What Renters Can Do When Leases End Amid Tight Supply in Warsaw

The email landed in Marcin’s inbox last Monday: his one-bedroom flat on ul. Tamka in Powiśle would not be available for extension. He’d have 30 days to leave. The property owner, facing mounting costs, planned to sell the unit – and he’s hardly alone. In mid-2026, renters across Warsaw are panicking as expiring leases send them hunting for fresh contracts in a market with few openings and rising rents.

This upheaval comes as Warsaw grapples with a squeeze on housing supply unmatched in years. With the city’s population bolstered by long-term Ukrainian arrivals and short-term rental conversions swelling since last autumn, would-be tenants are running out of options. Many who signed leases two years ago are facing double-digit price hikes – or outright non-renewals – as landlords re-evaluate their portfolios ahead of anticipated interest rate cuts later this year.

Pushed to the Edges, Forced to Compromise

The problem is sharpest in central Warsaw neighbourhoods such as Śródmieście and Mokotów, according to local letting agencies. Home Rental, a major Warsaw broker, estimates vacancy rates below 2% in the city’s inner districts. In June, the number of available apartments listed on Otodom for central Warsaw fell to just under 1,400 units, down 27% from May. Across the Vistula in Praga-Północ, one of the last relatively affordable urban cores, supply dipped by 19% over the same period.

Market pressures are pushing many forced movers to consider less central locations or increasingly turn to flat sharing. Zuzanna, who signed a lease on Grzybowska Street in 2022, learned her rent would jump from 3,100 zł to 4,100 zł. "That’s not sustainable with my salary," she told friends, and now she is joining two others to share a four-room unit in Bielany. The Warsaw Tenants’ Union (Warszawski Związek Lokatorów) reports a surge in advice requests as summer approaches.

Numbers Show the Crunch

Median asking rents citywide hit 73 zł per square metre in June, according to Morizon.pl – up 11% from last year. For a typical 40 sqm one-bedroom in Ochota or Żoliborz, prices now hover around 2,850–3,200 zł per month excluding bills. Landlords enjoy their pick of tenants, sometimes demanding several months’ security deposit or documentation of high income before considering an application.

Much-touted solutions aren’t moving fast enough to help most renters. The city’s newest municipal block, built by TBS Warszawa on ul. Wolska, finished accepting applications this spring but received over 4,500 for just 137 flats. Subsidised programs run by BGK (the state development bank) have lengthy waiting lists.

What Next – and Practical Steps for Renters

The number one rule in Warsaw’s 2026 rental market: start searching as soon as notice arrives. Agents at Metrohouse say July is the most competitive month, with available units snapped up within days. Expats and Poles alike are using social media groups (notably "Mieszkaniowy Warsaw" on Facebook) for early listings and direct-to-owner offers. Agencies like VIVA DOM recommend preparing a "tenant CV" – employment contracts, references, proof of income – to beat rivals to the punch.

Subletting and co-renting demand is rising, particularly along the second Metro line, in areas such as Bródno and Bemowo. Some tenants are negotiating fixed-term leases of 18–24 months with modest increases baked in, though these are rare. Others are trying short-term lets via platforms like Flatio, accepting higher per-month costs but gaining flexibility.

For those without urgent constraints, the alternative is to sign up for new city housing projects or join waiting lists. But with supply unlikely to rebound before 2027, tenants’ best bet is to act decisively, gather paperwork fast, and prepare for stiff competition as Warsaw’s rental crunch shows no sign of easing this summer.