Arriving in a new country, for most people, is not an easy task. You are leaving your comfort zone, and you have a lot of questions and uncertainties hovering in your head, right? However, for someone like me who has started living abroad recently, the first big question that came up was how to find a place to live during my stay in the Czech Republic. This process isn’t always easy. So, to simplify that, it is important to be as well informed as possible. Therefore, in this article, we will tell you some recommendations, rights, and obligations that concern you as a tenant to ensure that everything runs smoothly during your stay in the country.
Searching Accommodation
Starting with a search for ideal accommodation, mostly due to the digital and social era that we live in, it’s common to try to find the ideal deal in Facebook groups. Sometimes you can find your dream accommodation this way. However, every day a lot of fraud cases happen, wherefore you should be careful and never pay money before signing a contract. If you want to feel safer and don’t want to have this concern, we recommend you contact an agency like Foreigners to take care of everything for you. Set your priorities and act accordingly.
Lease Agreement
After finding the ideal accommodation, the moment to close the deal with the landlord comes. Once again, on this step, you should be careful. Before signing, carefully read the lease agreement, and check what is included in the rent. Sometimes the tenant is responsible for utility payments, therefore in this case, there will be extra costs for you to carry. In the Czech Republic, it is common for tenants to pay a refundable deposit to the landlord to cover possible damages on the property. It’s usually one month’s rent, but in fact, it always depends on the owner and the apartment. Therefore, in order for you to have more guarantees that you will receive back the deposit at the end of your stay, we recommend you require that the landlord provides a full list of all equipment and furnishing present in the flat. Additionally, you can take some photos to prove the veracity of the facts in case you have any problem at the end of your stay. It’s not mandatory, but it’s a good way to protect yourself.
Damages and Repairs
During your stay, even if only for a short term, at some moment you could be confronted with damages in the flat, like something broken in the windows, doors, faucets or maybe damaged electrical appliances. For this reason, you should know that small repairs, in connection with its use and costs associated with ordinary maintenance, are met by the tenant. These can be the repair of switches, doorbells, water drains, windows, roller blinds, etc. In contrast, large repairs or the necessary replacement of entire items of the interior equipment of the flat, like cooker or water boiler, are the responsibility of the landlord. In case there are any necessary repairs in the flat, which are to be covered by the landlord, you must inform him about it immediately. If, despite being notified, the landlord does not carry out the necessary repair, and you implement it on your own expense, then the landlord should refund you. This claim must be asserted in writing within six months at the latest. For further details on this topic read this article.
Moving Out Earlier
Maybe it so happens that you need to move out earlier than the arranged period. Is it a problem? Well, it depends on the contract concluded between you and the landlord. If your contract is for an unlimited period, you can cancel without reason with a minimum three month notice period. On the other hand, in case a contract concluded for a limited period, you only can cancel when your living circumstances have been changed, for example, loss or change employment, marriage, etc. Once more time, you should notify the landlord at least three months before.
Is it still a bit confusing? In case you find yourself in this situation, don’t hesitate to contact us and use our consultation service. For further information about the general civil law see mainly the Czech Civil Code.
Enjoy living in the Czech Republic!
