Renting in Wrocław: can you install air conditioning?

In short: yes, you can usually get air conditioning in a rented flat in Wrocław, but only with your landlord’s consent – Polish law does not let a tenant make changes that go against the rental agreement without it. In a block of flats, the housing community (wspólnota) or cooperative (spółdzielnia) usually also has to agree to an outdoor unit on the façade or balcony. Agree in writing who pays, who owns the unit and what happens when you move out. A portable unit is the fallback when consent isn’t possible. This guide is general information, not legal advice.

Do you need your landlord’s consent?

Yes. Under the Polish Civil Code (art. 667 § 1), a tenant may not make changes to the rented property that are contrary to the agreement without the landlord’s consent. A split air conditioner means drilling through an outer wall and fixing units to walls, so treat it as a change that needs consent – even if your lease doesn’t mention air conditioning.

At the end of the tenancy you must return the flat in a condition that is not worse than you received it, apart from normal wear (art. 675 § 1). If you made an improvement, then – unless you agreed otherwise – the landlord can choose either to keep it and pay you its value at the time you return the flat, or to ask you to restore the previous state (art. 676). That choice is the landlord’s, which is why a written agreement matters.

Many landlords in Wrocław are open to it: a flat with air conditioning is easier to let in summer. Ask early, before the heat, when installers have shorter waiting times.

Building consent: wspólnota, spółdzielnia and the façade

Even if your landlord agrees, the building may not. Outer walls are common property of a block (art. 3 ust. 2 of the Act on Ownership of Premises), and most courts treat balcony structures the same way. Changing common property needs the agreement of the housing community, usually by resolution, or of the cooperative under its own rules. A court has ordered an owner to remove an air conditioner installed without the community’s consent.

What this means for you as a tenant:

• The owner usually makes the request, because the owner – not the tenant – is the member of the wspólnota or spółdzielnia. You can help by preparing the details.
• Check the building rules. Some communities specify where outdoor units may go, how condensate must drain and what the units may look like.
• New estates (for example in Jagodno): the developer’s sale contract can forbid façade changes for the first five years.
• Listed buildings, common in the Old Town: the voivodeship heritage conservator must also give a permit.
• Building law is rarely a problem: a unit mounted up to 3 m high needs no permit or notification; higher up (up to 12 m), a notification to the building authority is required.

The installer can usually provide a short technical description – unit size, position, pipe route, drain – to attach to the request. Wrocool can help you prepare it in Polish.

Who pays for air conditioning in a rented flat?

There’s no rule in law – it’s a negotiation. The common options:

Option	How it works	Good to know
Landlord pays	The unit belongs to the flat and stays	The landlord may raise the rent; ask who pays for servicing
Tenant pays, unit stays	You pay; the landlord pays back part of its value or lowers the rent	Agree the amount and timing in writing
Tenant pays, unit leaves	You take the unit with you when you move	Removal costs about 490 zł, plus repairing the wall; reinstallation elsewhere is a new installation

For scale: a standard installation in Wrocław starts at about 1,730 zł, and a 3.5 kW unit including installation costs about 2,800–7,000 zł depending on the brand class. See our full guide to AC installation costs in Poland for details.

Portable or split: what works for tenants?

	Portable unit	Split system
Installation	None – plug in, hose out of a window	Certified installer, usually one day
Consent	Usually no building consent needed; check your lease if you modify a window	Landlord, and usually the wspólnota or spółdzielnia
Noise and efficiency	Compressor is in the room, so louder; less efficient	Compressor is outside, quieter; more efficient
Heating	Mostly cooling only	Efficient heating as an air-to-air heat pump
When you move	Take it with you	Stays, or is removed by an installer

A portable unit is a reasonable stop-gap for a short tenancy or when the building says no. Units “without an outdoor unit” that go through the wall still need openings in the outer wall, so they still need consent. For a longer stay, a split system is far more comfortable – and it can also heat your flat in winter.

What to put in writing

A short annex to your rental agreement (aneks do umowy najmu), ideally in Polish and English, should cover:

1. Consent to install a split air conditioner, with the room and the position of both units.
2. Building consent – confirmation that the owner has obtained the wspólnota’s or spółdzielnia’s agreement, or will.
3. Who pays for the unit and the installation, and who chooses the installer.
4. Ownership – who owns the unit during and after the tenancy.
5. End of tenancy – whether the unit stays (and whether you get anything for it) or is removed, and who pays for removal and wall repairs.
6. Servicing and repairs – who orders and pays for the annual inspection (often a condition of the warranty) and for repairs.
7. Certified installer – installation by an F-gas certified technician and company, with the warranty card handed to the owner.

Keep copies of the invoice, warranty card and consent documents. They protect you when you hand back the keys.

Using a certified installer

Only an installer with F-gas certificates – for both the technician and the company – may install a split system. Do-it-yourself installation is not an option, and a poor installation can damage the façade you promised to return in good condition. A good installer will also suggest a position that is acceptable to the building and keeps the outdoor unit’s noise and condensate away from neighbours.

Summary

• Tenants need the landlord’s consent before installing air conditioning; get it in writing.
• In a block, the owner usually needs the housing community’s or cooperative’s consent for an outdoor unit.
• Without a different agreement, the landlord decides at the end whether to keep the unit (paying its value) or have it removed.
• A portable unit is a fallback; a split system is quieter, more efficient and heats too.
• Put payment, ownership, servicing and the end of tenancy in a written annex.

This guide is general information, not legal advice. For a specific contract, consult a lawyer. For the bigger picture, read our complete guide to air conditioning in Wrocław. Ready to talk to your landlord? Ask for a free quote in English – we’ll match you with a vetted, English-speaking installer and help with the consent request in Polish.

Sources

• Kodeks cywilny, Dział I. Najem (art. 659–692) – arslege.pl
• Infor: Montaż klimatyzacji nielegalny bez zgłoszenia do starostwa w 2026 r. i zgody sąsiada? (4 Aug 2026)
• kb.pl: Zamontował klimatyzację bez zgody wspólnoty. Skończyło się nakazem demontażu (29 Jun 2026)