House Rules for Your Apartment - Free Template to Download

House Rules for Your Apartment

House rules are one of those documents that seem like a boring formality - until a problem arises. Guests throwing a party at three in the morning. Smoking in the bathroom. Ten people in a four-person apartment. Neighbors calling the police. A good set of house rules helps resolve every one of these situations - or better yet, prevent them. In this article, I show how to write rules that actually work.

Why Are House Rules Mandatory?

Starting May 20, 2026, with the entry into force of regulations implementing EU Regulation 2024/1028 and the establishment of the CWTON register, house rules are part of the required documentation for short-term rental properties. When registering with CWTON, you declare that your property meets specified standards - and house rules are one of them.

But even without this requirement, having rules is simply smart. Here's why:

• Legal protection - in case of a dispute with a guest, the rules serve as evidence of what conditions applied and whether they were violated
• Clear expectations - guests know what's allowed and what isn't. Most people gladly follow rules when they know them
• Property protection - defining equipment usage rules, deposit policies, and damage liability
• Neighbor relations - clear quiet hours and common area behavior policies
• Safety - evacuation instructions, emergency numbers, equipment usage guidelines

What Must the Rules Include?

Good house rules cover all key areas without being excessively long. Nobody will read a ten-page document in small print. The goal: everything important on 2-3 A4 pages, written in plain language.

1. Property Information and Contact

Rules should start with basic information:

• Property name (if it has an official name) or address
• CWTON registration number
• Manager or owner contact details (phone, email)
• Emergency contact number (available 24/7)

2. Check-in and Check-out

This is the basic organizational matter that creates chaos without clear rules:

• Check-in time - from what time guests can enter (e.g., from 3:00 PM)
• Check-out time - by what time guests must leave (e.g., by 11:00 AM)
• Check-in procedure - is there an in-person key handover, key box with code, or electronic lock
• Early check-in / late check-out - whether it's possible and under what conditions
• What to do with keys at checkout - where to leave them, how to lock up

Be specific. Instead of writing "guests should leave in the morning," write "checkout by 11:00 AM. Leave keys on the hallway table and pull the door shut."

3. Quiet Hours

The point that saves neighbor relationships:

• Quiet hours - standard is 10:00 PM to 6:00 AM, but check the housing community rules as they may differ
• What quiet hours mean - no loud music, balcony conversations, or parties
• Consequences of violations - right to immediately terminate the stay without a refund

Don't be afraid to be firm. The sentence "organizing parties is prohibited" is clear and leaves no room for interpretation. It's your apartment, your neighbors, and your reputation.

4. Smoking

A topic that generates plenty of conflicts:

• No smoking anywhere in the property (strongly recommended)
• Whether there's a designated smoking area (e.g., balcony, if the housing community rules allow it)
• Consequences - fee for odor removal (specific amount, e.g., 500 PLN) deducted from the deposit
• E-cigarettes and vapes - worth clearly stating whether they're also prohibited (recommended: yes)

5. Pets

A clear pet policy prevents misunderstandings:

• Are pets allowed? If so - what kind (e.g., dogs up to 10 kg) and how many?
• Is there an additional fee for stays with pets?
• Pet owner obligations (e.g., no leaving the pet alone in the property, cleaning up after the pet)
• Liability for damage caused by pets

6. Maximum Number of Guests

A key point from both a safety and property protection perspective:

• Maximum number of people who can be in the property (consistent with the CWTON declaration)
• No accepting additional overnight guests beyond the declared number
• Visitors - whether guests can have visitors and until what time
• Consequences of exceeding the limit - right to immediately end the stay

The visitor point is often overlooked but generates problems. Guests book for two, then invite ten friends for a party. The rules should clearly prohibit this.

7. Safety and Fire Protection

This point can save lives - treat it seriously:

• Fire extinguisher location - exact indication of where it is
• Smoke detector locations - information that they're installed and must not be disabled
• Evacuation plan - reference to the plan posted by the entrance door
• Emergency numbers - 112 (general), 997 (police), 998 (fire department), 999 (ambulance)
• No tampering with installations - gas, electrical, ventilation
• No open flames - candles, incense, balcony grills
• Windows and balconies - safety rules, especially with children

8. Property Usage Rules

Practical rules for daily use:

• Appliances - how to use the washing machine, dishwasher, coffee machine (brief instructions or reference to instructions in the property)
• Heating and air conditioning - recommended settings, no opening windows with heating/AC running
• Internet - WiFi password, usage rules
• Parking - parking rules, spot number (if applicable)
• Storage/basement - whether guests have access
• Laundry - where the washing machine is, whether there's a dryer, laundry detergent

9. Waste Sorting

An increasingly important topic worth regulating:

• Where the trash bins are (inside the apartment)
• Where to take trash out (outside containers)
• Sorting rules applicable in the municipality (container colors and what goes where)
• Who's responsible for taking out trash (guests should take out trash regularly)

10. Damage Liability and Deposit

• Deposit amount (if charged) and return conditions
• Obligation to report damage immediately upon discovery
• Financial liability for damage beyond normal wear
• Complaint procedure (if the guest has objections about property condition at check-in)

How to Display the Rules

Writing the rules is half the battle. The other half is making sure guests read them. Here are proven methods:

Before Arrival

• Send rules by email with the booking confirmation. Brief email: "Attached are the apartment house rules. Please review before arrival."
• Add to the platform description - key points (quiet hours, no smoking, max guests) should be visible in the listing description
• Include in the pre-check-in message - the day before arrival, send a message with the most important rules

In the Property

• Printed copy in a visible place - information folder on the living room table or shelf
• Shortened version on the door - key points (quiet hours, emergency numbers, WiFi) on an A4 sheet on the inside of the entrance door
• Reminder stickers - "No smoking" in rooms, "Quiet hours 10:00 PM - 6:00 AM" by the entrance door

Multilingual Rules

If you host international guests (and if you're on Airbnb or Booking, you almost certainly do), the rules should be available in at least two languages: Polish and English. Depending on location and guest profile, you may also want to consider:

• German - for properties in western and southern Poland
• Ukrainian - a large group of guests from Ukraine

Rule translation isn't the place to cut corners. Translation errors can make the rules incomprehensible or comical. Use professional translation or at least have a native speaker review it.

Sample Rules Structure

Here's what a good house rules table of contents might look like:

1. General information and contact details
2. Check-in and check-out
3. Quiet hours and behavior
4. Maximum number of guests
5. No smoking policy
6. Pets
7. Safety and fire protection
8. Emergency numbers
9. Equipment usage
10. Waste sorting
11. Damage liability
12. Final provisions

Each point should contain 2-4 sentences. The entire document shouldn't exceed 3 A4 pages in a comfortably readable font (minimum 11pt).

What to Avoid in the Rules

A few mistakes I regularly see in apartment rules:

• Legal jargon - "The lessee undertakes to comply with the provisions of generally applicable law" - sounds serious, but nobody reads it. Write simply: "Please keep quiet after 10:00 PM"
• Threats instead of rules - "For every rule violation, a penalty will be charged in the amount of..." - it's better to state rules positively and add consequences as a final point
• Too many points - rules with 50 points will go unread. Focus on what really matters
• Lack of specifics - "Please maintain order" says nothing. "Please wash dishes before checkout" is concrete
• Outdated information - changed WiFi code, outdated phone number, old check-in times. Update the rules after every change

How Often to Update the Rules

Rules aren't a document you write once and forget. Update them every time you change something in the property (new equipment, changed check-in times, new WiFi code) or when regulations change (e.g., new safety requirements, changed quiet hours in the housing community rules). Review the rules at least every six months.

Rules and Booking Platforms

Remember that platforms like Airbnb and Booking have their own house rules systems. It's worth synchronizing your rules with the rules set on the platform. On Airbnb, you can set:

• Check-in and check-out times
• Whether pets are allowed
• Whether smoking is allowed
• Whether parties are allowed
• Maximum number of guests

Guests accept these rules when booking, giving you additional protection. But the full rules (especially safety and evacuation points) should be available in the property in written form.

Summary

House rules aren't a bureaucratic requirement - they're a practical tool that protects you, your property, and your guests. Write them once, well, translate them to English, print them, and display them in a visible place. Update when things change. Send to guests before arrival. It's a few hours of work that will save you many problems.

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