How many flats will I see in a day?

We usually plan up to 5 viewings a day. More than that usually does not work (our estimate), because of travel between districts, questions to the landlord and talk about terms. The real number depends on the area, how much time each landlord can give, and how close together the shortlisted flats are.

Can I move in right after signing?

Often yes, if the flat is already empty, the deposit and the first rent are paid and the handover protocol is ready. But the landlord sets the move-in date, and sometimes the previous tenants leave later. Agree the date before the viewing, not after signing.

Do I need to book somewhere to stay before the viewings?

Yes, ideally before you travel. Viewings are tied to specific days, and it is easier to sleep close to the route. Book one or two nights more than you have days of viewings and check the cancellation terms. You can stay in our own short-term (daily-rate) flat, paid separately under the short-term rental terms. Write your visit dates and number of nights in the "From when?" field of the form.

Can I get a najem okazjonalny done in time?

For most foreigners, usually not within a week (our estimate). It needs a notarial deed in which the tenant agrees to vacate on the landlord's demand, the address of another place you could live and the consent of the owner of that place (art. 19a of the Tenant Protection Act), and booking a notary and finding that address usually takes more than a few days. Exception: a beneficiary of temporary protection (UKR status) does not need the back-up address or its owner's consent, only the notarial declaration (art. 112e of the Act on granting protection to foreigners, in force since 5 March 2026). In that case it can often be done in time if the notary is booked in advance (our estimate). Status as of 7 October 2026.

Will the flats be taken while I am travelling?

We cannot rule it out: someone else may take a flat first. So before you arrive we check that it is still available and agree the viewing time. Rentier.io reports 24% more active listings in August 2026 than a year earlier across 17 Polish cities, but that guarantees nothing for any particular flat.

How much does the search cost?

The fee is 70% of one month's rent (czynsz najmu only, without czynsz administracyjny and utilities), paid once and only after the rental agreement (umowa najmu) is signed, on an invoice without VAT. Example: if the rent is 3,500 zł, the fee is 2,450 zł. Help with PESEL and a visit to the urząd is included in that amount. Accommodation for the trip (our short-term flat, if you choose it) is not: it is paid separately under the short-term rental terms.

Moving to Warsaw within a week: viewing flats in 2–3 days, where to stay meanwhile and what you can realistically get done

Q: What if none of the flats suits me?

Then the search can go on with new conditions: another district, budget or date. The agreement is not exclusive, and the fee arises only after an umowa najmu is signed. Withdrawal: if the brokerage agreement is concluded at a distance or outside our office, as a consumer you can withdraw within 14 days without giving a reason. If at your request we start work earlier and an umowa najmu is signed within those 14 days, the service counts as performed and the right of withdrawal can lapse, provided you were told so before we began and expressly agreed (art. 27 and art. 38 sec. 1 point 1 of the Consumer Rights Act).

Finding a flat in Warsaw within a week is realistic if your brief and shortlist are ready before you land and the viewings are agreed in advance. We usually plan up to 5 viewings a day, so 2–3 days in the city are enough to see the options we have lined up. An ordinary tenancy (najem) can be signed on the spot, together with the deposit and the handover protocol. A najem okazjonalny usually does not fit into a week for most foreigners, because it needs a notary and, unless you have temporary protection (UKR status), a back-up address. The outcome depends on the landlord, your budget and your move-in date, so we do not promise it in advance.

Is it realistic to find a flat in Warsaw within a week?

Yes, but “within a week” does not mean “arrive and find one the same afternoon”. It means a few days of preparation before the trip and 2–3 days of viewings in the city. Without the preparation, those days go on phone calls you could have made from home.

One market figure, so you do not panic. According to Rentier.io (published 21 September 2026), there were 24% more active rental listings in August 2026 than a year earlier across 17 Polish cities. That covers 17 cities, not Warsaw alone, and it does not mean your flat will wait for you. The rest of the numbers and the seasonality are in our article on when to start looking for a flat in Warsaw.

How do you plan 2–3 days of viewings?

A rough schedule (our estimate, not a promise of timing):

When	What happens
7–5 days before you arrive	The form: visit date, number of nights, budget, districts, how many people, any pets. The brokerage agreement. Booking a place to stay
5–2 days before	Pre-selection: calls to landlords and agents, checking that each flat is still free, working out the full cost. Agreeing viewing times
First day in Warsaw	Viewings, usually up to 5, grouped by district
Second and third day	A second look at the best option, questions about the contract terms. If you decide, signing, deposit, protocol

The brokerage agreement is signed on paper or with a qualified electronic signature. A scan or a plain e-mail does not count. If you have no qualified signature, the paper copies still need time to travel, so send the form as soon as you decide, not two days before the flight.

During the pre-selection we look at more than the rent itself. We check the administrative charge (czynsz administracyjny, the monthly payment for running the building), utilities, the size of the deposit (kaucja) and the date the flat becomes free.

Bring your passport or residence card (karta pobytu); EU citizens can show a national ID. Landlords often ask for proof of income (our estimate). The law does not require it from a tenant, but a landlord is not obliged to sign with you either, so decide beforehand which documents you are willing to show. More in our article on renting with income from abroad.

How many viewings can you do in a day?

We usually plan up to 5. You need travel time between flats, and each viewing also needs time to put questions to the landlord, so more than five is unrealistic (our estimate). Flats in one district make for a tighter day, flats at opposite ends of the city for a looser one.

It helps to leave slack on the second day: to go back to the best option, ask what you forgot on the first visit and read the draft contract without rushing. What to check and what to ask is covered in our article on viewing a flat on video, and much of it applies to an in-person viewing too.

Where do you stay while you view flats?

Anything near a metro or tram line will do, and it does not have to be central: a hotel, a hostel or a serviced apartment. Book one or two nights more than you have days with viewings, in case a landlord moves a meeting. If your new flat only becomes free after you arrive, a short-term rental of 1–4 weeks can bridge the gap.

For the time of your visit you can stay in our own short-term (daily-rate) flat: it is paid separately, under the short-term rental terms. More on the page about short stays.

Two facts worth knowing. First, foreigners do not have to register their address (meldunek) if their stay in Poland does not exceed 30 days (art. 42(2) of the Population Register Act). Second, the EU rules on registering short-term rentals (Regulation 2024/1028) have applied since 20 May 2026, but Poland has not yet passed its own law on the register: the government bill (Sejm print no. 2865) went back to committees after its second reading on 6 October 2026. So do not treat a “registration number” as a required sign of a trustworthy listing. Status as of 7 October 2026.

What can you sign and pay for straight away?

An ordinary tenancy can be signed right after the viewing, the same day. The law requires written form only for a lease longer than one year (art. 660 of the Civil Code), but it is wise to sign in writing in every case, so that all the terms are on paper.

Alongside the contract you will usually deal with these.

Deposit (kaucja). By law no more than twelve times the monthly rent (art. 6(1) of the Tenant Protection Act). It is returned within a month of vacating the flat, after any arrears are deducted (art. 6(4)). More in our article on the deposit and tenant rights.
The first rent. Pay only into the account named in the contract, which you have matched against the landlord’s details. How to avoid handing money to a fraudster is in how to spot a fake listing.
Handover protocol (protokół zdawczo-odbiorczy). The parties draw it up before the flat is handed over. It records the condition of the flat and is the basis for settling up when you leave (art. 6c of the same Act). Photos on move-in help. More: the handover protocol.

If the flat is already empty, the deposit and first rent are paid and the protocol is ready, the keys are usually handed over on the day of signing. The move-in date depends on the landlord, so settle it early.

What usually does not fit into a week?

For most foreigners, a najem okazjonalny. The Act (art. 19a of the Tenant Protection Act, consolidated text Dz.U. 2023 item 725) requires three things: a notarial deed in which the tenant accepts enforcement and undertakes to vacate the flat, the address of another place where you could live, and the written consent of the owner of that place or of another person with a legal title to it. The landlord may demand that the signature on that consent be notarised (art. 19a(2) point 3), which is one more reason for delay. Such a lease is possible only if the landlord is a private individual who does not let flats as a business. A notary works in an office, so the deed usually cannot be done fully remotely (our assessment).

For a foreigner who knows nobody in Poland, the back-up address is usually the hardest part (our estimate). In 2–3 days in the city this normally does not get solved.

There is one exception that matters for many readers. If you are a beneficiary of temporary protection in Poland (UKR status), you do not need the back-up address or its owner’s consent: a notarial declaration is enough (art. 112e of the Act on granting protection to foreigners, in force since 5 March 2026). In that case a najem okazjonalny can often be done in time, if the notary is booked in advance (our estimate). We explain who is covered and what happens if your status changes in our article on najem okazjonalny with UKR status. If you know a landlord will insist on okazjonalny, tell the agent on the first call, and we can ask the landlord about it before the viewing. More in the guide to najem okazjonalny.

Registering your address and getting a PESEL, on the other hand, need not be rushed. Non-EU citizens must register no later than the 4th day after arriving at the address, if their stay in Poland exceeds 30 days (art. 41(3) and 42(2) of the Population Register Act). EU citizens register no later than the 30th day (art. 41(1)). When you register for a stay of over 30 days, PESEL is usually assigned automatically by the municipal office (arts. 16–17). If you need a PESEL earlier, a non-EU citizen files the application in person since 1 January 2026 (art. 18(1a)); EU, EFTA and Swiss citizens, their family members and British nationals covered by the Withdrawal Agreement are not bound by that rule. The steps are set out in our articles on PESEL and meldunek and on your first days in Warsaw. How fast internet gets connected depends on the provider and the building, and we do not promise a date in advance. Help with PESEL and a visit to the urząd is included in the 70% fee.

What if none of the flats suits you?

Tell us what was wrong: the district, the price, the condition, the timing. Often changing one thing is enough, and the search can continue on video without a second trip. The agreement is not exclusive, the fee arises only after an umowa najmu is signed, and you are not obliged to rent anything. Your accommodation for the trip can be extended or booked again if you need a few more days.

If the brokerage agreement is concluded at a distance or outside our office, as a consumer you can withdraw within 14 days without giving a reason. If at your request we start work earlier and an umowa najmu is signed within those 14 days, the service counts as performed and the right of withdrawal can lapse, provided you were told so before we began and expressly agreed (art. 27 and art. 38 sec. 1 point 1 of the Consumer Rights Act).

Above all, do not sign just because the days are running out. If no option convinced you, it is better to stay on a short-term rental for a few more weeks.

How do we organise a viewing trip?

You fill in the form: budget, district, number of rooms, and your visit date and number of nights in the “From when?” field. Tell the agent the number of occupants on the first call.
We sign the brokerage agreement (on paper or with a qualified signature).
Pre-selection: we call landlords and agents, check availability, terms and the full cost, and agree the viewing times.
We go to the viewings with you and explain the terms in Ukrainian, Russian, English, Polish, German, Italian, Spanish and Turkish (this is not a sworn translation).
We read the draft umowa najmu with you, mark the points to discuss and help arrange the signing, the protocol and the handover of keys.

We are an agency, and we earn when you sign a tenancy found through our search. We do not give legal advice, and whether a lease is signed depends on the landlord’s decision and your terms.

Plan your viewings: in the form, give your budget and district, and your visit date and number of nights in the “From when?” field. Fee: 70% of one month’s rent (czynsz najmu, without czynsz administracyjny and utilities), paid once after the umowa najmu is signed, invoice without VAT. Example: rent 3,500 zł, fee 2,450 zł. Phone: +48 666 866 468.

Sources (checked 7 October 2026)

Rentier.io, “Mieszkań na wynajem przybywa, a akademiki drożeją”, 21 September 2026: rentier.io/blog/mieszkan-na-wynajem-przybywa-a-akademiki-drozeja
Act on the Protection of Tenants’ Rights, arts. 6, 6c, 19a (consolidated text Dz.U. 2023 item 725): eli.gov.pl
Act of 23 January 2026 (Dz.U. 2026 item 203), art. 4 (adds art. 112e to the Act on granting protection to foreigners) and art. 54 (in force from 5 March 2026): eli.gov.pl
Act on Population Register, arts. 16–18, 41, 42 (Dz.U. 2026 item 384): eli.gov.pl
Consumer Rights Act, arts. 27 and 38 point 1: isap.sejm.gov.pl
Civil Code, art. 660 (Dz.U. 2026 item 795): eli.gov.pl
Government bill amending the Hotel Services Act, Sejm print 2865, status on 6 October 2026: api.sejm.gov.pl
Regulation (EU) 2024/1028 of 11 April 2024 on data collection and sharing relating to short-term accommodation rental services: eur-lex.europa.eu

Cover image: AI-generated illustration.