DOMUS GLOBALYour landlord is not returning the money
You have moved out, but your deposit has not arrived. Your landlord keeps delaying payment, ignores messages or has stopped responding.
Legal assistance · Poland
Recovering your rental deposit in Poland
Landlord withholding your deposit? We help you challenge deductions and seek repayment.
We review your documents and the limitation period, prepare a payment demand in Polish and help handle correspondence with your landlord. If court action is needed, we involve a partner lawyer.
You can contact us whether you found your home yourself or through another agency. You do not need to use any other DOMUS GLOBAL service.
Start by telling us what happened. We agree the scope and fees before any paid work begins.
Was your deposit withheld 6 years ago? It may not be too late to act.
You can contact us about an older dispute. A claim for repayment of a deposit on a home rented for your own living needs is generally subject to a 6-year limitation period under Polish law.
The period runs from when repayment became due, not from when you paid the deposit, and generally ends on the last day of the calendar year. This means it may still be possible to pursue a claim even after six years.
Tell us when you vacated the property and what happened afterwards. We will check the deadline for your circumstances. Different rules may apply to business-related claims and certain other situations.
Contacting us does not stop the limitation period from running. Do not delay checking the deadline.
Legal basis: Articles 118-124 of the Polish Civil Code.
Tell us about an older claimWhen to contact us
You disagree with the deductions
Money has been deducted for repairs, cleaning or replacement items. The amount appears unjustified, with no clear breakdown or supporting evidence.
Only part of the deposit was repaid
The balance was withheld even though you did not agree to the calculation. Correspondence is not helping you establish exactly what you are being charged for.
You have left Poland or the dispute is years old
You are outside Poland or have not pursued the issue for several years. The initial review can be handled remotely.
Not another reminder - a properly supported claim
The keys are back and your belongings are out. Instead of your deposit, you receive a message: “The walls need repainting”, “I am waiting for the bills” or “I will work out the repair costs later”. You explain the condition in which you left the flat again, but the conversation does not bring repayment any closer.
We compare the tenancy agreement, handover records, evidence of the deposit payment and correspondence. We examine each disputed deduction: what the landlord claims, what supports it and what evidence you have in response. We assess weaknesses as well as the strengths of your position.
We then prepare a demand in Polish, agree how it will be sent and help handle the correspondence that follows. Our aim is to secure repayment, not to prolong an argument. If a settlement is not possible, you will understand the position, evidence and likely costs involved in considering court action.
How we work
Tell us what happened in detail
Describe the situation in your own words: when you vacated the property, how much was withheld and what your landlord said. You do not need legal terminology. We then clarify the circumstances and check whether we can take the case.
Agree the work and review the documents
We explain what material is needed, what we will do and what it will cost. Once agreed, we review the tenancy agreement, evidence, grounds for deductions and limitation period. We calculate the claim and explain the risks.
Request repayment formally
We prepare a wezwanie do zapłaty - a formal payment demand in Polish. We agree the arrangements for sending it and recording receipt, and help respond to the landlord’s objections within the agreed scope.
Involve a lawyer if needed
If the dispute cannot be settled, we discuss the prospects of court action. With your agreement, we pass the material to a partner lawyer who can take on your representation in court. The court stage is agreed separately.
What you receive
Depending on the agreed stage, you receive practical material for your next steps, not just an explanation.
An assessment of your position and risks
Which claims can be made, what supports them and what might make recovery more difficult.
A calculation of the amount claimed
A review of deductions and an explanation of the sum you are seeking to recover.
Documents in Polish
A payment demand and agreed responses to the landlord’s objections.
Organised material for a lawyer
A timeline, documents and supporting arguments for discussing court action if it becomes necessary.
If court action is needed, we work with partner lawyers
We work with lawyers in Poland who are available to take on court representation for our clients when needed.
If pre-court steps do not resolve the dispute, we can pass the documents, calculation and prepared position to a lawyer with your agreement. The lawyer will assess the prospects of litigation and whether they can take the case.
The lawyer’s role, authority, fees and court costs are agreed separately before the court stage starts. Submitting the form does not start court proceedings or commit you to litigation.
Tell us about your caseKnow the cost before work starts
Before any paid work begins, you receive a proposal setting out the tasks, the full price and payment terms. The scope depends on the documents, the amount in dispute and steps already taken.
If a lawyer is needed, we discuss their fees, court fees and other possible expenses separately. You can compare the costs with the amount claimed and decide whether to proceed.
Submitting the form does not place a paid order. Each further stage requires your agreement.
Assess my caseWhat we will need to review the case
After your first message, we agree how to provide the tenancy agreement and annexes, check-in and check-out records, proof of the deposit payment, correspondence, photographs and the breakdown of deductions. Only provide material needed for your case.
Do not put off contacting us because some documents are missing. Tell us what you have and what is unavailable. If you paid in cash, explain what may confirm it, such as a receipt, a note in the agreement or correspondence. We assess the available material rather than reject an enquiry simply because of the payment method.
When further work may not be worthwhile
If there are insufficient grounds for a claim, the evidence cannot support your position or the expected costs are disproportionate to the amount in dispute, we will explain this before the next paid stage.
We pursue repayment through lawful steps. We do not promise a court win, repayment of the entire deposit or a particular payment date.
Questions about deposit recovery
I have never used DOMUS GLOBAL. Can I still contact you?
Yes. This is a standalone service for people whose deposits have not been returned. It does not matter how you found your home or whether you have previously used DOMUS GLOBAL.
My deposit was withheld six years ago. Can I still contact you?
Yes, it is worth asking. Claims for deposits on homes rented for personal living needs are generally subject to a six-year limitation period, with the end-of-calendar-year rule taken into account. The exact deadline and applicable rules need to be checked for your case. Six years is neither a guarantee of recovery nor an automatic bar to reviewing an older dispute.
When must the landlord return the deposit?
For many residential tenancies, the law provides for repayment within one month after vacating, less justified claims. We check the applicable rules and agreement: a calendar month is not a universal “30 days”.
Can a landlord charge for ordinary wear?
The law distinguishes wear resulting from proper use from deterioration. Repair and handback duties also need checking. Calling something “wear and tear” is not enough, on its own, to decide whether a particular deduction is lawful.
There is no repair invoice. Does that make the deduction unlawful?
Not necessarily. An invoice is not the only possible evidence supporting a claim. The grounds for the deduction, the amount and the evidence all need reviewing. We will not base your case solely on the absence of one document.
I have no check-out report or photographs. Is it too late to ask?
No. You can start with the documents and messages you have. Missing evidence affects the assessment, but it does not justify assuming either that repayment is impossible or that success is guaranteed.
Can I contact you after leaving Poland?
The initial contact and review of electronic document copies can take place remotely. If a later stage requires originals, a signature or a representative, we will discuss that separately.
Who would represent me in court?
We work with lawyers in Poland who are available to represent our clients when needed. A lawyer can take your case after reviewing the material and agreeing the terms. Their involvement, authority, fees and court costs are agreed separately.
Does submitting the form or sending a demand stop the limitation period?
No. A message to us, or a payment demand sent to the landlord on its own, does not stop the limitation period from running. If the deadline may be approaching, mention this in your message and seek a timely legal assessment. Confirmation that an enquiry was registered is not confirmation that the legal deadline has been protected.
Tell us what happened
Please describe the problem in detail, in your own words. You do not need legal terminology: we need to understand what happened and where the dispute stands.
Sending a message does not stop the limitation period from running. If you think a deadline may expire soon, mention it in your description and seek urgent legal assistance rather than wait for a reply to this form.
You can also email us directly: [email protected]