Polish landlord - Walks into my apartment without asking or when i am not at home and wants half rent in cash.

Hello! So I just moved into a new apartment. The landlord walks into my apartment without asking, and has done it on 2-3 occasions and probably more when im not here. Im am originally from Norway. She also wants half of the rent paid in cash and half online by transfer which i feel like is really shady. I feel super uncomfortable living here so i have decided to end the contract. My question is: Can the landlord walk into my apartment without notifying me prior, and why does she demand half of the rent in cash? I have decided to end the contract aswell before the 1 year contract is over. Will i get my deposit back?

Never rent from a woman. They need to know everything. Guys don't give a damn as long as there is beer in the fridge and sports on TV.

Its a husband and a wife. They are seriously the weirdest people i have met. What do you suggest?

Have you considered she may be lonely? Next time she comes uninvited, offer her a cup of tea. Insist you will not let her leave without sampling some of your cooking. Offer to watch your favorite film together.

About halfway through the film, gently sit down next to your landlord, and propose to massage her feet.

Please report back on results.

It almost worked for me...

@Optumem8, I take it somehow that you don't speak Polish, is that correct? English doesn't always work abroad, I'm afraid. That being said, might I suggest that in nearly any country, natives will occasionally attempt to extort sums of cash or extract favors from foreigners who come from what other believe is a wealthy country, thereby easily able to be shaken down.

My advice would be that you always try to rent responsibly from a known quantity, say, a church or travel club-linked organization whose reputation is know both to you as well as to others in your circle.

Not a realistic possibility in Poland.


Tax evasion.


That's the right decision considering she's entering your home without asking, using landlord's keys. They never pay deposits back though unless they are forced to. Unfortunately Poland doesn't have a system like the UK where the deposit has to be paid into a government run fund who then decide if the landlord's claim on it (must be backed up with photos or other hard proof of damage) is valid.

Perhaps not, jon. Yet nonetheless worthy of the old college try.
Surely not everybody or -place in Poland is riddled with corruption and untrustworthiness.
Niech zyje Czarny Rynek! LOL

Not corruption; just plenty of people speculating on real estate and thinking they've some sort of right to make money from housing.

...at the expense of some poor, foreign schnook, too naive to know better??
'Don't buy that. Rather surprised you do.

Not only. They do it to each other too, however people from other countries are seen by some as an easy target.

The ones that post here about it are just the tip of the iceberg.

"Naturally they seem by some as an easy target......"
'Course they do, mate! It's cuz they are!!! LOL

On the other hand, it's hard for me to imagine a run-of-the-mill Pole, Slovene, Romanian for instance, gladly screwing over another fellow countryman with impunity.

Poles particularly, always talk about their strong sense of solidarity with one another.

When you are sure that the landlord did so call the cops and file a report for break in/trespassing/burglary and watch your landlord come begging.

BTW if you dont speak Polish Dial "911" and they speak English and English speaking cops will be there in 10 minutes max(Now I dont know if that only works with the US number or from all the numbers)

before the 1 year contract is over. Will i get my deposit back?
NO,you will not get it back and if the landlord is a bi.tch he will file a claim for the whole years rent or the cost to rent it again adding cost of his efforts to rent the place and that could be seriously outrageous.

Apologies for appearing forward, Optumem8, but what in G-d's name ever brought you to Poland?? It looks as though you did next to no investigation prior to booking your accomodations/flat.

Did you forego any research whatsoever on where you were visiting before you left Norway?

Perhaps the next time, you'll be more careful. It's not your fault entirely though. You're probably very young and simply got caught up in the spirit of adventure.

that's nonsense, Lyzko - to the point that the opposite is almost proverbial in several Western countries

to avoid paying some taxes - that's obvious (most Polish landlords never paid any taxes on their incomes from real estate in the past -not sure about now)

as to why landlords in Poland feel free to enter the premises they believe they own: it's a cultural thing and they are definitely not unusual in that respect

that needs some clarification - Poles are not regarded as people who keep solidarity with their countrymen by the outsiders (but also by many Poles themselves) - and that's in spite of the famous Polish independent trade union name suggests)

I would say mostly by Poles themselves.

Most do pay taxes,on rental there is only 8.5% flat tiax till 100k a year and then 12.5% flat.Only dumb and idiots would like to mess with uzad skarbowe for that lil money,again there are some fools out there.


Not at least for the last 23 years I have been coming here.I have heard only 1 scenario like this but they are very rare,usually the landlords make an appointment.

Quite, one reason why so many rents are paid in cash.

Since the tax rises in 2022 I have got tired of people insisting on cash - even had it from my dentist. I have to pay tax so why let other people avoid it ? Fine for a taksowkarz or a hairdresser but not for large amounts,

That`s a crime in Poland. That landlord is a suspicious person.


She acting as a landlord??? That is double suspicious!!!!

I used to feel that myself however now for various reasons I get paid in cash every three or four months (any tax due is deducted before I get it) and it's a real problem. If you pay it into the bank, they start hassling you for paperwork due to money laundering rules.

Sometimes it's like that old film "the million pound note"; you've got good money but it's hard to spend it.

Rental flats in Warsaw are indeed mostly cash though.

That's not been my experience, gumishu! I think you're simply trying to give me a hard time, that's all. Where would I have gotten this notion from anyway, huh? Clearly it must have come from somewhere, besides, all stereotypes are rooted in truth way down deep:-) Poles are no exception.

No, if you look at comment even under Polish Eurovision song you will see Poles talking how unsupportive of our own people we are as a nation.

@gumishu
That's what happens when a people starts disregarding patriotism towards one's own country and it's citizens.

Too much criticism towards the church has also spiralled in a downward path with patriotism. Too many women in Poland have been at war with the church, right-wingers and association with Poland (preferring Europe/EU etc)

Naturally it creates not only dissatisfaction but, alienation towards Poland's male population and more and more males have to come to the conclusion that if they want a women they cannot profess love for their country openly.

I have seen the consequences personally, a group of women turn their future spouse against her partner and being unsupportive of the couple.

Marriages will become fewer and fewer in numbers, just like in the west.

It's a terrible future

What? Turn future spouse against their partner?

@Lenka
It's very common

@Kashub1410
No, I mean I literally don't know what you mean. Could you please re phrase?