How to rent an apartment to a foreigner?
Renting an apartment to a foreigner – is it risky?
In the beginning, let us debunk a myth that says that renting a flat to foreigners is riskier. In practice, it does not differ from the risk that is generally associated with the rental of flats and it does not depend on the nationality of the tenant. Some even say that foreigners are better tenants than compatriots, because they care more about having no problems with the law, as any such problem could result in later difficulties in obtaining a residence permit.
Bearing in mind the above, you should not be afraid of renting flats to foreigners, but just like with any rental, you need to check the tenant’s credibility and solvency. It is worth talking to the person concerned about his plans to stay in Poland, about work, ask for a passport and residence card (if the foreigner comes from a country outside the European Economic Area). You can also ask for a document from your employer confirming your earnings.
If during the conversation, our interlocutor avoids answering or behaves so strangely that we have any doubts as to the honesty of his intentions, we should not offer him a flat. Most of the foreigners who are on vacation prefer a room at rudn enclave dam view city executive block. The situation is therefore the same as for other landlords, and their nationality is irrelevant.
Renting an apartment to foreigners – what lease agreement?
The basic document based on which you can rent a flat to a foreigner is the lease agreement. It does not differ in content and form from the contract signed with a Pole, i.e. it must contain basic information about the parties to the lease, the subject of the contract, and the rent. In the case of renting a flat to foreigners, an ordinary lease agreement is usually signed, although the owner is better protected by an occasional lease agreement. However, it is often difficult for foreigners to identify a person who could make the necessary declaration regarding the tenant’s ability to live in their premises when the tenancy is over. Some foreigners, however, already have a base in Poland in the form of family and friends who could sign such a declaration, so to protect their interests, the owner of the apartment should certainly suggest concluding an occasional lease agreement.
There is another aspect related to the lease agreement that is worth taking care of, namely the language in which it is drawn up. The lease contract should be understandable to each of the parties, so when considering renting a flat to foreigners, it is worth preparing the contract in two languages: Polish and English. Thanks to this, the owner will be ready to rent an apartment to a foreigner, regardless of what country he comes from, as English is widely used in business contacts all over the world. In such a situation, it should also be remembered that the handover protocol should also be prepared in two languages.
Sometimes it is not necessary to create a lease agreement in English, because many foreigners from across the eastern border know Polish, often due to Polish roots, and maybe the contract is written in Polish without any problems. When renting them a flat under a contract in Polish, it should, for sure, include a point stating that the tenant knows and understands the content of the contract.
What points of the rental agreement are especially important – renting an apartment to foreigners
Although the lease contract concluded with a foreigner is the same as a regular lease contract, there are nevertheless some points in it that should be especially remembered. Renting a flat to foreigners, who often want to reduce the cost of their stay in Poland to a minimum, may mean overcrowding in the rented flat. Nothing is surprising in this, because Poles leaving the country for work behave similarly, but a larger number of inhabitants in a rented apartment usually means more damage and wear and tear, and additionally may lead to reluctance on the part of the neighbors.
To protect yourself from such a situation, it is best to talk to the tenant, ask him if he intends to live in the apartment with his family or roommates. In the event of an anticipated surplus of residents, you can include an additional provision in the lease agreement about the maximum number of people who can live in the rented apartment and describe the sanctions, e.g. higher rent in a situation where this number is exceeded. Sometimes the owner of the apartment immediately agrees to a larger number of residents, but he compensates for it with a higher rent.
If you want to reduce the risk associated with renting an apartment to more people, you can also apply for a higher deposit. Thanks to this, the owner will be better protected in the event of possible damage to the apartment due to the excessive number of residents.
Is it possible to rent a flat to a foreigner remotely?
Some foreigners are starting to look for a flat to rent from their home country so that when coming to Poland they have all important matters settled. Thanks to the Internet, which offers not only apartments for rent, but also photos of them, you can easily find the right apartment for rent sitting anywhere in the world. It is a frequent phenomenon, especially among students and people who are delegated to Poland by their employer because they know in advance the date of arrival and the period they will spend in our country.
In such situations, however, a distance rental agreement is not concluded, but a reservation agreement, also known as a preliminary agreement, which involves a reservation fee paid by the tenant. This contract includes information about the property (address, area) and the main lease arrangements, i.e. the amount of the rent and the period of the lease. Thanks to this, the tenant can be sure that he will have a place to live after coming to Poland and can easily take care of other formalities related to this. When a foreigner comes to Poland and begins his stay, a rental agreement is signed, which already specifies in detail all the rights and obligations of each of the parties. Often, a handover protocol is signed immediately after it and the tenant is given the keys to the rented property.
Renting an apartment to a foreigner – don’t be afraid!
As we mentioned above, the risk associated with renting flats to foreigners is not at all higher. It is worth remembering that the stereotype of a foreigner working illegally in Poland for the lowest wages is very unfair. Of course, there is a large group of such people, but according to data from the Central Statistical Office (GUS )among foreigners coming to work, there are mainly people with secondary (43%) and higher (36%) education who are looking for a job in their profession. They can be found in IT companies, clinics, hospitals, or universities, where they successfully pursue their professional lives. Many of them successfully run their businesses in a wide variety of industries. Therefore, you should not be negative about renting apartments to foreigners, but meet them, talk to them and only then decide whether such a rental is risky or not.
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