How long does it take to set up an occasional lease agreement?

Short answer: the law does not provide for any waiting period – if you have all the documents, the agreement and the tenant's notarial deed can be signed on the same day. In practice, timing depends on two things: obtaining the statement from the owner of other premises and getting a free slot at a notary's office. After signing, the landlord has 14 days from the start of the tenancy to notify the tax office (urząd skarbowy) of the agreement.

Stages of concluding an occasional lease and what determines how long they take

The occasional lease (najem okazjonalny) is governed by Chapter 2a of the ustawa o ochronie praw lokatorów, mieszkaniowym zasobie gminy i o zmianie Kodeksu cywilnego – the Act on the Protection of Tenants' Rights, the Municipal Housing Stock and Amendments to the Civil Code (consolidated text Dz.U. z 2023 r. poz. 725). The table below shows which stages depend on you and which depend on other people.

The notarial deed itself is drawn up during a single visit: the notary confirms your identity, reads the deed aloud and takes your signature. What usually takes longer is what happens before the visit – gathering the details and documents.

The longest stage: the statement from the owner of other premises

This is the document the market calls a "guarantee" (poręczenie) or an "address for the occasional lease". Legally, it is a statement by the owner of premises (or a person with legal title to premises) consenting to the tenant and the people living with them moving in, should the obligation to vacate the rented flat be enforced (Art. 19a(2)(3)). If the landlord requests it, the signature on it must be certified by a notary, which means a separate visit to a notary by that person.

How long this takes therefore depends on whether you have a family member or friend who holds rights to premises and is willing to sign, and whether the landlord requires a notarially certified signature. That is why it is best to ask about the landlord's requirements at the very start of your discussions. If there is no one you can ask, you can order a ready-made statement through our service – we prepare it and send it via InPost within 3 business days, and you can compare the options and prices (from 298 zł) on the occasional lease documents page.

The notarial deed: how not to waste time at the notary's

• Send your details in advance. The notary's office needs the tenant's and landlord's details, the address of the rented flat, information about the agreement (date, lease term) and the address of the other premises.
• Finalise the wording of the agreement before the visit. The deed refers to premises used under a specific agreement, so changes made after the visit may require corrections.
• Bring a valid identity document. The notary must establish the identity of the person appearing (Art. 85 of the Prawo o notariacie – the Notaries Act).
• Tell them if you need an interpreter. If you do not speak Polish, the deed must be translated for you (Art. 87 § 1 point 1), which has to be planned.
• Consider having the notary come to you. The act can take place outside the notary's office for an additional fee (§ 17 of the regulation on maximum notary fees).

You can read more about what to prepare in the article what documents are needed for an occasional lease.

Statutory deadlines that run after signing

The notification deadline runs from the start of the tenancy, not from signing the agreement. If the owner misses it, Articles 19c and 19d do not apply – including the simplified procedure for vacating the premises (Art. 19b(3)). The notification can be filed in person, by post or electronically, e.g. as a general letter via e-Urząd Skarbowy.

What most often delays signing the agreement

• the landlord only mentions at the last minute that they require a statement with a notarially certified signature;
• the details in the statement from the owner of other premises do not match the tenant's details or the address in the agreement;
• there are several tenants on the agreement and not all of them can attend the notary at the same time;
• the parties have not agreed on the start date of the tenancy or the amount of the deposit;
• the indicated premises have several co-owners, but only some of them signed the statement.

Action plan when you are short on time

1. At your first conversation, ask the landlord whether they require a statement with a notarially certified signature and who covers the notary's fee.
2. Start arranging the statement from the owner of other premises straight away.
3. At the same time, book a notary appointment and send the office the details for the draft deed.
4. Agree the final wording of the agreement and prepare the handover report.
5. On the day of the visit, sign the deed, then the agreement and the handover report; the landlord notifies the tax office of the agreement.

If the agreement is to be extended later, remember that any amendments to it also require written form, otherwise they are invalid (Art. 19a(6)) – we cover this in how to extend an occasional lease.

Frequently asked questions