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Posts by InWroclaw  

Joined: 10 Mar 2012 / Male ♂ 		Last Post: 28 May 2015
Threads: 89
Posts: 1,910 		From: Wroclaw
Speaks Polish?: No

Displayed posts: 1999 / page 4 of 67
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InWroclaw   
19 May 2012
Real Estate / Renting in Poland - tenants' rights? [51]

Have done a search of the archive. The below is a summary of what I found, perhaps it needs to be verified as I don't know how accurate it is and contracts may vary.

The questions I have are about renting a property in Poland:-

1. Does a landlord have a right of entry to a paying tenant's accommodation?

2. Can a tenant change the lock for security reasons?

3. Who is financially responsible for repairs to fixtures and fittings that fail, for example a window that does not close, failing oven or failing WC?

4. If a tenant fails to pay the rent, at what point can a landlord enter and gain possession?

5. What documents does a landlord generally require from a Briton or other EU resident pre-contract and/or post-contract?

6. What notice does a landlord need to give under normal circumstances, to a paying tenant?

7. What if a paying tenant cannot leave on the agreed last day of a tenancy for whatever reason?

8. Who does a tenant pay the monthly service charge/admin charge to?

The info I found in the archive:

Contracts should contain a notice period clause, termed as "okres wypowiedzl".

Most rental contracts are 6 months fixed then the tenant needs to give one month's notice. Presumably this is the day before a rent due date plus one month.

Landlords can usually give just 1 month's notice to a tenant if the tenant misbehaves in some way, eg damage or illegal activity.

(above subject to verification and may be inaccurate or vary from contract to contracts)

Anybody who can answer some or all of the questions above, or add some knowledge, or correct the above etc etc - please respond.
InWroclaw   
19 May 2012
Real Estate / Renting in Poland - tenants' rights? [51]

InWroclaw, Polish law for rental contracts is very ambiguous

Not got any problems, yet, just want to know where I stand. Thank you for that useful tip on the advice evenings!

@InKrakow, many thanks. Seems much is similar to English & Welsh law except that landlords generally need to give 2 months notice in E&W if a rolling contract, known as a statutory periodic tenancy. Also, seems Polish law requires an "evict to" address, which surprisingly E&W law does not. There's an example of Polish law being far more civilised, unless I am misunderstanding it.

Only thing I don't understand is how my landlord pays me for the monthly admin - by crediting it to my rent?

I've no intention of being a bad tenant and have very much A1 references from my UK letting agents going back 8 years, but I just wanted to know what's what so that I can determine whether any new Poland landlord I encounter is legitimate or a chancer.

InKrakow, Warszawski - again many thanks.
InWroclaw   
19 May 2012
Real Estate / Poland's flat rental agents and the anger they brew in me.... [60]

In my experience Gumtree is now more agents than direct. It used to be mostly direct. You can filter out agents of course but you lose more than 50% of the open flats doing so.

It's all changing then :o(

You could also try daft.

Thanks, I didn't know Daft had bought a Polish portal - will check it out.
InWroclaw   
19 May 2012
Travel / Wroclaw Euro 2012 - how much zloty I should be taking with me? [16]

Best to change your money at any number of local bureaux de change which are called "Kantor" - for example at the moment you will get 5.26zl per £1. The city centre has a few, but they are also inside many supermarkets. You can even try to negotiate more if changing over £100 at a time. I used to. For example, in the past some would give you 5.28 or 5.30 or even more on £100+ changed, instead of 5.26. Ask around, negotiate, politely but persistently.
InWroclaw   
20 May 2012
Travel / Wroclaw Euro 2012 - how much zloty I should be taking with me? [16]

Already it's about 20% less than a few months ago!

It's back to where it was briefly in January, but the pound is much weaker against the zloty than it was a few years ago. You could get over 6zl to the £1. And before that 7zl.
InWroclaw   
20 May 2012
Real Estate / Renting in Poland - tenants' rights? [51]

in practice there's often no way of legally evicting them.

I see, but I guess they send "The Boys" in if they want to get someone out.

All I'm looking for is a decent normal landlord who appreciates a good tenant with references. Made some enquiries at the cheaper end including the Daft site's ads - but everything is let (rented out already) so am having no luck. Seems pretty buoyant for realistic price landlords now.

Thanks Jon, all the ads I replied to mentioned the cztnsz as additional, although perhaps they would collect that and the rent together.

I'm still searching - they do definitely exist in my price range - but go quickly.
InWroclaw   
20 May 2012
News / Poland's Economy Is Booming! The EU's Success Story? [711]

It's weird how investors have spent this month pulling out of Poland faster than they are getting out of the eurozone. Poland could be in some deep do-do.

By this, do you mean the weakening of the zloty against the pound etc?
I ask because where I am, things are buzzing and busy. At least superficially it looks that way. I could be wrong. The electrical shops are usually fairly empty, if that means anything,
InWroclaw   
21 May 2012
News / Poland's Economy Is Booming! The EU's Success Story? [711]

then the GBP can be devalued to stimulte growth should it be needed

The GBP has already been devalued over several years. Any more devaluing causes rampant inflation, pension values plummet further etc. Too many Brits do not understand this.
InWroclaw   
21 May 2012
UK, Ireland / Sooo many Polski Sklep in the UK, LOL [64]

Unfortuantely some Polish food still contains more additives that British food, particularly flavour enhancer E621 monosodium glutamate. That can account for things tasting "better". I think that several household brand names of sauce and stock for Polish households contains it - in that respect Poland is behind the UK where E621 is far less incorporated into foods these days.

youtube.com/watch?v=txiVDY-prk4
InWroclaw   
21 May 2012
Food / Where to buy British mature Cheddar Cheese and salted butter in Poland? [289]

Mod has made this thread live again, many thanks.

Anyone please let me know: am looking for mature cheddar (pref vegetarian with non animal rennet) at no more than 40zl a kilo. There is some ordinary and not very good cheddar at supermarkets here in Wrocław, but not mature cheddar which has a strong and tart flavour, and is crumbly, usually.

I know expensive 200g packs are for sale in some shops, but the price hike is 40% compared to last month, as they switched brands. As a regular cheese muncher, I'd like to keep the price down.

I like gouda too, don't get me wrong, I know Polish gouda is great, but I also want my ration of mature cheddar.

Any tip offs rather than rip offs, welcome... Thanks.
InWroclaw   
22 May 2012
Food / Where to buy British mature Cheddar Cheese and salted butter in Poland? [289]

from the Alma in Bielany Wrocławskie, several times. You gotta ask the chick in the paper hat to cut it for you.

The one near Jula/Elektro World? They had the mature stuff? Only had the mild last time, and it was a massive wrapped block, approx 50zl a kilo anyway unless my memory is playing tricks.

At one branch of an upmarket deli supermarket, my Polish friend asked on my behalf and as they replied to say no, they looked at us with incredulity, like we'd asked for crack cocaine or a JCB digger.
InWroclaw   
22 May 2012
Food / Where to buy British mature Cheddar Cheese and salted butter in Poland? [289]

"world market" place with the ridiculous prices and the questionable expiration dates having some cheeses, at Magnolia. And they'll cut that block down to something manageable, btw.

If you mean EPI, no they don't have anything except mild.

Tesco have Kerrygold mature but that's 40% dearer than the previous brand they carried and I don't like to push prices up for myself or the locals by joining in with that kind of unreasonable pricing so I refuse to purchase it on principle believe it or not.
InWroclaw   
22 May 2012
Food / Where to buy British mature Cheddar Cheese and salted butter in Poland? [289]

I bought lamd and fillet steak in Alma at Bielany once, i went back about three times after for the same and they never had it.

I notice this a lot here - they stock something for a while and then don't stock it again. Most recently, the case of the disappearing good value powdered soya drink/milk at Auchan. Gone. Forever? Who knows.

Biedronka also had soya milk at just 4zl a litre although not sure about its additives. Cheapest soya milk now is Tesco @Magnolia Park, additive free it seems, and just 5.99zl a litre. Not cheap of course, Asda's Walmart UK's soya milk is around 75p a litre or even cheaper for the Smart Price.
InWroclaw   
22 May 2012
Food / Where to buy British mature Cheddar Cheese and salted butter in Poland? [289]

Real sell English Chedder

Never seen a Real here. I'll try to find one.

Auchon have 2 different Irish Cheddars, 10 or 13pln for 200g. The price is the maturity

Carefore had the same cheddars for a bit more plus a few other English cheeses. I buy several Kg of Cheese in the UK and bring it back. I even had a cheese party, but there is a limit on how much I can eat.

Carrefour have no mature cheddar here, what they do have is mild at 50zl a kg. I avoid shopping in Carrefour as don't like their customer services policy. Auchan have only mild Irish here. Krakow is different to Wroc. Auchan in France carry Cathedral City and other UK ranges too btw.
InWroclaw   
22 May 2012
Food / Where to buy British mature Cheddar Cheese and salted butter in Poland? [289]

Try the cheddar that Mlekovita make here in PL. not many places sell it but it's actually OK and my local shop has it at 23 zl a kilo.

It is quite nice, but it's mild. Auchan do a deli mild which is a bit cheaper and also good. But mature, tart cheddar is what I need. Not farmhouse as that's too strong, but a good mature. In Wroclaw, it's something not in abundance, that's for sure.
InWroclaw   
22 May 2012
Food / Where to buy British mature Cheddar Cheese and salted butter in Poland? [289]

Mature cheddar cheese is entirely different to mild. Hard to describe the flavour but will do my best.
In strength order:
Mild (like gouda in some ways)
Medium (some extra slightly tart/sour flavour like a good plain yoghurt)
Mature (distinctive flavour on the sour side)
Extra Mature (Similar but a bit more sour)
Farnhouse (Very strong, sometimes gritty, and crumbly)
InWroclaw   
22 May 2012
Food / Where to buy British mature Cheddar Cheese and salted butter in Poland? [289]

Jon, if you have it to hand, what colour is the pack? Thanks. I will then see if it's the one Auchan stocks. If not, Alma sometimes have it. I am pretty sure the one I tried was fine but mild. Tyramine? I didn't know that at all and looks like it's not all good

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tyramine
InWroclaw   
23 May 2012
Real Estate / Poland's flat rental agents and the anger they brew in me.... [60]

Once you find a place you might want to take along a translator to help with financial details, etc, but as far as searching through the ads, google translate works well.
After your first dozen ads you'll see that there are about 20 or so words that are repeated over and over.
Especially words like "cichy" and "spokojny" :->

Thank you for the tips.

Nothing much available at the moment in my price range - what there was has been let now, I wasn't quick enough.
InWroclaw   
24 May 2012
Food / Where to buy British mature Cheddar Cheese and salted butter in Poland? [289]

Thank you, but not in Wrocław's Almas that I know of - although sometimes they do have mild cheddar. In any case, that price is well above what I consider reasonable, and far above Tesco's (fair) price.

Anyway, panic over now, just have to hope Tesco have more of the same for me if I am still here in a month or two.

I will just add, Tesco here also have just got in some Finest FairTrade tea bags. Not a bad price on that either but not quite as good as M&S tea bags.