# Can I rent out my basement? Rules, consents and preparation

You have a basement where boxes, jars and an old bike have been standing for years. You are thinking of renting it out, but you do not know whether you are allowed to at all.

[See the full page](https://maszbox.pl/en/blog/czy-moge-wynajac-piwnice)

- Author: [Marsel Zychowski](https://maszbox.pl/en/autor/marsel-zychowski.md)
- Published July 28, 2026
- Updated September 28, 2026

![A basement corridor in a block of flats with a row of lockable basements](https://maszbox.pl/images/blog/okladka-czy-moge-wynajac-piwnice.webp)

This question matters in practice. If the basement is not yours but only allocated to you for use, renting it out without the consent of the housing community or cooperative may end in a dispute with the manager. You would then have to break off the agreement with the tenant and give them their money back. You are also responsible for what the tenant keeps in the basement. This applies, for example, to a jerrycan of petrol or a gas cylinder.

In this guide you will check what legal status your basement has and whose consent you need. You will also learn what must not be stored in it and how to prepare the basement and the agreement so that the rental goes smoothly.

## Short answer: yes, but it depends on the status of the basement

You can rent out a basement to a private person or a company. The law does not prohibit it. Whether you can do it on your own or need someone's consent depends on what the basement is in legal terms. That is why you should start by checking its status.

## Check what your basement is in legal terms

“My basement” can mean several different legal situations:

| Status of the basement | Where to check it | Can you rent it out |
| --- | --- | --- |
| A room appurtenant to your flat | The notarial deed of the flat purchase, the land and mortgage register of the flat (description of the flat with appurtenant rooms) | Yes. The basement is part of your flat. You must follow the building rules. |
| A common part of the building allocated to you for use (housing community) | A resolution or agreement on the division of use, information from the manager | It is not your property. Before renting it out, ask the board of the housing community and preferably get consent in writing. |
| A basement allocated by a housing cooperative | The basement allocation, the cooperative's rules | Ask the cooperative for consent before you sign an agreement with a tenant. |
| A basement belonging to a flat you rent yourself | Your flat rental agreement | Only with the consent of the flat's owner. Subletting part of the premises without their consent is against the law. |
| A basement as a separate non-residential unit with its own land and mortgage register | The land and mortgage register | Yes, just like any other unit. |

If the documents do not give a clear answer, ask the building manager. A conversation costs less than a dispute with the neighbours or the board.

Selling a basement is governed by completely different rules than renting it out. We describe them in the guide [selling a storage unit step by step](https://maszbox.pl/en/blog/sprzedaz-komorki-lokatorskiej-krok-po-kroku.md).

## Who you can rent a basement to and for what

You can rent out a basement to a private person or a company, for example for:

- bikes, tyres, sports and seasonal equipment,
- furniture and boxes during a move or renovation,
- documents and company archives,
- an online shop's stock, as long as it is not hazardous.

Renting to a company is allowed. The restrictions concern what is kept in the basement and what is done in it. Who the tenant is does not matter.

### What must not be kept in a basement

Fire regulations (the Regulation of the Minister of the Interior and Administration of 7 June 2010 on the fire protection of buildings) prohibit storing fire-hazardous materials in basement rooms. These include, among others:

- flammable gas cylinders, whether full, partly full or empty,
- petrol and other flammable liquids with a flash point below 55°C, including some solvents,
- explosives and fireworks.

Flammable materials must not be stored in basement corridors either.

Both the owner and the user of the room are responsible for complying with these rules. That is why you should write this ban into the agreement with the tenant.

### A basement is not a flat or a workshop

A basement is for storing things. Do not rent it out to live in or to stay overnight. Basement rooms usually do not meet the requirements for rooms intended for people, among other things regarding height and access to daylight.

The same goes for running a workshop, a studio or a place that customers visit in a basement. This may require notifying a change of use and the consent of the housing community or cooperative. Simply storing things does not require such formalities.

## Access, keys, neighbours and electricity

The basement is in a building where other people live. The tenant will walk through the staircase and the basement corridor, so agree on a few things before you sign the agreement.

- **Keys:** the tenant needs a key to the basement, and often also to the building entrance and the basement door. Check the building rules or ask the manager whether you can give these keys to someone from outside the building.
- **Hours:** the house rules may set quiet hours or times when the basements can be used. Give them to the tenant.
- **Neighbours:** let your nearest neighbours know that a new person will be using the basement. That way no one calls the manager about a “stranger in the basement”.
- **Electricity:** the corridor lights and the sockets in the basements are often connected to the housing community's meter. If the tenant wants to plug in a dehumidifier or charge an electric bike or scooter, ask the manager first. Also check whether the building rules prohibit charging such devices in the basement.

## How to prepare a basement for rent

A tenant will judge the basement by the photos and the first visit. Before publishing the listing:

- **Empty the basement:** take your things out and leave an empty space.
- **Clean up:** remove dust, cobwebs and rubbish, and sweep the floor.
- **Check for damp:** look into the corners and along the walls. If it is damp, put in a moisture absorber. Only plug in an electric dehumidifier after you have sorted out the electricity question described above.
- **Take care of the light and the lock:** check that the light bulb works and replace the padlock or the lock cylinder. The tenant should be sure that no one else has a key. You will find more ways to secure the unit in the guide [how to secure a storage unit against theft](https://maszbox.pl/en/blog/jak-zabezpieczyc-komorke-lokatorska-przed-kradzieza.md).
- **Measure the basement:** give the floor area, the height and the door width. Also say whether narrow stairs lead to it. A large wardrobe or a sofa may not fit through them.
- **Take photos:** in good light, from the entrance and from the back of the room. Show the door, the lock and the corridor. Do not photograph other people's basements or your neighbours' belongings.

![A clean, empty basement with a concrete floor and a door locked with a padlock](https://maszbox.pl/images/blog/piwnica-pusta-drzwi-na-klodke.webp)

## Basement rental agreement, no notary needed

You do not need a notary to rent out a basement. An ordinary written agreement signed by both parties is enough. You sign the agreement directly with the tenant, and Maszbox.pl is a listings service and is not a party to it.

Include in the agreement:

- the details of the parties,
- the building address and the basement number,
- the purpose, that is storing things,
- the amount of rent, the payment date and method,
- the deposit and the rules for returning it,
- the rental period and the notice rules,
- a ban on storing fire-hazardous materials,
- the access rules, the number of keys handed over and the obligation to follow the building rules,
- a ban on subletting without your consent.

On the day of the handover, draw up a short report with the condition of the basement and the number of keys. Take photos as well. We describe detailed clauses that work well when renting out small rooms in the article [storage unit rental contract - what it must contain](https://maszbox.pl/en/blog/umowa-najmu-komorki-lokatorskiej-co-musi-zawierac.md).

## Tax on renting out a basement

You do not have to set up a business to rent out a basement. The rent is, however, revenue on which you pay tax. For a private rental this is a flat-rate tax: 8.5% of revenue up to PLN 100,000 a year and 12.5% on the excess. We describe how to settle the rental step by step in the guide [how to earn from spare space](https://maszbox.pl/en/blog/zarabiaj-na-wolnej-przestrzeni.md).

## How much can you earn from renting out a basement

There is no single rate. The rent depends on the city and the district, the floor area, how dry the basement is, how convenient the access is and the security. We explain what the prices of small storage rooms depend on in the article [how much it costs to rent a storage unit](https://maszbox.pl/en/blog/ile-kosztuje-wynajem-komorki-lokatorskiej.md). You can check the current rates of similar rooms in your area in the [storage units for rent listings](https://maszbox.pl/en/komorki-lokatorskie/na-wynajem.md).

## How to add a basement listing on Maszbox.pl

Once you know the status of the basement and have the consent (if it is needed), the photos and the agreement, you can add a listing in the [basements](https://maszbox.pl/en/piwnice.md) category. We show how to do it step by step in the guide [how to add a long-term rental listing for a basement](https://maszbox.pl/en/blog/jak-dodac-ogloszenie-wynajmu-dlugoterminowego-piwnicy.md).

## Marsel Zychowski

MaszBox Team

We share practical know-how on renting and selling space - garages, warehouses, storage units, parking spots and more.

## Common questions

### Do I need the housing community's consent to rent out a basement?

It depends on the status of the basement. If it is a room appurtenant to your flat, the housing community's consent is not needed, but the building rules apply to you. If the basement is a common part that is only allocated to you for use, ask the board of the housing community first.

### Can I rent out a basement to a company?

Yes. A company can rent a basement, for example for documents or goods. It must not keep fire-hazardous materials in it. Running a business with customers or a workshop in the basement may require additional formalities.

### Does a basement rental agreement have to be made at a notary?

No. An ordinary written agreement is enough. If the rental is to last longer than a year and the agreement is not made in writing, it is deemed to be concluded for an indefinite term.

### Can I rent out a basement to live in?

Do not rent out a basement to live in or to stay overnight. Basement rooms are for storing things and usually do not meet the requirements for rooms intended for people.

### Do you pay tax on renting out a basement?

Yes. For a private rental you pay a flat-rate tax of 8.5% of revenue up to PLN 100,000 a year and 12.5% on the excess. You do not have to set up a business.