Magdalena, a resident of Nowogrodziec, contacted us Ms Magdalena and informed us that Hydro-Tech had taken to court a case concerning the vacating of a social housing unit. This was reportedly connected with the fact that Ms Magdalena and her daughter had exceeded the income threshold for social housing.
The woman told us that the Municipality had offered her a municipal apartment, but one without a toilet. (The latter was supposed to be located in the hallway.) Both Ms Magdalena and her daughter have disability certificates, and both have been involved in accidents. It was precisely because of their health condition that she did not accept the local government's offer.
Ms Magdalena told us that she had been living in the aforementioned unit for 5 years. She stressed that neither she nor her daughter were troublemakers, that they were not behind on payments and that the police did not intervene at their home. She also said that they did not use assistance from MGOPS.
She also said that she would have no problem returning the social housing unit to the Municipality if it assigned them a municipal apartment. The women cannot afford to rent—or, even more so, buy—a property. They earn the minimum wage and are ill. They need money for medication and, from time to time, rehabilitation. They have no savings, “not even the proverbial 5 zlotys tucked away.”
We asked Hydro-Tech about the matter. Jacek Ruchała, president of the Nowogrodziec company:
Hydro-Tech Sp. z o.o., as the administrator of residential premises owned by the Municipality of Nowogrodziec, concludes and terminates tenancy agreements on the basis of decisions by the Mayor of Nowogrodziec. In the case of Ms (...), such an agreement was concluded, pursuant to the BN decision of 31 January 2019, for a fixed term from 17 April 2019 to 16 April 2022. After that period expired, we were informed by the Municipality of Nowogrodziec (WK.7142.2.2022 dated 26 April 2022) that the agreement could not be extended and that the premises had to be taken over and secured.
He added: – Ms (…) was informed in writing that she was occupying the premises without a valid agreement and was instructed to hand over the premises on 6 June 2022 and 12 June 2022. Ms (...) refused to hand over the social housing unit, hence the matter must proceed through the courts.