DOMUS GLOBALPhotos and the nightly rate are only a starting point when choosing an apartment for a few days or weeks. Before you book, check who is accepting the reservation, the cost of the entire stay including mandatory charges, and what happens if your plans change. Save the terms in writing: the listing may change later, and in a dispute it matters what the parties actually agreed.
This guide covers accommodation booked separately in Poland, not a package holiday. A private individual may act as a trader; the actual status depends on the circumstances. Consumer rules do not automatically apply against a non-trader, but civil remedies may remain available; the platform may have its own obligations. The special rules for package travel are outside the scope of this article.
How much does the entire stay really cost?
Compare offers using one total for the entire period. Ask for a breakdown of the accommodation price, mandatory cleaning, service charges, taxes and local charges, where applicable. Find out what must be paid on arrival and in which currency. Parking, pets, extra linen or a late arrival may be paid options: check which ones you need and what they cost.
The European Consumer Centre in Poland (ECK) says that mandatory charges should not appear unexpectedly only at the final booking step. Ask about any difference between the advertised offer and the final screen before committing. Save both screens and the confirmation. Do not select an additional paid service you do not need.
A security deposit (kaucja) is not the accommodation price. Ask whether a deposit is required and, if so, how much it is, how it is taken, whether the amount will be charged or only held on your card, and when and how it will be refunded or the hold released. Ask for the grounds for deductions and the settlement process in writing. Do not assume a deposit will automatically be returned within a fixed period: the terms and applicable rules depend on the contract and the type of stay.
If an advance payment is requested, find out what it covers and how it is credited against the final price. Zaliczka and zadatek are not interchangeable: before paying, ask which type of payment is requested and what happens to it if either party cancels. Do not assume that every advance payment is a deposit against possible damage.
How to check the listing and who receives the money
Check the page address and open the service yourself through its app or by typing its website address, rather than following a link in an unexpected message. Compare the location, photographs and contact details with other public sources; look for reviews containing details about the accommodation. Neither reviews nor an existing address alone prove that the person you are dealing with is entitled to offer the apartment.
Ask for the provider’s name or business name and contact details. If the provider is a trader, check their details in the appropriate official register and compare them with the contract and the payment recipient. Ask who provides the apartment and who processes the money: the platform may be an intermediary, while the accommodation operator is the party to your contract. Check the terms of the particular booking rather than assuming that the platform is responsible for everything.
Some properties offering hotel-type services are subject to registration with the municipality. You can ask the city or municipal office (urząd miasta/gminy) responsible for the property’s location whether the relevant ewidencja applies and how to check an entry. Failure to find an online entry does not by itself prove that a particular offer is unlawful; an entry does not guarantee that a specific listing or payment message is genuine either. The legal regime depends on the service and the property.
Pause payment if, after booking, someone pressures you to transfer money to a different account, offers a discount for going outside the platform or sends a new link to “verify your card”. First contact the platform through its app or a channel you found independently. Never disclose a password, PIN, one-time bank code or BLIK code to “confirm” a booking. An apartment access code is a different matter, but keep it private from outsiders too. If you notice a suspicious charge, contact your bank immediately and report it to the platform and police.
What to confirm in writing before booking
A lengthy paper contract is not always necessary: the platform’s confirmation and correspondence can also help record the agreed terms, provided they make clear who promised what. A booking can be binding and create payment obligations before you pay, depending on how the contract is concluded and its terms. Check and save the following before submitting the booking:
- the address or details sufficient to identify the property, the dates, times and number of guests;
- the total price, mandatory and selected optional charges, any advance payment and any security deposit;
- the rules for cancellation, changing dates, no-shows and early departure;
- how to access the apartment, collect the keys and contact someone in case of a fault;
- rules on pets, smoking, additional guests, parking and quiet hours.
Save the confirmation, apartment description, photographs and terms of the selected rate in a file or email. Ask for anything agreed by phone to be repeated in platform messages or by email. Resolve material contradictions before confirming a booking, which can create obligations before payment.
Capacity, accessibility and apartment details
The number of sleeping places does not necessarily equal the number of separate beds. Ask where guests will sleep: whether there is a separate bedroom, sofa bed, cot and linen for everyone. Give the exact number of adults and children and check that every guest is included in the booking. Do not assume you can accommodate more people than agreed.
If accessibility for a person with limited mobility matters, ask for specifics: are there steps at the entrance, does the lift reach the required floor, are doorways wide enough, and how are the shower and toilet arranged? A label saying “accessible” is not a substitute for checking. For remote work or a longer stay, also ask about internet, a workspace, heating, a washing machine and the kitchen’s condition and equipment. If an amenity is essential to the trip, ask for written confirmation before booking.
Check-in and departure: what evidence should you keep?
Before travelling, find out the check-in and check-out times, whether late arrival is possible and whom to call if the code does not work. Ask for door and key instructions and a way to contact someone outside normal hours. If plans change, agree on a new arrangement in advance; do not assume late check-out or luggage storage is included without confirmation.
On arrival, check cleanliness, locks, water, heating and anything else that matters to you. Photograph existing damage and the condition of equipment, as well as meter readings if the parties have agreed to use them for settlement. Send any concerns to the host promptly through the agreed channel and keep the correspondence. Do not publish other people’s documents or access codes.
Before leaving, follow the agreed instructions and photograph the condition of the apartment and how the keys were returned. If any of a deposit is withheld, ask for a written breakdown and explanation. Compare it with your arrival photographs, the contract and correspondence; a deduction alone does not prove that you caused the damage.
Can you cancel a booking within 14 days?
Do not assume an unconditional 14-day right of withdrawal. For a contract between a consumer and a trader for accommodation services for purposes other than residential use, to be provided on a specified day or for a specified period, an exception applies to the usual right to withdraw from a distance contract. A confirmed apartment booking for specific travel dates may fall within that exception. A different contract or different circumstances need a separate assessment.
That does not mean cancellation is always impossible. The rate may allow free cancellation until a specified day and time, later cancellation for a charge, or a change of dates. Check the time zone, the cancellation procedure and obtain confirmation from the platform or provider. With a non-refundable rate, do not assume an automatic refund if your plans change; check the contract and circumstances. Cancellation by the provider or a material difference between the service and what was promised is a separate issue, not an ordinary cancellation by the guest.
Privacy, faults and complaints
Ask who can access the apartment during your stay and how repair visits are arranged. Ask about cameras in common areas and check the platform’s rules. If you discover a device in a private area or encounter another safety threat, leave the unsafe place, document the circumstances and contact the platform and, if necessary, the police. Do not attempt to dismantle the device yourself.
The provider may ask for information to arrange your stay. Ask what data is needed, why, who will receive it and how long it will be kept. Poland’s data protection authority, UODO, advises asking for the legal basis if a copy of an identity document is requested. Do not send a scan or card details through a random link. Identification requirements depend on the circumstances, so do not assume that a document will never be needed.
If the apartment differs from the confirmed description, tell the provider immediately and ask for the problem to be fixed or another solution to be agreed. Take photographs and keep the listing, correspondence, proof of payment and receipts for reasonable expenses. If necessary, submit a written complaint (reklamacja) to the party to the contract and separately report the issue to the platform under its procedure. Include the booking number, dates, the problem and your request, such as fixing the fault or considering a partial refund. The outcome depends on the facts and applicable law.
For a consumer dispute with a trader in Poland, look for a consumer ombudsman (rzecznik konsumentów) appropriate to your place of residence or consult UOKiK’s consumer information. In an eligible cross-border dispute, a consumer resident in the EU, Norway or Iceland may contact the ECC in their country of residence; the UK International Consumer Centre is a separate channel for UK residents. Residents of other countries should seek other assistance. Consumer mechanisms in a dispute with a non-trader require separate assessment.
A short note for property owners
If you offer guests short stays, check the applicable service regime, municipal registration, property requirements and taxes with an appropriate specialist. Guests particularly need a transparent total price, clear cancellation and deposit terms, a secure payment method and a contact for faults. Do not include promises in the confirmation that you cannot fulfil. This note does not replace an assessment of the law for your particular operating model.
A final check before booking and payment
Save the total price and rate terms, identify the payment recipient and verify the payment channel. Confirm capacity, accessibility, check-in, deposit and cancellation arrangements. A booking may create obligations even before payment, so resolve important questions before submitting it. If a material issue remains unclear or someone pressures you to transfer money outside the agreed process, pause and look for another offer.
DOMUS GLOBAL: if you need help with property matters in Poland, start with the DOMUS GLOBAL website. Before contacting the team, check whether the service fits your circumstances and length of stay.
Sources
Polish Consumer Rights Act, Articles 4, 10, 12, 12a and 38: pre-contract information and the exception for accommodation on specified dates or periods.
The pages and final URLs were checked on 7 November 2026; legislation can change. This article is not a substitute for individual legal advice.
- ECK Poland: accommodation bookings and consumer rights — terms, cancellation, complaints and evidence.
- ECK Poland: before clicking “Book now” — the total price, the intermediary’s role and saving the terms.
- Your Europe: returns and exceptions to the right of withdrawal — accommodation bookings for specific dates.
- Act on hotel services, Article 39, consolidated text from 2023 and Dobroń municipality: register of other establishments — applicability depends on the service and property; the municipal page is not a nationwide register. Check the current version of the law and subsequent amendments.
- Gov.pl: cybersecurity and fake accommodation websites.
- UODO: personal data protection and copies of identity documents — general guidance from the authority, not a specific rule for every accommodation arrangement.
- UOKiK: consumer assistance and ECK: where to seek help with cross-border and domestic disputes.