Law / Tourist visa to Poland for Indian citizen, invitation letter. [57]

Embassy in Delhi info newdelhi.mfa.gov.pl/en/consular_information/visa_information
(I assume this applies to you even if in Bahrain if you hold a passport issued by India)

and msz.gov.pl/en/travel_to_poland/visa

Travel / Budget for a week in Poland- fast foods, some brand clothing buy, three star hotel - shared room, and clubbing [8]

Sorry. I've had a few beers and wasn't concentrating :(

Well for 430 per day you're likely to be fine (if it's not high season or Xmas/New Year). You've probably already realised it's best to book ahead, and that'd be my plan too because it can mean the best hotel deals so that you might get a 5 or 4 for the price of a 3 star. Wroćław has nice hotels, you'll be spoilt for choice. Make sure you see the Panorama painting when you visit, it's well worth it. Lots of clubs too, I believe, catering for a variety of tastes.

Someone else may post better and more specific info in a moment !

UK, Ireland / Curious about differences Polish people see with the British? [95]


They want a free lesson, probably. Or, as has been suggested here once before when Poles suddenly speak English in response to a foreigner's Polish, it's because your Polish ain't all that :p


Well, that happened in the UK in the past and then supermarkets started to train staff to ask the customer "Shall I show you where it is?" or to as a matter of routine always escort the customer there. I realise in this case the customer was infirm and so the staff member should have delicately suggested she could fetch it for her, but everyone has blonde moments and that same member of staff could be a star on another occasion.

Travel / Budget for a week in Poland- fast foods, some brand clothing buy, three star hotel - shared room, and clubbing [8]

Depends which part of Poland, but you're looking at 60 or 100 PLN per night for a reasonable, budget hotel (shared room sometimes possible, depends). There are some hostels at 30-45 a night (per bed, usually) but very limited availability. Entry to clubs usually has to be paid for. I would say 430 PLN is insufficient for a week, it might be OK for 2-3 days (just about). Food is not cheap in most cities unless you know exactly where to dine if you get tired of American burger chains.

Check Gumtree Poland for "nocleg" and select the city you want (remember to use the Polish word for the city name if searching for it in the search box)

You should book ahead online for the accommodation if you can, to avoid higher costs or no availability risks. Hotels such as Ibis may be a solution.

UK, Ireland / Curious about differences Polish people see with the British? [95]


One of the cashiers at a discount supermarket in an Essex town always used to say "Enjoy the rest of your day!" to each shopper.

And a few years back another major supermarket's local manager instructed staff to greet each shopper at the checkout with "How's your day going/what are you doing today?" but not "What are you doing tonight?" of course, as that could have got a few of us a tad excited.

Law / Asbestos Roofing laws in Poland - tell me! [18]


I think he was just having a laugh with us, re-reading it I think there was an unseen wink in that text!

Real Estate / Poland's apartment prices continue to fall [1844]

The UK has seen a massive increase in tenants due to skyrocketing house prices, now almost everyone has a flat or house that they rent out. It is called "buy to let" and for some people it is considered their pension or substitute for interest on their savings deposits (UK savers are lucky to get 1.5% max gross).

I can't give investment advice but anecdotes suggest many cities find a tenant in a few days or 2 weeks. If you go to Rightmove.co.uk and the letting or rental pages, you can search for flats in various cities and see how quickly they found a tenant. The green "let agreed" on the photo means that a tenant has been found.

The problem some might say is that landlords' portfolios have pushed the price of property up making many first time buyers unable to afford anything and greedy rents have fleeced poorer members of society. If I were in government, I'd not allow landlords to do this, it is a step back to earlier centuries and the bad old days.

Quite surprised to see a good, practical plot of building land in a good area reduced 20% in price. Unless there's some part of the street I don't know about, I'd have thought land was sought-after in that spot. Must be that it's designated for a 2-storey single family dwelling only, as a flats developer would surely have been tempted. Very curious that the agent, who's well connected nationwide, has had to offer it out like this. Works out 470 PLN a sq m approx.

Real Estate / Poland's apartment prices continue to fall [1844]

Yes, I know several people in Wroclaw with flats built within the last 10 years and all have some issues with faulty workmanship. 2 have court cases pending.

I must just say about rents, however. There are cities in the UK which have flats for the same price as Wro and probably Krakow, yet the rent there is almost x2. So the yield/ROCE for anyone who wants to be a landlord is higher in these cities in the UK for the same outlay on the flat and the tax to pay is probably a lot less for someone who lives in the UK.

Law / Asbestos Roofing laws in Poland - tell me! [18]

I don't think anyone should have to breathe hazardous dust, and especially not those who are desperate and reduced to working for such low money. It's a specialist job and the pay should reflect that. I'd never want anyone to risk their health for me, least of all for such low pay. If you think about it, I'm sure you'd get what I mean and feel the same way.

Real Estate / Poland's apartment prices continue to fall [1844]

Just reading about people moving to Berlin and not entirely surprised to see that Berlin is cheaper than Wrocław for a 68m2 flat. It's 82K euro. And, from the photo, this is a nicer and more leafy flat than here in Wroclaw.

I assume these are real ads in Berlin, as most of the blocks are very nice compared to even some of the latest ones we have here. Sorry, but it's true. I wish it wasn't, as Poland is a beautiful country away from its urban sprawl.

I think I'm right in saying that wages in Berlin are likely to be considerably higher, food is cheaper or the same, property taxes are average.

So, not really sure why Wro costs what it does.

Real Estate / Poland's apartment prices continue to fall [1844]


Yes, it's a somewhat painful point. When I put that to people here a year or so ago they said their wages hadn't increased in years and they denied shop prices had risen much. Yet lately it seems managers here are on good money, which to me suggests there has been wage inflation and that explains why some people don't think accommodation is expensive. I was told inflation here is not an issue, but 23% inflation since 2007 does not seem like cheery news.

Real Estate / Poland's apartment prices continue to fall [1844]


Well, I wanted to keep the money on easy access in case I needed it. In the UK, accounts which tie money up for a year usually either don't allow any withdrawals or the withdrawal costs something like 6 months' interest (which can also mean that they take the equivalent of 6 months' interest from capital if 6 months has not yet passed!).

I shall look at the info you sent me with great interest (pardon the pun!). Thanks again!

I'm reminded from that graph of how the prices shot up since 2006. A friend who bought back then said to me just a few weeks ago "It's crazy, how much do they want now for this estate?" He was really surprised when I told him it's almost double what he paid and they don't really want to negotiate in most cases, or only discount it by a little. He owns the flat and even he thought the flats were not worth that price, and they are better than average quality it seems. Nevertheless, prices have been slow to come down on that estate, despite the fact units are still empty from when they were built and completed some years ago. And his estate is pretty inconvenient too -- a terrible bumpy access road with commercial vehicles on it all the time, single file traffic in and out of the gates because of parking on the pavement on both sides which means a driver almost always has to stop and reverse or have someone else give way, it's just a big hassle living there. Yet the asking prices have pretty much stayed up. There was one reasonable bargain there a few months ago but that sold in about a week, from what I can tell.

Real Estate / Poland's apartment prices continue to fall [1844]

Thank you, Monitor. All good points you made there, although I must admit I don't know where I can 4% unless you mean to lock the money in a 1-year account (no withdrawals allowed in return for a fixed rate). Most of my money's only getting 1.25% brutto/gross here! Some of it is on 2% gross, and of course they take a lot of tax off.

Real Estate / Poland's apartment prices continue to fall [1844]

Cheers Monitor, much appreciate the translation and of course it captured the most pertinent viewpoints from which I can look into things in more depth and see what's what. I'm thinking of continuing to rent until Q1 2015, because there seems to be a sparse choice of places within my budget at the moment and rather than just chuck the money away I'm probably better off renting until things deflate. If they don't deflate, I think I'd still rather rent and be free to move around. Wro is getting too busy these days, and it seems more polluted from all the traffic. Just people everywhere, cars everywhere, noise everywhere, but so far not income everywhere for me as a foreigner. I assume that's not the case for foreigners with certain skills and Poles who are flocking here in droves and perhaps helping to sustain osiedle development prices.

Real Estate / Poland's apartment prices continue to fall [1844]


Ah, that's very interesting Monitor, cheers. Could you please post the link for me? Thanks.

Law / What requirements are needed to set up a street trading business in Poland [5]

Well, I think the City Guards or other officials here would pay a visit fairly quickly. I've certainly seen them do that here when they see it's a commercial enterprise. I know that the grandmothers selling stuff from their allotments seem to be allowed to set up stall near the main junctions where they sit on the floor or small stools, but I don't think that policy applies to businessmen.

UK, Ireland / Former minister admits UK messed up on immigration [78]

Merged: UK govt drawing up 'radical' EU immigration control

Seems to me that the Tories can sense the keys to Number 10 slipping from their grasp after UKIP's surge


thetimes

I have no idea how they'd actually do this, but it's interesting to hear these noises and the frantic wriggling as it all starts to unravel.

Real Estate / Sub rent and stolen deposit (renting a flat in Warsaw) [6]


Isn't there a procedure which is very easy and done via an online or paper form and all it costs is 5% of what you claim for? That's what I heard, but I don't have the details. Maybe someone else can help.

Real Estate / Poland's apartment prices continue to fall [1844]

Thanks Monitor

It's true that some of the new developments seem to have sold most of their units, but have a few hanging on typically which they knock out for 10 or 20% off. Some estates have had maybe 4 or 5% unsold units since 2010 or earlier.

I can well believe cash buyers are buying.

I don't understand the valuations here, but no doubt there is a lot of optimism for Wroclaw's future already baked into the prices! With so many people moving into the city in the hope of gaining a better (or any) job, it looks like it will just get busier and busier here. And believe me, it's already annoyingly overcrowded. People and cars everywhere from early morning like ants. I used to live in London and it seems more congested and chaotic and competitive here than my busy London suburb ever did. It's much busier than 4 or 5 years back.


Can I ask this again as no one answered?

Having checked flats and houses today, I recognise most of the houses from months ago, perhaps 8 months ago. As for the flats, many familiar photos, and the dates of original listing and updates show last year and early this year as the listed date.

The IMF has today said low interest rates, or rather ultra low interest rates for this prolonged period, are doing great harm.
theguardian.com/business/2014/oct/08/imf-low-interest-rates-financial-crisis-threat-speculation

I couldn't agree more. It's making a malconomy or that's what I'd call it.

Work / Moving back to Poland after 8 years in the UK (19 years old, currently studying HND in Business & Management) [4]


Seconded!

Also, here in Wroc, it seems the pollution on even the residential streets that have through traffic is worse than when I lived in London and had to walk along busy roads near the city centre. If Krakow's air pollution is worse than Wroclaw's, then I don't know what to say. I find myself trying not to breath here until I get back to the estate's greenery. I never recall this problem in my parts of England.

Work / Suggestions for starting a business in Poland ( I have 50/60,000 USD ) [59]

I can't answer you on that, but hopefully someone else can. I am not 100% sure but there might be some enterprise loan or grants and some department to speak to at the local government office. I did have a link but it's broken (for GUP, if anyone knows what that is and can post a new one).

Real Estate / Apartment Admin Fee in Poland / Krakow? [4]

So you did, my bad! I think you mean the bill that's usually paid in addition to rent every month.

Yes, you do have to pay the admin fee, or what's called the service charge in the UK. This charge will vary somewhat according to average use of water, and other variables such as heating if metered and communal area upkeep costs. It's usually called czynsz in this neck of the woods and the initial value is based on the size of the apartment.

The non variables are things like refuse/garbage and recycling collections - something like 20PLN a month per person, and add to that water, metered heating, communal area upkeep, refurbishment fund, etc. On top of that you usually have to pay for internet and media (electricity/gas) via a meter too. In Wroclaw, a 70m2 flat will typically cost 600PLN a month extra on top of the rent excluding energy/media and internet. Some places are cheaper, some double that (I saw one last week where the rent is 1500 but the fee or czynsz is another 1000).

In England, this service charge is almost always included in the rent. In Poland, they add it on to the basic rent and it varies, usually every 6 months up or down (but often up). Expect to pay it every month with the rent and budget also for energy, internet, phone calls, minor repairs to the flat (which you're also expected to pay usually, a landlord won't usually agree to them).

Real Estate / Apartment Admin Fee in Poland / Krakow? [4]

Both parties often pay, but some agents don't charge one side or the other. Standard ask is usually 1 month's rent as the admin fee or 500zl. In the past I've negotiated an ask of 1 month's rent down to a half and perhaps less (I can't remember). 500 zloty is a cheap fee if it's for a flat not a room.

Real Estate / Lost keys for communal letterbox in Poland [5]

Sorry, I thought you meant a communal or shared box.

In which case if it's an individual box's lock, occasionally there's a number on the lock or original key. That number corresponds to a pattern which the manufacturer or some key cutter or locksmith outlets can use to make a duplicate key. Alternatively, a locksmith (and some key cutting shops if they have locksmith experience) should be able to open the lock in about 5 seconds but can also make a key if you show ID. In all cases, ID may be asked for, for obvious reasons! (There's also a chance the building admin or managers have a spare - so ask them first before going down the locksmith route.)

Real Estate / Lost keys for communal letterbox in Poland [5]

Can't her brother show ID to a neighbour and get the neighbour to open the box, and then maybe pay the neighbour to get a spare key cut?

Work / Suggestions for starting a business in Poland ( I have 50/60,000 USD ) [59]

Might be a better idea to invest it in a specialist fund that invests in many startups at once rather than becoming a business angel yourself in just 1 or 2 ventures.

But, remember that the value of your investment can go down as well as up. Only invest what you can afford to lose.

You might also want to watch Dragons Den on Youtube for an idea about hits and misses when investing in new, small firms.

youtube.com/watch?v=sAT7dhDrDRg

Real Estate / Poland's apartment prices continue to fall [1844]

I don't read any formal reports. Some of them (don't know about the ones you mention) could be biased to talk the market in one direction or the other (although usually up, for obvious reasons) and so I go by my own finger in the breeze. In summary: patchy but generally down so far except for some new builds which seem to have leapt off the shelves, presumably due to MDM or some cheap deal.

That said, some stuff coming to market is ambitiously priced, so I am guessing the media is spewing encouraging words about recovery and employment prospects. Many of these flats would need a senior manager's salary or two to be sensibly related to wages, however.

The bad luck (or is it good luck, if prices continue to fall?) continues ... an agent who speaks English phoned me and promised to be in touch to set up a meeting in his office to "choose from our very big selection". Nothing.

And the owner of a flat totally failed to show up to an appointment. No call, nothing. Silence.

In both cases, I have decided not to phone and chase up the parties who let me down because I don't want to do business with people I already know are just wasters.

UK, Ireland / Living in England - the reality. I am now returning to Poland. [30]


Just want to add for anyone browsing the thread in the future:
- the majority of agents (or all in my experience) in some towns don't cease marketing when a buyer offers to buy and starts conveyancing. They may even leave the For Sale board up until the day contracts are exchanged. I had this experience in the South West in the 1980s. I was most taken aback that the agents refused to consider anywhere as sold until contracts exchange day. I later discovered it was commonplace there. Of course, some agents probably suppress interest so that they can sell a place cheap to some contact giving them cash in a brown envelope. Such corruption probably happens in several countries, though. As for deposits, agents are supposed to ask for a holding deposit of a few hundred quid if someone says they're buying, but I think they do have to return it if the deal doesn't go ahead. The deposit paid on exchange of contracts however is not usually refundable if the buyer backs out.

UK, Ireland / Living in England - the reality. I am now returning to Poland. [30]

OP, sorry to read of your experiences (I am a Briton).

Firstly, lawyers come in all shapes and sizes, and some are fair and some are expensive but whatever they charge there's always the few whose main interest and knowledge mainly centres around where the best places are to drink and the horsepower of some car or motorboat they want to buy. Not meaning to boast, but a friend's friend who is a lawyer once told me I could forget my claim against a large national co in the UK and I had "no chance". I then quoted the law to him, he looked a bit confused but repeated his doubts. 3 or 4 weeks later I had my money out of that company, every penny. And my friend's friend was no ordinary lawyer but a partner at a central London firm on true megaquid per hour. I kid you not.

I'm also surprised to hear about what sounds like difficulty selling your house or flat because we're told it's a sellers' market in the UK and buyers have to toe the line. In England, it's always been the case that a seller or buyer can withdraw at the last moment. It's a risk we've always had to live with (Scotland is different). Many buyers lose hundreds of pounds in surveyor and legal fees when a seller suddenly withdraws or sells to someone else for more. It happened to me once too. I lost GBP600. But you must have done very well if you bought a house or flat, so England was quite a lady for you really :)

Your English is really rather good, and I'm surprised you didn't go for a better job somewhere. As for references, few employers check them much or at all. That's one of the problems there, nobody really bothers. As a care assistant, you would have been CRB checked, and if that's clear then you would likely be able to find another job as a CA. Although, as commendable as caring roles are, they are not for everyone, and with very reasonable or rather good English I'd have been tempted to look to an office role if in your shoes.

If a reference for you is very questionable, it may go beyond what is called "fair comment", reasonable or privileged and yes it is actionable in law.

For the UK
gov.uk/work-reference
findlaw.co.uk/law/employment/employment_law_basics/getting_a_job/500307.html

For Ireland
hayes-solicitors.ie/news%5Cnews_11_2003_June_5.htm

I am surprised that E Sussex was as dud for you as it sounds. But you return to Poland the richer for it in many ways and are likely to prosper due to your improved English and world experience, if you're in a fairly good part of Polska! I hope all goes well!

Real Estate / Any Good Real Estate company in Krakow getting the rent from tenants? [3]

I assume you mean as a tenant. I always negotiate here. The most I ever paid was 50% of what the agency initially asked for. Of course if the market is red hot there for real or your employer is paying, then maybe that's discount's not possible or not of consequence.

To the OP, I think 10% of the rent may be standard but haggle for a better deal with other agents.