I wanted to ask if it is standard practice for
the tenant also to pay the Admin Fee of the apartment
on top of the rent ? Say an apartment costs 2200 PLN zloty and the Admin Fee is 500 PLN ?
Or does the owner of the apartment have to pay the admin fee ?
btw, i am asking about Krakow area apartments..
thanks!
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.
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).
