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Posts by InWroclaw  

Joined: 10 Mar 2012 / Male ♂ 		Last Post: 7 Mar 2015
Threads: Total: 89 / In This Archive: 80
Posts: Total: 1910 / In This Archive: 1693 		From: Wroclaw
Speaks Polish?: No

Displayed posts: 1773 / page 40 of 60
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InWroclaw   
21 Nov 2012
Life / Christmas in Poland - commercial, religious, family get together or what? [23]

i work at the food kitchen in a homeless shelter and donate lots of stuff.

Could you give me the Polish phrase for that so I can find them via Google and email them please? I am probably going to be in another part of Poland at Xmas this year and would like at least some hours to be spent doing that sort of work. I registered at the volunteer place months ago but they never contacted me, although in fairness they did say they probably wouldn't have much for an English speaker.
InWroclaw   
21 Nov 2012
Life / Christmas in Poland - commercial, religious, family get together or what? [23]

I confirm the trees are up in some malls, eg Renoma, the market square Rynek etc although I think the formal switch on is Saturday.

I do not believe in any religion in the slightest but also think in many countries Xmas is simply perpetuated by commercial interests and not enough focus is on the need to stop, pause, appreciate nature and the good people a person (hopefully) has in their life. I also think of those without caring families and whose life has led them to desperate times such as alcoholism or homelessness -- it must be even more painful for them to see others' enjoyment of the festive period when their own life is in chaos. Xmas is also a very difficult time for the newly bereaved and people who are elderly, disabled or ill.
InWroclaw   
21 Nov 2012
UK, Ireland / Domestic arguments caused by differences between Polish and English culture [109]

As for salt-why is it lavished on so many Polish meals ???

It's shocking how much they use.

OMG salt salt salt -when I used to cook for my dear husband he would shout SALT SALT THERE's NOT ENOUGH SALT!!

What is it with them and salt? I really sympathise!

I did a quick check earlier - one Polish household I know uses the multi-hole for salt, the other the single hole. As a Brit and subject of Her Majesty, I always use the single hole for salt as I believe has been the tradition due to salt's former high price, hence the saying "Worth your salt."

- The Polish reflex lying - they will always say 'It wasn't me'- The refusal ever to be wrong, or say sorry, or (often) thank you- The determination to have things their way ...

I would never use the above generalisations

I would - certainly the bunch I know of here. Sorry, but if the bunch I know are typical, then Natasia is spot on

.

Another explanation would be that most of the Polish immigrants in the UK are people who weren't terribly well liked in their original communities, people with communication issues, people who couldn't settle down and find their place in society, and so they had no regrets about leaving for another country - and who have taken all their issues with them.

Oh dear, that then also describes me as a British person spending a lot of time in Poland!! :D
Other than that bit of bad news, very astute and something that has occurred to me about some (note some, not all) people who up sticks and move abroad.
InWroclaw   
20 Nov 2012
Law / How to get a private NIP number in Poland (for a foreigner) ? [28]

what's a NIP?

A nasty bite from the tax office.

2 Quickies:

Must all invoices/faktury state a self employed person's NIP or just receipts/paragons?

What other biz literature must show the NIP?

Thanks for any replies......
InWroclaw   
20 Nov 2012
Life / Defective secondhand goods in Poland - bought from a shop [7]

You're probably right. I know a chap at a lombard and he told me that all the stuff they sell there is as seen, no comeback at all, not even 2 seconds after the wad of złoty depart my sweaty palm.
InWroclaw   
20 Nov 2012
Law / Can't get a social security number/PESEL in Poland (I'm from UK) [56]

in order to register a car in Poland. What you need is a maldunek (a registered address) and your registration can only be valid for as long as your maldunek is valid for.

OK, so I am now grasping that a maldunek is not the same as my blue card (Res Reg Cert) and that my RRC is not superior to, or a promotion from, the maldunek and won't necessarily open doors for me and as it has no address on it I shouldn't get my hopes up that the car reg office will accept it, but it's worth a try. I can't get the maldunek of course as already explained. Problem is, if I buy the car and they refuse to register it, then it has no insurance and I am stuffed and can't even collect it to drive it to an off road or whatever. And what's more, I hear that a car in Poland has to be insured at all times even if off the road. So, not easy here at all. I don't think I'll ever complain about the UK's system again. Ever.

Just an additional thing occurred to me, or just one more thing, as Columbo would say:
can I get a NIP number if I don't have a PESEL?

The employment opportunity I missed a few weeks ago said if they didn't tax me via my PESEL (which I don't have) I can do a bill to them with a NIP if I have one. Of course, I have no company and no income so I don't have a NIP either. But if I did, can I get my NIP if I am want of PESEL?
InWroclaw   
20 Nov 2012
Law / Can't get a social security number/PESEL in Poland (I'm from UK) [56]

Your "register the car every three months" suggestion was based on what then, if you say you can register a vehicle for longer than 3 months at a time, without a PESEL?

The official rule book, I presume. But, I infer that in practice in your part of Poland at least, the PESEL was not needed. Remains to be seen if that happens here.

I will post again if they allow me to register or decline, so that forum readers can see what the situation is in this neck of the woods. I am yet to even buy the car, for fear of ending up being unable to legally use it. So, it will be a while until I post the results of this little adventure into red tapedom.

edit...
Okay Harry, I think the penny's dropped for me - what you meant was if I have the blue card (even if PESEL-less) then I can register the car for >3 months. Right, I've got it now.
InWroclaw   
20 Nov 2012
Law / Can't get a social security number/PESEL in Poland (I'm from UK) [56]

Harry, I'm at a real disadvantage when I go to these official places as I don't speak Polish. Yes generally they are very pleasant, but few there speak English, so I am very disinclined to be overly-assertive with the actual person there who speaks a little English and who could just get up and walk away if I go all Jeremy Paxman with them.

And yes, definitely that little slip of paper for car reg does have a PESEL on it.

I think you wrote that you do not have a PESEL but you do have car insurance and a car registered in your name. Do you register it every 3 months, as you said in an earlier post...

a) don't buy a car;b) re-register your car every three months;c) move to a new flat (making sure you can get a maldunek there); ord) find somebody who will let you register at their flat for a maldunek.

Did you/your friend register every 3 months or every 5 years, sans PESEL, if I may ask?

BTW, if you want to top up a mobile phone online, they actually ask for a PESEL - unbelievable!

Who does? I top up with 2 different phone companies online, they have never asked me, and I pay via my internet bank.
InWroclaw   
20 Nov 2012
Law / Can't get a social security number/PESEL in Poland (I'm from UK) [56]

Anyone know then -

what can be done with a PESEL-less blue card apart from maybe registering a car and getting car insurance?
if the blue card can be swapped for a plastic card or ID card?
if a PESEL-less blue card can in fact be used to get a PESEL when someone does not have a registered address? Bear in mind I can't just type an address on to my own blue card even if I were that bold, because the card has a number (not a PESEL number, mind) and they use that to look up the details on their computer which says I don't have a registered address and so can't have a PESEL
InWroclaw   
20 Nov 2012
Law / Can't get a social security number/PESEL in Poland (I'm from UK) [56]

I don't know what they do, I'll take your word for it. But it seems that they are scrutinising it a lot when I leave and enter unless they're just trying to think of the phrase in English "Geeeezez you've aged since that photo was taken, ain't ya, eh..."
InWroclaw   
20 Nov 2012
Law / Can't get a social security number/PESEL in Poland (I'm from UK) [56]

How did you get the residency certificate in the first place without a valid address to register at?

Loads of documents taken there some time ago, several trips there in fact when they asked for additional things, lots of waiting around, coming back months later after I heard nothing and picking it up.

As far as I know, I have never registered an address with them. When I asked them this very same question they seemed to suggest there was nothing unusual about me having the blue card before registering an address (of course when I applied for the card I thought I was also registering my address!) and then getting a PESEL. Very nice pleasant people but I don't really know what to do because occasionally there is talk of a job for me but without the PESEL there's no chance and apparently it might be needed for the car reg/insurance too - although Harry says I don't need it and he may be right of course but who knows... sigh

Can I ask you again, what can I do with my PESELess blue card apart from doodle on it? Register a car? Er and what else? They've told me I can't have a PESEL unless I register an address and I can't register an address for the reasons mentioned above. And how do I get that plastic card you mention rather than this blue one which I've had for a while now and looks like something done on a photocopier in the 1970s.
InWroclaw   
20 Nov 2012
Law / Can't get a social security number/PESEL in Poland (I'm from UK) [56]

At least here, the practice is to issue the PESEL once you have the five year meldunek - you need to specifically ask them for it, however.

I have heard that too.

it is very hard to kick that person out until his/her meldunek expires.

So what can I do with my sans PESEL blue card apart from stickin' it where the sun don't shine? Register a car? What? They've told me I can't have a PESEL unless I register an address and I can't register an address for the reasons mentioned above. And how do I get that plastic card you mention rather than this blue one which I've had for a while now and it looks like something done on a photocopier.

The pieces of paper are totally useless - barely anyone understands what they are!

You can say that again.
InWroclaw   
20 Nov 2012
Life / Defective secondhand goods in Poland - bought from a shop [7]

I take it you mean in Poland?

I confirm that in England it is 6 years, Scotland it's 5 (unless the law has since changed)

whitegoodshelp.co.uk/eu-2-year-guarantee-sales-of-goods-act-gives-us-6-years-to-claim-for-faulty-appliances/

Here in Poland, I am talking about a secondhand appliance, and whether the trader can get away with just guaranteeing it for a month.
InWroclaw   
20 Nov 2012
Life / Defective secondhand goods in Poland - bought from a shop [7]

I'd agree with you that is the case when an item is new. Most of the shops here readily boast a 2-year guarantee when an appliance is new.

I am talking about secondhand goods. They said one month, which I was very unhappy about at the time but nevertheless as a fool I was easily parted with my money, but now I think they have a nerve asking that price for something that has failed after 8 months of light use.

I realise I only wrote 'secondhand' in the title and not the post itself, sorry!
InWroclaw   
20 Nov 2012
Life / Defective secondhand goods in Poland - bought from a shop [7]

Does a person have rights against a shop for defective goods, 8 months after purchase?

In the UK, new goods can be claimed against (in some cases) for up to 6 years following purchase, if they become defective.

I bought an appliance here and it has failed. The official shop guarantee is a month. However, I wonder if I have any additional rights, namely because the item was not cheap and it seems a lot of money to write off. A repair for me would not be economical due to the labour costs.

The shop of course don't want to know, so I suspect I have no rights at all now.
InWroclaw   
20 Nov 2012
Law / Can't get a social security number/PESEL in Poland (I'm from UK) [56]

OK Harry, thanks again.

So if I've got this right: I do have the Res Reg Cert, but they didn't issue me with a PESEL because I didn't have a registered address. The form the city council gave me is currently unusable because I now can't register the address where I am due to the flat owner having sadly passed away and there are no documents available to satisfy the city council that I am where I am. The good news is I can use that blue card Res Reg Cert to register a car or buy insurance for a car I buy, I assume.

Harry, you are writing it all clearly, it's just that I find all their system quite confusing. But, I'm going to try to get a car and register it using my blue card and I think I'm right in saying that they insure me at the same time as I pay to register it. I could be wrong of course! :o) As I said earlier, my friend's car has a little slip which is supposed to be the insurance (and I assume the registration which is something to do with the silver foil hologram duty paid sticker in the car window) and that bit of paper has their name and their PESEL on it along with dates and other entries.

Having said all that very confidently above, I would not be at all surprised if I am sent away from the car reg office and told to get a PESEL and some other residency or similar document!!

:D
InWroclaw   
20 Nov 2012
Law / Can't get a social security number/PESEL in Poland (I'm from UK) [56]

Harry, I appreciate your post and don't want to be obtuse, but I don't quite understand.

I have the blue card, the Zaswiadczenie o Zarejestrowaniu Pobytu Obywatela EU. What is that if not a residency registration card? I thought it was.

Also, the temp stay over 3 months form they gave me (Zgloszenie pobytu czasowego trwajaccfego ponad 3 miesiace) asks for a PESEL at the top!

I don't understand now as to what I already have (the blue card) and what I need to get to register the car or get a PESEL.

Incidentally, the little slip of paper (like a UK bank paying in slip stub) which is the registration of insurance I think does have a PESEL on it - my friend has one. From memory, the slip says PZU SA Inspektorat on it with some stamp and an amount of money paid and an expiry date along with the car registration plate and VIN. If I get my own car, and if I don't have a PESEL, will they issue that slip to me?

If I register my own car for 3 months at a time, does anyone know what that costs me each time?
InWroclaw   
20 Nov 2012
Law / Can't get a social security number/PESEL in Poland (I'm from UK) [56]

Meanwhile i would consult a lawyer - mine said its possible to get a PESEL at the Polish embassy, youd have to have a residence in your own country though.

I was interested to learn of that, Berni. Thanks for posting.

I do have a residence in the UK, but I don't think I want to fly back to London and the Polish embassy to get a PESEL unless I really have to ! :o) Handy to know, though, thanks!
InWroclaw   
20 Nov 2012
Law / Can't get a social security number/PESEL in Poland (I'm from UK) [56]

It's not cynicism; it's some very weird wording of the law which means it's somehow illegal to ALLOW non-family people to live in your house rent-free. As the owner, I'm the only one who's allowed to register people in my property, and I have to provide an explanation of why they're there; hence the rental agreement.

Thanks for taking the time to post and explain it, much appreciated.
(No, I don't know of any agency or accommodation address services here, btw, and probably the city council would somehow know and blacklist those addresses.)
InWroclaw   
20 Nov 2012
Law / Can't get a social security number/PESEL in Poland (I'm from UK) [56]

If you register yourself in someone else's flat you have to provide some sort of rental agreement.

Thanks RF

I thought as much, so basically I am stuffed then really, I can't ask anyone I know here in Wrocław because that puts them in an awkward position as they'd have to say no.

Maybe it's just me who thinks this, but seems quite cynical of the authorities to assume that any address a foreigner gives must be an address where they are paying rent to the owner and so inform the tax office of it and cause the well-meaning friend a load of grief.

Much appreciate the post from yourself and others -- it does look like I am currently stuffed PESEL-wise but at least I know more about my options (or lack thereof) now.
InWroclaw   
20 Nov 2012
Law / Can't get a social security number/PESEL in Poland (I'm from UK) [56]

That's what I suspected!

If I got an acquaintance or friend here to say I live there free on a temporary basis and register there for my PESEL, I wonder if the authorities will assume that I am paying them rent and hassle them? I don't like putting people in a position where they have to decline, so I have not asked anybody as yet. If they refuse, the tax thing would be the reason.
InWroclaw   
19 Nov 2012
Law / Can't get a social security number/PESEL in Poland (I'm from UK) [56]

Either:a) don't buy a car;b) re-register your car every three months;c) move to a new flat (making sure you can get a maldunek there); ord) find somebody who will let you register at their flat for a maldunek.A looks like the winner to me.

Thanks Harry.

I don't like driving in Poland but a change in circumstances means I will have to overcome that phobia.

Car re-registering would be complex and/or costly?

Not sure how I'd get a landlord to definitely register me, they say one thing and do another after I pay them the deposit and rent.

I don't know anyone who would allow me to register at their place, not for free anyway.
InWroclaw   
19 Nov 2012
Law / Can't get a social security number/PESEL in Poland (I'm from UK) [56]

berni23

Sorted then! :D

Thanks for that!

But seriously folks, much as I appreciate the chuckle, I don't know what to do. I also missed an employment role a month ago because of it - they cancelled my interview when they discovered I don't have a PESEL. Not all employers can be bothered to get an employee a PESEL, unless that employee has very specialist skills which I don't.
InWroclaw   
19 Nov 2012
Law / Can't get a social security number/PESEL in Poland (I'm from UK) [56]

Am from the UK. I've been told I can't buy a car and register and insure it unless I have a PESEL. Assuming this is true, I need a PESEL.

Been to the city hall, they gave me a form called a " Zgloszenie pobytu czasowego trwajaccfego ponad 3 miesiace ". At the very top, it asks for a PESEL number!

Didn't notice that until just now.

Other problem I have is this: can't get the landlord to provide the docs proving he owns it and his ID card number etc. Reason is my landlord has sadly died and bitter battle going between the siblings on who owns what, so there's no official owner now and I have no docs to take to the city office to prove where I live and register the address and get my PESEL. Apparently a tenancy agreement is not sufficient, they want the apartment's title deeds (ownership document). Is that so? I didn't know they needed that. They also want the owner's ID number (sadly they are now dead and the owner is the estate until the heirs are sorted out).

Any ideas, anyone? I don't know what my next step should be. Looks like I am utterly stuffed unless I move to a new flat, which I am trying to do but so far not found anything. Even then, would the next landlord co-operate so that I can get my PESEL? Maybe, maybe not.

PS I already have the Zaswiadczenie o Zarejestrowaniu Pobytu Obywatela EU. No Pesel nr on it as far as I can see.
InWroclaw   
16 Nov 2012
Life / Winter in Poland? [160]

There's a lot to do if someone doesn't mind getting cold! It's a great country, so many places to go that it's a wonder Poles take holidays/vacations abroad. They have it all here. The opportunities for healthy outdoor recreation are significant and you'll have a great time.

For a bit of culture in Wroc it's usually the Panorama paintings
panoramaraclawicka.pl/en/what_to_see.html
the indoor Aqua Park
aquapark.wroc.pl/en
shopping malls that are more modern and better appointed than most in the UK,
fantastic nights at the Opera
opera.wroclaw.pl/1/index.php?lang=_en
atmospheric churches and cathedrals (I'm not religious in the least but even I appreciate them),
visiting big name rock bands, er and 5602 guitarists in Wroclaw, actors in Krakow, and...

youtube.com/embed/jXPeofkW-Pw

How many Britons does it take to convince you to come to Poland? ;o)

Feel invited!(And change your money in the city centre or Kantors around the city and not the airport, for the best rates.)
InWroclaw   
16 Nov 2012
Work / Looking for job - English teaching positions available in Poland? [18]

:o)

You may find quite fluent speakers in ordinary shops here sometimes - I was in Euro Net and one of them speaks English fluently and fast with a slight American accent. Strangely, few have been to the UK at all. One at an airport cafe here speaks English with a Southern Irish accent, again very fast. Many will understand what is being said but don't feel confident enough to reply using an English sentence. Quite a few English words are well-known, just as we know Uno or Finito or Voila, and other foreign words used in Britain, so in the same way Poles know quite a few English words. What throws them is our accent as we say them! We sound sort of Dutch to their ears (see Dom Joly in Trigger Happy TV for that sound demonstrated really well).
InWroclaw   
16 Nov 2012
Work / Looking for job - English teaching positions available in Poland? [18]

Only the bravest Pole will try to tell a joke in English! I don't know much about their SOH, to my mind they seem quite glum a lot of the time, but maybe that's just their reaction when they see me :o)

Anyway, remember that with the English teaching many do come and try it and then give up and go home. Steel yourself, be persistent, and with any luck if you really want to do it then you'll succeed.

Here in Wroc, it might just be a perception thing but am finding more and more of them speak English already. Even the girls who helped me in a DIY shop (Leroy Merlin - no quibble refunds more often than not, great store, although prices not always as keen as others) and various large supermarkets have stock replenishment operatives (shelf stackers!) who speak English well thanks to their school or uni. The mistake I made when I first came here was trying to make myself understood in Polish without announcing clearly that I spoke English. The result was many who can speak English did not recognise my accent and didn't even try English with me! Total farce really!