouf the street name and number in his rapid verbal assault) on my phone and pointed on the map. He said thanks and went on without ever knowing I am not fluent. Often you can pick out key words and get an idea of what's going on. I still sound like a child when speaking though.

As soon as I started TRYING things became easier...for a long time I was resistant and everyone I knew well spoke English so I got lazy. I don't know if I will ever have the discipline to study and become fluent but just learning survival Polish helps a ton.

Real Estate / Poland's flat rental agents and the anger they brew in me.... [60]

Right. I think most of the time they just don't want to deal with the hassle as you have mentioned. Of the 4 places I have rented here only one was found from an ad directly. The rest were doormen or someone I bumped into who knew someone with a flat to rent etc. One lady was waiting by a lift and I asked her if the building was comfortable to live in...she asked why and I told her I was looking at a flat there...she mentioned she was on the way up to clean her friend's flat and takes pics for an ad so I looked at her's as well. You really just have to go out and talk to people to get the best options...strangers in a cafe...whatever.

Real Estate / Poland's flat rental agents and the anger they brew in me.... [60]


I get the same as a Yank. Have had people hang up on me once I answered where I was from even in Polish. I make a point to mention initially that I am living here long term, quiet and ask if the flat is quiet etc as I dont like parties and noise...sort of take the initiative in selling myself to an owner. If they give you a chance to meet they can figure out pretty fast if you are a potential problem...but getting past the first contact can be tricky. Try talking to doormen etc too...I have found flats before that way wandering around the city...just pop in and ask if they know any open flats in their building...or ask a resident coming out of a place you like.

Work / About student visa - need proof of accomodation in Poland? [6]

dobry2123 do you know any Polish people who own a flat? If they will write you a simple contract to "rent" a room for 1zl a month this might work as well. I have done this in the past to meet the "umowa najmu" requirement when applying for residence. But first I would contact the school and tell them you need proof of accommodation and see if they will send something since it sounds like you have this accommodation covered..just not the proper papers proving it. I can't be sure in regards to a student visa...but normally you have to have proof of accommodation for the entire time you are applying for (like a rental contract for this duration or letter showing a dorm is provided in your case) so a hostel for a week wouldn't work.

Here are the numbers for Immigration Info...they speak English: +48 22 695 67 70 or +48 22 695 67 73

Open Monday 10:00-17:30 and other days from 08:00 to 15:00 except Wednesday and weekends when they are closed. If someone doesn't answer just keep trying every few min as it often takes several tries.

Life / Which services is Poland still waiting for? [218]

Fuzzy,

I get your frustration with some things. But something that annoys me about expats is that they moan about how things are not like "home" instead of adapting. And in most cases the things they moan about are not real problems but just things they won't try to figure out or deal with like the locals. I don't hang around Americans here as they generally behave in ways that bug me and are constantly complaining about things like "no air conditioning" or "no dryers" etc, they talk too damn loud and don't seem aware of their obnoxiousness, and are generally fake ('Hi how are you?!? Me I am fabulous!") and seem to try and bend things around them rather than the other way. The locals get along just fine without these things we HAVE to have, and so can we. I have lived in a few different nations and it's always the same with expats not trying to fit in often.

Life / Which services is Poland still waiting for? [218]

So you left and still come here to moan about Poland? Brilliant!

No place is perfect but some of the stuff expats complain about in their host nations is just ridiculous.

Life / Which services is Poland still waiting for? [218]

Fuzzy,

First...the things you have listed are available to those who want them. Most people don't so they might not come standard (bug screens for example) meaning YOU are the outlier and it's not something Poland could "use".

Regarding A/C I grew up in the US where everyone uses it and thought I "needed" it as well. But when I adjusted to life here I found I didn't and was more comfortable in the long run. Same with the lack of electric dryers for clothes as a standard. When I went back to the States I found I hung my clothes up so they didn't shrink...and hated AC as it felt WORSE going in and out of massive temperature extremes. Sure maybe if you live in Rome and it's 50 in the summer you might say hot is hot..but Poland is ever so hot like that. There might be some days in the 30s but it's ridiculous to act like its intolerable.

Its pretty clear you **** and moan constantly about Poland and life here. I know lots of expats like you and have even been that way at times so I get it...but it is off putting. Following your own rude advice...if you don't like it move back to a place where you can have a 50sq meter living room and sandwiches to go as you like them and you won't have to deal with uncivilized life with flats too small for your superiority since you NEED so much space and all these special things.

Life / Which services is Poland still waiting for? [218]

I have noticed from Fuzzy's posts he is in the "Poland sucks" expat phase. We all go through it...I may go through it again as I just moved back after a break. But he does seem to complain about a lot of stuff that either isn't true or is just "different" than other places not worse. If he was going on about customer service, or office workers (government AND private both) lying and passing blame without ever giving you accurate info THEN I could get behind it as a cultural issue. But bug screens and sandwiches? Silly.

Life / Which services is Poland still waiting for? [218]

Much more "even". Meaning consistent and without the constant up and down that forced air heating causes.

I also don't choose flats on the parter or low levels, or with trees up against the windows, which is surely helpful with bugs.

Life / Which services is Poland still waiting for? [218]


This is something I think you have been conditioned to worry about...not that it is an actual threat. I have never heard of a kid falling out of a flat here. Nor is my flat full of bugs due to the lack of screens. I normally tip my windows back at the top and don't swing them open like a door.

Polish flats retain energy a lot better than wood frame buildings in the USA for example. In the winter I never have to turn the heat above half way and in the summer even without air conditioning it is much more even than in the USA where people turn the AC on and make it cold and run the heat up and down in the winter. I hate forced air heating common there. Since I got back to Poland my bloody noses and dry skin have healed since I am not being subjected to that nonsense.

A lot of the stuff I see in this thread is "make it like I am used to in the USA or UK" not what is actually missing.

Life / Which services is Poland still waiting for? [218]


Off and on for 7 years. But in Warsaw so cannot speak to Wroclaw's sandwich situation. Here there are sandwiches everywhere. Yeah most are premade but its not like what you want doesn't exist in any form. And here there are several Subways as well.

Life / Which services is Poland still waiting for? [218]


Kebabs. And you can buy sandwiches in all sorts of places from grocery stores to small delicatessens. With meat, cheese, eggs whatever.

I am not sure if you live in Poland or not Fuzzy, but I don't think it is a good fit for you based on the amount of things you have a problem with here. And I am not Polish just living here so I don't have any nationalistic need to defend the place. It has a lot of issues. But the things you dont like such as small flats and food options seem to be pretty petty.

Life / Which services is Poland still waiting for? [218]

Travelers often need a laundrette. Washing your clothes in the sink/tub isn't fun. Of course high/middle level hotels have laundry service but not all do...and you ar trusing your clothes to who knows who..hoping they won't come back shrunk or blended colors. Poland is the only place I have ever been that I haven't found publc laundrettes. I suggested it as a business to several people here but all blew it off. If I had the funds I would give it a go. Yeah locals won't use them, nor do they in most places. They are for people passing through or people who have washers break and need a few days to get things replaced etc.

Life / Let`s compare prices of services and products in Poland [359]

I would hardly say the families I know living in one or two rooms are living in filth. In fact their places are nice and clean. The biggest issue is privacy for everyone. I am not sure what your point is as the normal situation in this country is closer quarters living and flats are not huge in most places for the average person. Normal people in New York don't live in huge places either. Maybe if you come from a suburb you don't understand what city life is like but space is not as plentiful.

Saying people live cramped just so they can "say they live in Warsaw" is stupid. People live in what they can afford where they want/need to live. Half a million US dollars will get you a pretty big house in some boring suburb in middle America...and won't even touch a house or apartment purchase in New York or Los Angeles. If you choose to live in a city you get less space per unit of currency and that is how it is...but not everyone wants to live out in the burbs or rurally.

Real Estate / Poland's flat rental agents and the anger they brew in me.... [60]

I didn't say it was specific to Poland. But it IS much worse here than in many places like the USA, Canada, certain Western European nations etc. I am not slamming on Poland...it's just reality here. Every nation has it's better and worse points. Depsite the rhetoric for example I think American heallthcare is horrible. There are fancy hospitals and lots of equipment, but the attitudes and worse the inflate costs are criminal for example.

Real Estate / Poland's flat rental agents and the anger they brew in me.... [60]

Yeah I don't think they understand what "good standard" means as they all claim that and very few actually are. I started showing up 30min late for appointments because I got tired of standing around that long nearly every single time waiting for them to show up. One had the cheek to give me a hard time about making her wait 10min when she was already 20min late herself. It's getting harder and harder to remember WHY I wanted to come back here.

Life / Let`s compare prices of services and products in Poland [359]

Yes families do live in single rooms here. I know "four person and a dog" families that live in one room flats. I even know a couple 6 person familes that live in two rooms flats...meaning one main room and one bedroom. It's uncommon to have more than two rooms for most people here. That means if you have a family they grow up in tight quarters and that is just how it is.

In Warsaw renting a two room flat starts in the 1500 or so range..I couldn't say the avg. You can always get a better deal if you know someone...but I haven't seen even crappy flats listed for less than 1500. 1700 and up is more realistic for a decent standard anywhere near the center.

Real Estate / Poland's flat rental agents and the anger they brew in me.... [60]

It's just the attitude here. I have the same experience in Warsaw and have in years past when I rented. Even agents won't follow up or return calls for days and often by then the flats are rented. There really is a social apathy in regards to customer service and communication in Poland. Don't get me wrong I am not a Poland hater and chose to live here. But there ARE differences in "business" attitude and it ca be quite annoying. The excellent customer service/return policies etc are about the only thing I think the USA is better at than most places. The EURO might be making it worse but it has always been like this.

Work / Advice on Teaching English in Poland [709]

Your first mistake is expecting things to make sense in Poland ;)

Lots of stuff doesn't quite work with the math like that here. I have never understood it. I have Polish friends I know don't make enough for what their rent is so not sure how that works.

Work / Advice on Teaching English in Poland [709]

Whole two room flats in the center are 1700-1800pln roughly at the low end lately...sky is the limit on the high end. Not sure what people are renting rooms for if you don't go in halfsies from the beginning. I'd guess around 800-1000.

Life / Symphonies/orchestras in Warsaw? [3]

I'm not a musician as I am talentless...though I always wanted to play the cello...but would love to know what is out there in Warsaw as well. If you need a date to a performance let me know.

Real Estate / Poland's flat rental agents and the anger they brew in me.... [60]

I was arguing against Janek's post that it would be impossible to manage without an agent. I agree that agencies behave very poorly and are unprofessional. But in order to advertise you have to post on places like Gumtree. Shame they harass owners. You'd think there would be some legal recourse.

Real Estate / Poland's flat rental agents and the anger they brew in me.... [60]

It is easy to rent out a flat without an agent. Just take pictures...post on the portals...and show it. Yeah it takes time but in most cases the owner is present when an agent shows the flat anyway so why do you need them? As a client searching they do nothing but get in the way and force themselves into the middle man position not allowing you to have the owners number etc. If you aren't in the same city and have no friend/family that can do it then you have no option...but the agents don't really do anything special or that anyone can't do. And they expect a LOT of money for this. They lie and claim the law requires they be involved etc. And they lie between the client and owner during negotiations. I may have no choice since I haven't found a flat I like with a direct listing but I am not happy about it....and won't ever choose to use agencies if I have other options.

Real Estate / Poland's flat rental agents and the anger they brew in me.... [60]


And they are nearly ALWAYS lies. The places that make it a point to mention how quiet they are for example...never are. Flat hunting is not a fun experience. Even pictures are often very deceiving.

Life / Health system in Poland - NFZ costs EU? [18]

Thanks...guess I wasn't paying close enough attention when looking at that site. Appreciate it.