Energy Prices in Czechia: Can My Landlord Increase My Monthly Electricity Deposit?

If you’ve been keeping up with the news, you may have noticed a growing energy crisis in Europe that is increasing the price of electricity. To make sure you don’t go over budget, you should talk to your landlord to find out whether the provider is planning on increasing your monthly utility deposits. We’re also bringing you a few tips on how to not waste electricity in your home and ultimately save money.

 

As electricity becomes more expensive, make sure you aren’t wasteful at home!

As electricity becomes more expensive, make sure you aren’t wasteful at home!

 

Energy prices increase across Europe

The heating season started earlier than usual this year, which only adds to the ongoing energy crisis that is currently happening in Europe. Simply put – there isn’t enough gas and electricity to go around, which is increasing their prices sky-high. As a consequence of this issue, several energy providers had to close their doors.

Ultimately, it is quite likely that your monthly electricity deposit bill is going to increase regardless of which provider is servicing your home.

Is your electricity bill in your name? Great – all you need to do is wait for your provider to inform you of any increases in your monthly payments. The provider will likely inform you via email or post – based on how you get your energy bills. No need to call them first.

Do your monthly electricity deposits go to your landlord? Then keep reading this article to see what you can do to make sure you aren’t unpleasantly surprised by a sudden increase.

 

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Talk to your landlord

There’s no need to panic, but a good idea is to get yourself informed about the situation. If your electricity bill is in your landlord’s name and you send him monthly deposits, the best strategy is to get in touch with them (or your contact person – e.g. the property manager) and simply ask. Your landlord should be in touch with the electricity provider and be able to tell you whether the price is likely to go up.

The increase in electricity prices is not your landlord’s fault, of course. That being said, according to the law, they should let you know in advance in writing (so, via email or letter) that the deposits are being increased – to make it official. Once you receive this letter, you should begin paying the increased deposits from the following calendar month

If your landlord tells you that your deposits will stay the way they currently are, it might be a good idea to regularly set aside some money anyway (let’s say at least 500 CZK per month). That way, you won’t be surprised at the end of the year when your landlord sends you the overall yearly bill.

 

Tips on saving electricity at home

  • Turn off the light when you leave the room
  • Unplug unused electronics – but DO NOT unplug the water heater/boiler or any big electronics you are using, unplugging those would ironically use up more energy when switched on again
  • Turn off the air conditioner – do not use it as a heater
  • Cook less often in bigger amounts
  • Run full loads of laundry in the washer to save both electricity and water – you can wash more colours together by putting these pieces of fabric in the washer 
  • Dress warm at home in winter, wear layers and socks – believe us, this is normal here, once you find yourself at home wearing several sweaters, that’s when you become a true Czech 😉

 

Dress warm at home and cuddle your pets to save money on heat! :-)

Dress warm at home and cuddle your pets to save money on heat! 🙂

 

Keep an eye on the electrometer

It might also be a good idea to simply keep your eye on the electrometer to see what your actual power usage is and how much you should expect to be paying. This is how to do it:

  • Take a picture of the current state of your electrometer
  • Check it again in a month and write down the increase to get your usage
  • Look up the current average price of electricity per kilowatt-hour (it should be around 1.80 CZK per kWh) and calculate your base price per month
  • Add the price of standard fees – these are typically around 100 CZK per month (this fee will be higher if you are using electricity for heating) 

 

Keep calm and carry on

Most importantly, try not to panic. Because this situation is happening all over Europe, you’re not the only one whose electricity bill might increase. In other words, we’re all in this together. 

If you’re worried about talking to your landlord or your electricity provider, you can use our assistance services and have us help you. In the meantime, try out some of our tips to save electricity and subscribe to our newsletter to keep updated on the situation.

 

Article source: Radio Prague International, zakonyprolidi
Photo source: Nicole, Pexels.com, Karolina, Pexels.com

Tereza Walsbergerová

Hello! I'm Tereza and I'm a wordsmith and literature nerd from Brno. Although I was born and raised in the Czech Republic, I know all too well from my time living in Texas what it's like to be a "stranger in a strange land." I am excited to share all kinds of information with y'all!

2 thoughts on “Energy Prices in Czechia: Can My Landlord Increase My Monthly Electricity Deposit?

  1. When are tenants supposed to get back their utility deposit?
    I pay a flat rate each month; after 10 months of renting, the unused utility deposit cumulated to a whopping 40k czk. After having signed a 1-year renewal (2 months ahead of the end of the contract), the landlord gave us back only 10k czk, so he still has 30k of unused utility deposit.

    1. Hi Luke,
      Your Landlord should give you back all the extra money every CALENDAR year (usually spring) for the previous year. You should be able to see all the bills and calculations. If you feel like your landlord hasn’t given you all of the difference when they should have, you should perhaps talk to them first.

      Best,
      Tereza

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