How to find accommodation in Warsaw
Finding a place to live in Warsaw is not very difficult as the cost of living in Warsaw is more affordable as in other European capitals. (Source: http://www.mercer.com/costoflivingpr)
1.1 Apply for a Mentor
Apply for a Mentor ( a Polish student who will pick you up from the airport/railway station/bus station and help you with the formalities during our first days in Warsaw – however keep in mind that your Mentor is not getting paid for helping you and is doing everything out of his/her own will). As your Mentor is a Polish speaker and a local he/she can help you look for a flat/room and can give you some priceless advice in your accommodation search. To ask for a Mentor write to esn.mentor@gmail.com (The Mentor program is organized by the Erasmus Student Network UW www.uw.esn.pl)
1.2 Join the Erasmus mailing list
Join the Erasmus mailing list esnuw_erasmus@googlegroups.com as there you can find accommodation announcements, information about other students looking for flat mates or you can put your own announcement.
1.3 Start searching through sites with accommodation offers
www.wspollokator.pl (website in Polish and English)
www.domiporta.pl (only in Polish)
www.e-stancja.pl (only in Polish)
Kącik za Grosik – accommodation information/offers provided by the University of Warsaw Student Council http://www.samorzad.uw.edu.pl/index.php?
option=com_sobi2&Itemid=32
www.szybko.pl (only in Polish)
1.4 Look through the offers of several different agencies
There are several real estate agencies in Warsaw that may help you in your search for accommodation, however you must be aware that they will ask you to pay a fee for theirs service.
Below you’ll find a couple of links to the websites with announcements of estate agencies in Warsaw:
http://www.lovewarsaw.co.uk/shopping-homes.html
http://cudzoziemiec.eu/?q=en/real_estate
http://www.propertyfusion.pl/
http://warsawproperties.pl/
1.5 A few things to keep in mind while looking for a flat
Warsaw is divided into 18 boroughs (dzielnica)
Source: http://www.e-warsaw.pl/images/mapa_dzielnice.gif
The city center, the Central Campus of the University of Warsaw, the Faculties and most tourist attractions are located on the left side of the Vistula river.
Generally flats on the left side of the river are more expensive. Flats in the Center, the Old Town and in the boroughs of Mokotów, Wilanów and Żoliborz tend to be the most expensive. The districts of Ursynów and Bielany have a good connection with the centre by metro http://metro-stacja.com/warszawa.php
Average exchange rates of foreign currencies in zlotys are available at http://www.nbp.pl/kursy/ratesa.html
1.6 Hostels in Warsaw
HIT HOTEL http://www.hithotel.pl/Hotel.html offers rooms and apartments for long-time rent, special prices for UW students
Nathan’s Villa http://www.nathansvilla.com/warsaw.html Oki Doki http://www.okidoki.pl
Helvetia http://www.hostel-helvetia.pl Tamka http://www.tamkahostel.pl
Zielone Mazowsze http://hostel.zm.org.pl Kanonia http://www.kanonia.pl
Garden Villa http://www.gardenvilla.pl
The hostels listed above are in no way affiliated with the University of Warsaw and the University of Warsaw takes no responsibility for the services they offer.
It is not possible to stay in any of the University of Warsaw dormitories for the few days that you might need to find a flat.
1.7 Useful Vocabulary
adres – address agencja – agency akademik – dormitory balkon – balcony blisko – near cena – price czynsz – rent
do wynajęcia – for rent drzwi – door
dzielnica – borough elektryczność – electricity gaz – gas
kawalerka – studio kuchnia – kitchen łazienka – bathroom
małżeństwo – a married couple
meble – furniture / umeblowane - furnished miesiąc – month
I – styczeń, II – luty, III - marzec , IV – kwiecień, V – maj, VI – czerwiec, VII – lipiec, VIII – sierpień, IX – wrzesień, X – październik, XI – listopad, XII – grudzień
mieszkanie – flat
‘mieszkanie do wynajęcia’ – flat for rent niedaleko – near
nowy – new obok – next to
od zaraz – immediately
okno – window
opłaty licznikowe – utility bills osoba kontaktowa – contact person
osoba niepaląca – a non-smoking person,
‘wynajmę pokój osobie niepalącej’ – I’ll let/rent a room to a non smoking person osoba paląca – a smoking person
para – a couple piętro – floor
pokój – room , pokoje - rooms
‘pokój do wynajęcia’ – room for rent powierzchnia – area
pralka – washing machine
remont – repair / po remoncie - renovated schody – stairs
student – a male student studentka – a female student sypialnia – bedroom
ulica – street winda – elevator właściciel – owner
współlokator – male flat mate współlokatorka – female flat mate
‘szukam współlokatorów’ – I’m looking for flat mates
wysoki standard – high standard zmywarka – dishwasher
kaucja – security deposit
It is general practice to pay a security deposit when renting a flat. The security deposit usually amounts to one month’s rent. You will get the whole sum back at the end of tenancy if everything is in order. The owner might give you back less than the whole deposit if there were some damages to the flat and/or furniture/equipment.
umowa najmu – tenancy agreement
When renting a room/flat it is obligatory to sign a tenancy agreement. All agreements relating to the use of the flat must be stated there ex. the period of tenancy, whether the monthly rent covers all expenses or you have to pay the utility bills extra.
Make sure that you understand the document when you are signing the agreement. If the flat owner does not offer the document in English please write to
esn.accommodation@gmail.com or contact the IRO and ask for an example of a tenancy agreement in English.
