Public Officials Mislead Families

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Among the common complaints we hear is that public housing and local government officials give incorrect information to families, often causing them serious problems. The following story is, unfortunately, all too typical.

A family lived in a shithole which was covered by fungus. Fungus is a common housing problem and it negatively affects the health of hundreds of families in Warsaw, who live a never-ending battle with it. It is particularly hard to control in property without central heating and is very hard on people with respiratory problems. The family had been asking the administration to take care of fungus. They came with some chemicals and poisoned the family. As a result, their flat was not fit to live in.

The building inspector ordered that the flat be repaired and put into liveable shape within one year. The tenants were told that they could live somewhere else for a year. If the problem in the old flat could not be fixed, they were told that their lease would be transferred to the other flat.

A year passed, the old flat wasn’t ready. They agreed they could live permanently in the replacement flat. Only the city did not transfer the lease. Instead, they cancelled the old lease and told the family they’d have to apply for a new one in the replacement flat. This would, of course, be subject to income verification, approval, etc.

So, the family has no lease at all now. If the city wants, they will now consider them living “without title” and can charge them higher rent until they get a new contract approved. And, there is no guarantee the city will approve them.

We demand that the city revoke the cancellation of the first contract and transfer the contract to the new address through an annex. This can be done and, actually is a normal procedure.

In such ways, the city tries to trick tenants and get rid of them on technicalities. We have even met tenants who were told by the city, incorrectly, that in order to get a new flat, they should voluntarily waive the right to their existing flats and apply for a new one. In such a way, more than one person probably has wound up without a flat.

Enough is enough of this stuff!