Warsaw apartment: raise rent or prioritise a reliable tenant?

H

handy_page

Property investor
Established
A quick check of current Warsaw adverts has created a harder question rather than settling the review. This apartment brings in about PLN 10,220, while apparently comparable listings are near PLN 11,860, but I do not yet know what those homes ultimately achieve.

The existing tenant pays on time, takes care of the apartment and raises maintenance issues responsibly. There are several requests, although none appears frivolous. Moving directly to the advertised level could cost more through vacancy, preparation and reletting than it adds in rent, so a smaller increase currently seems more sensible.

Before proposing anything, what should I verify in the lease, the comparison properties and the current Polish notice requirements? I want to explain the review fairly without losing a dependable tenant.
 
I would not treat PLN 11,860 as an automatic target because asking rent is not necessarily achieved rent. Estimate the cost of even one vacant month, preparation and finding another tenant, then compare that with the extra annual income.

A smaller increase, explained in writing and supported by genuinely comparable apartments, seems the better starting point. First check the lease terms and current local notice requirements.
 
That distinction between asking and achieved rent is useful. I have been looking at advertised apartments, but I need to narrow them to similar condition, furnishing and included charges.

I’ll also separate the maintenance list into routine wear, items that improve the apartment and anything attributable to the tenancy. At present, the tenant’s general care and payment record weigh heavily in favour of retention.
 
I’d add a caveat: “modest” is not automatically fair if the comparison is wrong. Are both figures base rent, or does one include building charges or utilities?

The full gap is PLN 1,640 per month. One month without the current rent would consume more than six months of that additional income, before any refurbishment or reletting expense. That makes the quality of the comparables central to the decision.
 
Also clarify how property-related charges are treated under the existing agreement rather than folding everything into one headline figure. A tenant may accept a higher total more readily if the calculation is transparent, but may resist if rent, utilities and other charges are blurred together.

What is the lease’s renewal position, and when could a valid increase actually take effect? Those details may determine whether an informal discussion now is sensible.
 
Yukiw93’s calculation is the practical reason I would offer two clear paths rather than demand the advertised-market figure: a smaller increase in exchange for continued stability, or a later review after specified maintenance has been completed. The second option only works if both sides understand that repairs are not bargaining chips; necessary work should still be handled properly.
 
One further point on the deposit: keep it separate from the rent negotiation. Document the apartment’s condition and the maintenance history now, but don’t imply that routine wear will be taken from the deposit. Any deductions or deposit changes need to follow the agreement and the applicable Polish rules. Mixing that discussion into the proposed increase could undermine an otherwise constructive conversation.
 
I wouldn’t freeze the rent indefinitely just because the tenant is good, but I also wouldn’t chase the top advertised number. I’d proceed in this order: confirm like-for-like Warsaw comparables, calculate realistic vacancy and preparation costs, check the lease and current notice rules, then propose a supported figure below the apparent PLN 11,860 level.

Give the tenant time to respond and keep the maintenance schedule separate and concrete. Reliable payment, low damage risk and continuity have financial value even though they do not appear in the monthly rent.
 
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