The Form of Residential Premises Ownership Vs. Residential Standard of Seniors in Poland in the Opinion of Residents

Abstract

The study addresses the problem of diverse housing conditions experienced by seniors in Poland and equipping their apartments with installations improving the quality of life for people with reduced mobility, taking into account various forms of residential premises ownership: a condominium, a cooperative apartment and a council flat. The study aimed at providing answers to a number of questions, including: what is the readiness to change an apartment into a council flat adapted to the needs of people with mobility limitations, taking into account the current ownership status of the apartment (condominium, cooperative member’s ownership right to residential premises, the right to rent a flat from the council-owned housing resources). The research was conducted in the cities of Wrocław and Jelenia Góra, located in Poland in the Lower Silesia Voivodship. A total of 208 people aged 50 and over were covered by the study. The authors found correlations between access to utilities and facilities in an apartment and the form of ownership of the dwelling. Among other things, the survey found that a toilet in the stairwell and the lack of central heating are much more common in communal apartments than in cooperative apartments and condominiums. Residents also pointed to the need to adapt bathrooms that are located in apartments. Tenants of public housing were also more likely to express a desire to adapt their apartments to the needs of people with limited mobility.