Reading a lease and spotting a conditional obligation
You read a short Polish rental advertisement and contract excerpt. The advertisement says: 'Mieszkanie do wynajęcia od zaraz. Kaucja: 2000 zł. Czynsz: 1800 zł plus opłaty.' The contract excerpt says: 'Najemca zobowiązany jest do zgłoszenia wszelkich usterek w ciągu 48 godzin od ich powstania. W przypadku braku zgłoszenia najemca może zostać obciążony kosztami naprawy.' A question asks: 'What must the tenant do if the heating breaks, and what happens if they don't?' You write: 'They must pay for the repair.' You also assume the 2000 zł deposit is the first month's rent. Your teacher marks both as errors.
1. Explain the difference between the obligation and the consequence in the contract clause, and correct your answer.
Read the worked answer
You conflated two different things. The obligation ('zobowiązany jest do zgłoszenia') is to report any defect within 48 hours of it arising. The consequence ('może zostać obciążony kosztami naprawy') is not automatic - 'może' means 'may', so the tenant may be charged repair costs if they fail to report. The correct answer is: the tenant must report the fault within 48 hours; if they do not, they may (not must) be charged for the repair. This distinction matters in reading tasks because Polish legal-administrative texts use modal verbs precisely: 'musi'/'zobowiązany jest' = obligation; 'może' = possibility; 'nie wolno' = prohibition; 'należy' = recommended/required procedure. Missing 'może' changes the meaning from a certainty to a risk. Always locate the modal verb before deciding how strong the consequence is.
2. Correct your assumption about the 2000 zł and explain how the advertisement's structure supports your correction.
Read the worked answer
The 2000 zł is labelled 'kaucja' (deposit), not 'czynsz' (rent). The advertisement lists them as separate items: 'Kaucja: 2000 zł. Czynsz: 1800 zł plus opłaty.' A deposit is refundable security held against damage or unpaid bills; rent is the recurring monthly payment. So the tenant's upfront outlay is 2000 zł deposit plus the first month's 1800 zł plus utilities - not 2000 zł as rent. The structural cue is the colon after each label: 'Kaucja:' introduces a deposit amount, 'Czynsz:' introduces rent. In Polish rental texts, watch for 'plus opłaty' (plus utilities), which means the 1800 zł is not the total monthly cost. Reading tasks reward noticing labels and separators, not guessing from the largest number on the page.