Renting a flat in Poland with a dog or cat

Can the landlord ban pets?

Polish law has no rule forbidding tenants to keep a dog or a cat in a rented flat, and no rule giving tenants a right to a pet against the landlord's will. The lease decides: the landlord may ban animals, allow one named animal or pets in general, or set conditions (only a cat, only one dog, professional cleaning on move-out).

If the lease says nothing about animals, in practice the tenant may keep one as long as the flat is used as intended and not damaged. Still, do not smuggle a dog in and hope nobody notices. Hiding a pet is the quickest way to a conflict, and if the animal damages the flat or bothers the neighbours, the landlord has statutory grounds to terminate.

If the lease explicitly bans animals and the tenant brings one anyway, the landlord can treat it as using the flat contrary to the contract. The Tenants' Protection Act (ustawa o ochronie praw lokatorów, art. 11(2)) then allows termination with at least one month's notice to the end of a calendar month, but only after a written warning. The notice must be in writing and state the reason. The same applies to damaging the flat or grossly breaching the house rules, e.g. a dog barking all day.

The house rules of the owners' association or housing cooperative (regulamin wspólnoty / spółdzielni, porządek domowy) may regulate pets: leash on the estate, cleaning up after the dog, no animals on the playground. These rules bind tenants too. Ask for them before you sign.

Being a good neighbour matters as much as the lease. In blocks and tenement houses, complaints about noise or smells on the staircase go to the building manager and then to the owner of the flat.

How to ask and improve your chances

Many listings say nothing about pets, and some landlords who write "no pets" can be persuaded by a well-prepared tenant. Be honest from the start and give facts, not "my dog is very good".

1. Mention the pet in your first message. A landlord who learns about the dog only at the viewing or at signing feels misled and often backs out.
2. Prepare a pet CV: name, species and breed (or mixed breed), age, weight, vaccinations and microchip, neutering, deworming and flea protection.
3. Describe habits and training: does the dog stay home alone without barking, has it done obedience training, does the cat use a scratching post, is the animal house-trained.
4. Attach 2-3 recent photos, ideally at home.
5. If you can, ask your previous landlord for a short reference or permission to be called. It is the strongest argument you have.
6. Offer solutions in advance: a higher deposit within the legal limit, liability insurance, professional cleaning when you move out.

When you search for flats on Flats.pl, use the filters and read listing descriptions for anything about animals, and mention your pet in your tenant profile so landlords know who they are talking to. In a tight market, save your search and turn on alerts for new listings: pet-friendly offers go fast.

Big cities have the most choice and the most competition. When browsing flats for rent in Warsaw or flats for rent in Kraków, look for vinyl panels or tiles instead of parquet, a balcony and green areas nearby. Owners of such flats usually agree to pets more easily. More tips are in the section for tenants.

Never misstate facts, e.g. that your dog is small when it is not. The landlord will see it sooner or later, and lost trust is hard to rebuild.

What landlords fear and how to answer

Landlords rarely mind animals as such; they fear costs and trouble. Answer each worry with something concrete.

Invite the landlord to meet the dog, e.g. at the viewing. A calm, well-kept animal persuades better than any description.

Pet deposit: how much and what for

Landlords often ask for a "pet deposit" or raise the deposit by half or one month's rent. That is allowed, but the law knows no separate pet deposit. Any such amount is simply part of the security deposit under art. 6 of the Tenants' Protection Act and follows the same rules.

• The total deposit may not exceed 12 times the monthly rent.
• For an occasional lease (najem okazjonalny) the limit is 6 times the rent (see the guide on occasional leases).
• The deposit must be returned within one month of vacating the flat, minus what the tenant owes under the lease (unpaid rent, cost of repairing damage).
• The landlord may not charge you for normal wear and tear resulting from proper use.

The line between damage and normal wear is often disputed, which is why the handover protocol matters. Light wear on the floor where people walk or faded paint is usually normal wear. Deep claw marks in parquet, chewed door frames, torn wallpaper or a urine-soaked carpet are damage the tenant pays for, whether caused by the tenant or the pet.

With a pet, the deposit is often 1.5-2 months' rent instead of one (indicative, 2026). At a rent of 3,500 zł that means 5,250-7,000 zł upfront, plus the first month's rent and any agency fee. Work out your move-in budget with the rent calculators.

Watch out for clauses like "the pet deposit is non-refundable". A deposit is refundable by definition. A fixed non-refundable fee is in practice higher rent or a separate charge that should be named clearly in the lease; if in doubt, ask a lawyer.

Pet clauses in the lease

Verbal consent is not enough: a year later nobody remembers whether it was one cat or pets in general. Put the rules in the lease or an annex (aneks). The ideas below are inspiration, not a legal template.

• Consent for a named animal: e.g. the landlord agrees that a beagle named Fido, born 2021, may live in the flat. No dispute later about a second dog.
• Further animals: only with the landlord's written consent.
• Liability for damage: the tenant pays for damage caused by the animal beyond normal wear.
• Move-out cleaning: professional cleaning (or ozone treatment and upholstery washing) before handover, with a receipt.
• Insurance: the tenant holds personal liability insurance covering damage caused by the pet for the whole lease and gives the landlord a copy.
• House rules: the tenant follows the association's or cooperative's rules on animals.
• Parasites: regular flea protection and, if needed, pest control on move-out at the tenant's cost.

Personal liability policies are usually cheap (indicatively from a few dozen to about 200 zł a year, 2026), but not all cover damage caused by a dog or damage to a rented flat. Read the general terms (OWU) and ask about exclusions, e.g. for some breeds.

Prepare a lease with such clauses in the lease agreement generator, and read what else to check in the guide to the flat lease agreement. If the pet arrives during the tenancy, a short annex signed by both parties is enough.

Handover protocol and photos

With a pet, the handover protocol is your best protection against claims that a scratch on the door or a stain on the carpet was the dog's doing. Record the flat's condition on the day you get the keys, before you move anything in.

1. Take photos and a short video of every room, with close-ups of floors, the bottom of doors and frames, walls near the floor, upholstery, window sills and the balcony.
2. Write down every existing defect: scratches, wear, stains, loose skirting, smells.
3. Note the meter readings (electricity, gas, water) and the keys handed over.
4. Both sign the protocol; email the photos to the landlord so the date is on record.
5. Repeat on move-out and compare with the move-in protocol.

Use the handover protocol form and read the guide on the handover protocol. Your rights in a dispute over the deposit or termination are covered in tenant rights.

Sources and caveats

• Act of 21 June 2001 on the protection of tenants' rights (ISAP) – art. 6 (deposit), art. 11 (termination), art. 19a (occasional lease).
• Civil Code (ISAP) – rules on leasing premises.
• Free legal aid (nieodpłatna pomoc prawna) – free advice by appointment.

This guide is for information only and reflects the law as of October 2026. It is not legal advice. Amounts are indicative. Check the current rules before signing and ask a lawyer in a dispute.