Renting a flat – vocabulary from tenancy agreements and adverts
When renting a flat, four terms are key: kaucja (a deposit – money paid as security, usually returned when the tenancy ends), czynsz (a fixed monthly payment, the rent), media (electricity, gas, water, heating, internet – the utilities) and okres wypowiedzenia (the notice period – the time from giving notice on the agreement until it ends). Here we explain the words from adverts and tenancy agreements and give phrases for talking to the landlord – this is language help, not legal advice. You can practise a conversation with a landlord with a teacher at a trial lesson.
The most important terms from a tenancy agreement
A tenancy agreement uses legal language, but most of the words repeat in every agreement. This table explains them in simple Polish.
| Term | What it means in simple language |
|---|---|
| umowa najmu | the agreement under which you live in someone else’s flat and pay for it (a tenancy agreement) |
| najemca | the person who takes the flat on a tenancy and pays for it – most often you (the tenant) |
| wynajmujący | the owner of the flat (the landlord or landlady) |
| lokal | in an agreement: the flat |
| kaucja | money you pay at the start as security; the owner gives it back when the tenancy ends, sometimes reduced by the cost of damage or unpaid bills (the deposit) |
| czynsz (najmu) | the fixed amount you pay the owner every month (the rent) |
| czynsz administracyjny | a fee for maintaining the building; often given separately in the advert (the administrative fee) |
| media | electricity, gas, water, heating, waste collection, internet (the utilities) |
| rozliczenie według liczników | you pay as much as the electricity, water or gas meters show |
| umowa na czas określony / nieokreślony | an agreement with an end date / without an end date (fixed-term / open-ended) |
| wypowiedzenie | a notification that you want to end the agreement (notice) |
| okres wypowiedzenia | the time from giving notice to the end of the agreement, e.g. one month (the notice period) |
| protokół zdawczo-odbiorczy | a document that describes the condition of the flat, its equipment and the meter readings on the day the keys are handed over (a handover protocol) |
| podnajem | renting the flat (or a room) on to another person (subletting) |
Beware of the word “czynsz”: in conversation it can mean the payment to the owner or the administrative fee for the building. Always ask: Czy czynsz administracyjny jest wliczony w cenę? (Is the administrative fee included in the price?)
How to read a rental advert
Adverts are short and full of abbreviations. When you know a dozen or so of them, you can compare offers quickly. An example advert:
Do wynajęcia 2-pok. mieszkanie, 46 m², 3 p. z windą, umeblowane, balkon. Czynsz najmu + czynsz adm. + media wg liczników. Kaucja w wysokości jednomiesięcznego czynszu. Bez zwierząt, dla niepalących. Dostępne od zaraz, bezpośrednio.
| In the advert | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 2-pok. | two-room – two rooms (the kitchen and bathroom do not count) |
| kawalerka | a flat with one room (a studio) |
| m², mkw. | square metres, i.e. the floor area |
| 3 p. | the third floor |
| adm. | administrative |
| wg | according to |
| od zaraz | you can move in straight away |
| bezpośrednio | from the owner, with no agency |
| prowizja | a fee for an agency or an intermediary (a commission) |
| do negocjacji | the price can be discussed |
Sentences from the agreement – what they really mean
What is hardest in an agreement is not single words but long sentences in an official style. Below are example clauses and their meaning in simple Polish. They are examples for learning the language – the content of your agreement may be different.
- Najemca zobowiązuje się do uiszczania czynszu do 10. dnia każdego miesiąca.
- You pay the rent every month, by the tenth at the latest. Uiszczać = to pay.
- Umowa zostaje zawarta na czas określony od dnia … do dnia ….
- The agreement has a start date and an end date.
- Stronom przysługuje prawo wypowiedzenia umowy z zachowaniem jednomiesięcznego okresu wypowiedzenia.
- You and the owner can end the agreement; one month passes from giving notice to the end of the agreement. Strony = you and the owner.
- Kaucja podlega zwrotowi po potrąceniu ewentualnych należności.
- The deposit will come back to you, but the owner can deduct from it what you owe them. Potrącić = to deduct, należność = an amount to be paid.
- Najemca nie może oddać lokalu w podnajem bez pisemnej zgody wynajmującego.
- You may not rent the flat to another person unless the owner agrees in writing.
Dialogue 1: a phone call about an advert
Tenant: Dzień dobry, dzwonię w sprawie ogłoszenia o mieszkaniu dwupokojowym. Czy jest jeszcze aktualne?
Landlady: Dzień dobry, tak, aktualne.
Tenant: Czy czynsz administracyjny jest wliczony w cenę?
Landlady: Nie, czynsz administracyjny płaci się osobno. Prąd i gaz według liczników.
Tenant: A jaka jest kaucja?
Landlady: W wysokości jednomiesięcznego czynszu, płatna przy podpisaniu umowy.
Tenant: Czy mogę obejrzeć mieszkanie w tym tygodniu?
Landlady: Może pan przyjść w czwartek o osiemnastej?
Tenant: Tak, pasuje mi. Poproszę jeszcze dokładny adres.
Dialogue 2: reporting a fault
Tenant: Dzień dobry, pani Ewo, mam problem w mieszkaniu. Od wczoraj cieknie kran w kuchni.
Landlady: Bardzo cieknie?
Tenant: Kapie cały czas. Zakręciłam zawór pod zlewem.
Landlady: Dobrze, że pani zakręciła. Przyślę hydraulika. Kiedy będzie pani w domu?
Tenant: Jutro po szesnastej albo w sobotę rano.
Landlady: To jutro o siedemnastej. Dam znać SMS-em.
Useful sentences for reporting faults: Nie działa ogrzewanie. Zepsuła się pralka. Nie ma ciepłej wody. Przepaliła się żarówka. Zatkał się odpływ. Zamek w drzwiach się zacina. (The heating is not working. The washing machine has broken down. There is no hot water. A light bulb has blown. The drain is blocked. The door lock sticks.)
Words that are easy to confuse when renting
A few words in this area get confused even by people who speak Polish well.
| Problem | How to say it correctly |
|---|---|
| Wynajmuję mieszkanie has two meanings: I rent a flat as a tenant or I let one out | be specific: wynajmuję mieszkanie od właściciela (I rent a flat from the owner) / wynajmuję mieszkanie studentom (I rent a flat out to students) |
| aspect: wynajmować – wynająć | Od roku wynajmuję mieszkanie. (a state) / W końcu wynająłem mieszkanie. (a result) |
| czynsz and media are not the same thing | Ile wynosi czynsz, a ile średnio media? (How much is the rent, and how much are the utilities on average?) |
| kaucja, zaliczka, zadatek sound similar | they are three different words; if you see zaliczka or zadatek in the agreement, ask how they differ from a deposit |
| Kran jest cieknący. | Kran cieknie. – in Polish a fault is described by a verb |
Language tips before you sign the agreement
Before you sign the agreement, read it twice and underline every word you do not understand. Ask the owner what it means or ask for time to think: Czy mogę zabrać umowę i przeczytać ją w domu? (May I take the agreement and read it at home?) If you have doubts about the legal consequences, consult a lawyer about the agreement. When the keys are handed over, check that the meter readings in the protocol match reality.
The vocabulary from the agreement will also be useful at the office and at the bank, and you can write a fault report to the owner following the model in our guide to formal letters. We practise conversations about housing in the Polish for offices course – the first step is a trial lesson.
Frequently asked questions
How do I ask in Polish whether I can have a dog in the flat?
Ask: Czy w mieszkaniu można mieć zwierzęta? (Can you keep animals in the flat?) or, more specifically: Czy zgodzi się pan na małego psa? (Would you agree to a small dog?)
What does “opłaty eksploatacyjne” mean?
These are the costs of using the flat and the building, e.g. water, heating, waste collection. In adverts they often appear together with the administrative fee.
How do I write to the owner that I want to end the agreement?
Briefly and formally: Niniejszym wypowiadam umowę najmu lokalu przy ulicy … zawartą dnia …. (I hereby give notice on the tenancy agreement for the flat at … Street, concluded on ….) Check the rules for giving notice in your own agreement.
What is a “protokół” when renting a flat?
It is a document signed when the keys are handed over. It describes the condition of the flat, its equipment and the meter readings – it is also worth taking photos.
Sources
- Rozporządzenie Ministra Nauki i Szkolnictwa Wyższego z 14 lutego 2025 r. w sprawie egzaminów z języka polskiego jako obcego (Polish regulation of the Minister of Science and Higher Education on examinations in Polish as a foreign language), Dz.U. 2025 item 217 – Annex 1, Part II, level B1, thematic catalogue: renting a flat, the costs of maintaining a flat (rent, charges)
Vocabulary and conversations for the immigration office, ZUS, NFZ and renting a flat. Start with a trial lesson.
See also
- Polish for offices4 lessons and a glossary: letters, forms, talking at the counter, ZUS, NFZ and a tenancy agreement.290 PLNRead →
- Polish at the officeNames of offices, words from letters and forms, ready-made phrases and dialogues at the counter.Read →
- Polish at the bankAccount, transfer, card and loan – words, amounts in złoty and ready-made phrases at the branch.Read →