Who Writes This
Hanibe is written by people who rented apartments in Poland as foreigners and found the experience more complicated than it needed to be.
The Background
The site started because of a lease. Specifically, a lease that arrived via email as a Word document, 8 pages long, written entirely in Polish legalese, with a note from the landlord saying "please sign and return by Friday."
Getting that document properly understood took two days, three online translation tools, a phone call to a Polish friend, and eventually a conversation with a notary who happened to speak English. That shouldn't be the standard experience for someone moving to Poland.
Hanibe grew out of the notes taken during that process. Notes about what each clause meant, what was negotiable, what was legally required to be in a Polish lease, and what should raise concern. Those notes became guides. The guides became this site.
Who Contributes to Hanibe
The people who write here come from different countries and different rental experiences across Poland.
K. Maurer
Moved to Kraków from Germany in 2021. Spent considerable time working through Polish lease law and tenant rights before feeling confident about what she was signing. Writes primarily about lease clauses and deposit disputes.
D. Okafor
Arrived in Warsaw from the UK as a remote worker in 2022. Navigated meldunek registration across two municipalities and documented the entire process. Focuses on bureaucratic procedures and address registration.
A. Lindqvist
Swedish national living in Wrocław since 2020. Her first apartment came with a confusing breakdown of czynsz components that took months to fully understand. Now writes about utility structures and what to expect on monthly invoices.
How We Keep This Honest
No Commercial Relationships
Hanibe has no affiliate relationships with rental agencies, property portals, or relocation services. Nothing here is written because someone paid for it to be written.
Sources Are Named
When we reference Polish law or official guidance, we link to the actual source. The Kodeks cywilny, official government portals, and municipal websites are cited directly.
We Correct Mistakes
Polish rental regulations change. Our understanding of edge cases improves over time. When articles need correction, they get corrected, with a note about what changed and when.
This Is Information, Not Legal Advice
Everything here is educational. For specific legal situations involving your tenancy, a Polish legal professional is the appropriate resource.