Why this regime exists
Polish law protects tenants strongly. Ordinary eviction can require the municipality to provide social housing first, which in practice can take years. Landlords responded by not renting, or by renting only to people they knew.
Occasional lease (najem okazjonalny) is the compromise: the tenant accepts a faster eviction route up front, and in exchange the flat comes onto the market at all. Understanding that trade makes the notary appointment read as a normal condition rather than as suspicion of you personally.
What you actually sign
The lease itself does not have to be a notarial deed. One specific document does: the tenant's statement submitting to enforcement and undertaking to vacate the flat within a period stated in the landlord's demand, which must be at least seven days.
You also indicate an address where you could live after the lease ends, with the consent of whoever owns it.
Without that notarial statement, the arrangement is not an occasional lease at all. It is an ordinary lease with ordinary tenant protection — which is better for you and is exactly why landlords insist on the statement.
What it costs, and the deposit
The notarial fee for the tenant statement is capped in 2026 at 480.60 zł net, roughly 591 zł with VAT, with copies at 6 zł net per page. In practice the total lands around 550 to 650 zł. Who pays it is a matter of agreement — settle that before the appointment, not at the notary's desk.
The deposit under this regime is capped at six months rent. That is a ceiling, not a norm; one to two months is more usual in practice.
Where this comes from
This page describes the position as at 19 August 2026 and explains the regime in general terms. It is not legal advice about a particular tenancy agreement.
- Act on the protection of tenants' rights, on occasional lease (najem okazjonalny)
- Regulation of the Minister of Justice on maximum notarial fees, for the tenant statement
Frequently asked questions
Is it safe to sign a statement submitting to eviction?
It is the standard mechanism of the occasional-lease regime rather than anything unusual. It commits you to vacating the flat once the lease has properly ended. Read what it says about notice and the vacating period, and if the lease terms themselves worry you, that is the document to negotiate.
Can a landlord refuse to rent to me without it?
Yes. It is a condition of the contract, not a legal obligation on either side, and many landlords will not let a flat without it.
How large a deposit can a landlord ask for?
Under the occasional-lease regime the deposit is capped at six months rent. In practice one to two months is far more common.
Who pays the notary for the statement?
A matter of agreement between landlord and tenant. Agree it before the appointment. The fee is capped at 480.60 zł net in 2026, so the total is usually 550 to 650 zł.