Housing in Czechia for foreigners

Free humanitarian housing is provided for 90 days from the date temporary protection (dočasná ochrana) is granted. Previously, it was 150 days, with an exception for vulnerable persons, but from September 1, 2024, the period is shortened to 90 days, and the exception for vulnerable persons is canceled.

This is the main misunderstanding of the topic, and it costs people their homes. Many still believe that vulnerable people can stay. They cannot. After 90 days, no one lives for free—not children, not pregnant women, not people over 65, not people with disabilities. After that, you either leave or pay.

Instead of free housing, the state provides a humanitarian benefit (humanitární dávka) with a housing component: 6,000 CZK/month for vulnerable persons and 4,000 CZK/month for others. Vulnerable persons are considered children under 18, pregnant women, people over 65, and people with disabilities—one condition is enough.

Important details about the payment: you cannot apply retroactively—only for the month you are requesting. Money is paid exclusively to a bank account in Czechia. An asset test applies: you will be denied if your account has more than double the benefit amount. Conditions are available at mpsv.gov.cz.

According to § 2254 of the Civil Code, the security deposit (kauce, referred to as 'jistota' in the law) cannot exceed three times the monthly rent. This is calculated based on the 'net' rent, without service prepayments—so it's 3x rent (nájemné), not 3x everything you pay monthly.

A key detail that is often overlooked: this limit includes the security deposit (kauce) and all contractual penalties combined. Contractual penalties have been allowed since July 1, 2020, but they are not added on top of the deposit—the total amount of the deposit and all penalties must fit within the same 3x monthly rent limit. If the contract states 3x kauce plus separate penalties on top, the limit is exceeded.

The tenant has the right to interest on the security deposit—from the moment it is paid until it is returned. Almost no one asks for this, although the right is directly in the law.

Regarding the return period, be realistic: the law does not specify a deadline, the wording is 'upon termination of the lease.' In practice, the return is tied to the settlement of services (vyúčtování), so it is advisable to agree on a specific deadline directly in the contract and to document the condition of the apartment and meter readings upon move-in.

Red flag number one: being asked to pay the security deposit before viewing the apartment or signing the contract. This is the most common scam—you send money, and the apartment either doesn't exist or doesn't belong to that person. A normal landlord will first show you the property and sign the contract, and only then will they ask for the security deposit (kauce).

You can check the owner in the real estate cadastre—for free and without registration, at nahlizenidokn.cuzk.gov.cz. Please note: the domain has moved to .gov.cz, old links in chats may lead elsewhere. Find the address and see who is listed as the owner.

The name in the cadastre must match the name in the contract. If it doesn't match—either the person is acting under a power of attorney (ask to see it), or you are being deceived. Two more red flags: 'I cannot show the apartment in person' and any pressure to pay faster because 'there are other interested parties.'

If the property is being rented out not by the owner, but by an intermediary or the previous tenant—demand a document that gives them this right. A contract signed by someone who did not have the authority will leave you without housing and without your deposit.

First, a formality that invalidates most notices (výpověď): the landlord is obliged to inform the tenant of their right to object to the notice and to go to court within 2 months. Without this information, the notice is invalid. Therefore, the first thing to do upon receiving the paper is to check if it contains this information.

The notice period is 3 months, and it starts not from the day of delivery, but from the first day of the month following delivery. The landlord can terminate the contract only for legal reasons: gross violation of the tenant's obligations, a conviction for an intentional crime against them or property in the building, or the need to vacate the apartment in cases defined by law.

The tenant has more rights. For an indefinite-term contract (doba neurčitá), you can give notice without stating a reason. For a fixed-term contract (doba určitá), you can do so if there is a significant change in circumstances. And if the landlord grossly violates their obligations, the tenant can terminate the contract immediately.

Immediate termination by the landlord (§ 2291) is possible only in serious cases: non-payment of rent and services for 3 months or more, serious damage to the apartment, or unlawful use of the dwelling. If you believe the notice is illegal—do not move out immediately 'under pressure': you have the same 2 months to object and go to court.

The lease agreement must be in writing (§ 2237). The asymmetry works in your favor: if there is no written form, the tenant can challenge it, but the landlord cannot.

According to § 2239, a condition that imposes a clearly disproportionate obligation on the tenant is "zdánlivá" (seemingly existing) – it legally does not exist. It does not need to be canceled or disputed: it is simply void from the beginning. Classic examples include a notice period shorter than the statutory one, a ban on receiving guests, or a reduction of rights granted by law. Such a clause in the contract does not make it legal.

About automatic renewal: according to § 2285, if the tenant continues to use the apartment after the lease term expires, and the landlord does not demand its release in writing within 3 months, the lease is renewed for the same term – for a maximum of 2 years. This means the landlord's silence works in your favor.

Important note: this provision is dispositive – it can be excluded by contract. Therefore, before signing, check if the text states that § 2285 does not apply. If it does, there will be no automatic renewal after the lease term expires.

Disclaimer: this is market data, not the law. The state does not set rent prices – the figures below show what you will encounter on the market, and they change. Data from UlovDomov for Q1 2026, published on 04/28/2026.

Model apartment, CZK/month. Prague: 1+kk around 16,320, 2+kk around 23,870, 3+kk around 31,040. Brno: 1+kk 13,830, 2+kk 20,075, 3+kk 25,600. Ostrava: 1+kk 8,970, 2+kk 14,850, 3+kk 23,120. Pilsen: 1+kk 10,860, 2+kk 14,685, 3+kk 20,480. Per square meter, Prague is 544 CZK/m² for 1+kk, Brno – 461, Pilsen – 362, Ostrava – 299.

Year-over-year dynamics are more important than the absolute figure if you are planning a move. Ostrava is getting more expensive the fastest: 1+kk +18%, 3+kk +24% – meaning the "cheap city" is getting relatively cheaper quickly, but also rising the most sharply. Brno: 1+kk +13%, 3+kk +19%. Prague 1+kk +11%. The only decrease in the data is Pilsen 2+kk, -11%.

Remember that this is "net" rent: advances for services are additional. Source of figures – review at hypoindex.cz. Other indices use different methodologies and provide different averages – do not mix them in the same table.

The housing payment is divided into two parts (Act No. 67/2013 Coll.). Nájemné (rent) – the "net" rent, paid to the landlord. Zálohy na služby (advances for services) – separate advances for water, heat, elevator, cleaning, garbage collection. These are different things and must be itemized separately in the contract.

Once per billing period, the advances are reconciled with actual consumption – this is the vyúčtování (utility billing). The landlord is obliged to deliver it no later than 4 months after the end of the billing period (§ 7 para. 1). For financial settlement – payment of the difference or refund of an overpayment – the law allows a maximum of 4 months from the date of delivery of the vyúčtování.

If the landlord is late, you can agree on a penalty for delay – but its ceiling is 50 CZK for each commenced day. You cannot stipulate more in the contract, and this is the upper limit, not an automatic amount.

And separately about SIPO, because it's a constant misunderstanding: SIPO is a payment tool of the Czech Post that consolidates various regular payments into one item. It is a payment method, not a type of payment. Payment via SIPO does not change the structure of "rent + services" or the deadlines for vyúčtování.