Czech real estate glossary

1+1 is a Czech flat layout with one habitable room and a separate kitchen behind its own door. It is a one-room flat with a kitchen, not a flat with a living room and a bedroom.

1+kk is a Czech flat layout with one habitable room that also contains a kitchenette (kk, kuchyňský kout). It is closest to a studio flat; the bathroom and hallway are not counted.

2+1 is a Czech flat with two habitable rooms and a separate kitchen. It usually means a living room, a bedroom and a closed kitchen, a layout common in older panel and brick buildings.

2+kk is a Czech flat with two habitable rooms, one of which has a kitchenette (kuchyňský kout). It usually means a living room with kitchen and one bedroom, so it is closer to a one-bedroom flat.

3+kk is a Czech flat with three habitable rooms, one of which includes a kitchenette (kuchyňský kout). It usually means a living room with kitchen plus two bedrooms, roughly a two-bedroom flat.

An access road (přístupová cesta) is the route from a public road or street to a plot or house. What matters is who owns it and on what basis you may use it, for example ownership, a co-ownership share or an easement.

Acquisition of ownership (nabytí vlastnického práva) is the moment a person becomes the owner of a property. When buying property recorded in the land register, it happens on entry in the register, not on signing or paying.

An agreement on a future purchase agreement (smlouva o smlouvě budoucí kupní) obliges the parties to sign a purchase agreement later on terms agreed now. It is used when a sale cannot be completed yet, for example for a flat under construction.

An American mortgage (americká hypotéka) is a non-purpose loan secured by a lien on property. The money can be used for anything, such as a car or paying off other debts, but your property serves as collateral.

In a Czech cooperative flat, the annuity (anuita) is the member's share of the loan the housing cooperative took out for the building, repaid in monthly payments to the cooperative and usually taken over by a buyer.

An apartment building (činžovní dům) is a multi-storey urban building with several flats, originally built to be let. Today it may belong to one owner who rents out the flats, or be divided into units with different owners.

Applicant creditworthiness (bonita) is a borrower's ability to repay a loan properly and on time. A bank assesses it from income, expenses, existing debts and payment history before deciding on a mortgage.

Appraised value (odhadní cena) is the value a valuer or court expert sets for a property for a specific purpose, most often for a bank granting a mortgage. It can differ from both the purchase price and market value.

Arable land (orná půda) is a land type in the Czech land register used for growing crops. It belongs to the agricultural land fund (ZPF), so building on it is possible only once the zoning plan allows it and ZPF rules are met.

Buildability of land (zastavitelnost pozemku) describes whether and how much you can build on a plot. No single document decides it: it combines the zoning plan, land type, protection zones, flood zones, access and utilities.

A building plot (stavební pozemek) is, under the Czech Building Act, a plot, part of a plot or a group of plots defined and designated for building. Whether you may really build on it depends mainly on the municipal zoning plan.

Built-up area (zastavěná plocha) is the part of a plot covered by a building, its footprint measured along the outside walls. It is used for houses and land and says nothing about indoor living space.

A buy-to-let flat (investiční byt) is a flat bought mainly to rent out or to preserve the value of money, not to live in. Its return depends on the price, rent, running costs, taxes and financing.

A cadastral area (katastrální území) is a defined part of a municipality's territory in which the Czech land register numbers its parcels. A plot is identified uniquely only by its parcel number together with its cadastral area.

A co-ownership share (spoluvlastnický podíl) expresses the extent to which a co-owner shares in the whole property, such as 1/2 or 1/4 of a house or plot. It is not a specific room or piece of land.

Cooperative ownership (družstevní vlastnictví, DV) is a misleading name: the buyer does not become owner of the flat but acquires a share in a housing cooperative, which carries the lease of the flat.

A development project (developerský projekt) is the construction or conversion of a residential building or group of buildings, planned and financed by a developer to sell or rent out flats, houses or other units.

Early mortgage repayment (předčasné splacení) means paying off all or part of a loan sooner than the repayment schedule says. The law allows it at any time, but the lender may claim reasonably incurred costs.

An easement (věcné břemeno) is a right of another person over a property that restricts its owner: they must tolerate something, refrain from something, or give or do something. It stays with the property when sold.

An electrical inspection (revize elektroinstalace) is a professional check of the wiring and electrical equipment in a flat or house. It ends with an inspection report (revizní zpráva) describing the installation and any defects found.

Energy class G (energetická třída G) is the lowest rating on the Czech energy certificate scale, meaning an exceptionally inefficient building. In an advert it can also appear simply because the agent never received a certificate.

PENB (průkaz energetické náročnosti budovy) is the Czech energy performance certificate. It rates how much energy a building or flat needs and places it in a class from A (exceptionally efficient) to G (exceptionally inefficient).

Enforcement against a property (exekuce) is the forced recovery of a debt in which a court bailiff targets the debtor's house, flat or land. Once it starts, the owner may not freely dispose of the property, and it may be sold.

Entry into the land register (vklad do katastru nemovitostí) is the registration of ownership or another property right in the land register based on a contract. Only this entry makes the buyer the owner, with effect from the day of filing.

Estate agent commission (provize realitní kanceláře) is the fee an estate agency earns for arranging the sale or purchase of a property. Czech law does not set the amount, but the written brokerage contract must state it or how it is determined.

A family house (rodinný dům) is a building intended mainly for one or a few households, either detached or attached to neighbouring houses. It is usually sold together with the land, of which the building is legally a part.

A fixed-term lease (nájem na dobu určitou) is a lease agreed until a specific date or for a set number of months or years. It ends when the term expires unless the parties extend it or it renews under the law.

A flood zone (záplavové území) is an officially defined area that may be flooded in a flood. It is set by the regional authority through a general measure, and statutory restrictions apply in its active zone, for example to building.

Floor area (podlahová plocha) is the floor surface of the rooms of a flat or house, measured inside between the walls. What advertisers include varies, so always ask how it was measured.

Gross rental yield (hrubý výnos) is the annual rent divided by the purchase price, expressed as a percentage. It ignores all costs, so it is mainly a quick first filter for comparing listings.

A handover protocol (předávací protokol) is a written record of handing a property over to a new owner or tenant. It notes the date, the condition of the flat or house, meter readings, keys and documents handed over and any defects.

A heat pump (tepelné čerpadlo) heats a home, and often its water, by taking heat from the outside air, the ground or water and moving it indoors using electricity. How well it works depends on its design and on the house's insulation.

A housing cooperative (bytové družstvo) is a legal entity under the Czech Business Corporations Act that owns residential buildings and provides housing to its members, who hold shares and rent the flats.

An inflation clause (inflační doložka) is a lease term under which the rent rises every year, usually by the rate of inflation. Czech law does not use this name; it speaks of an agreed annual rent increase.

Insolvency (insolvence) is a situation in which a debtor cannot meet their obligations. During insolvency proceedings the debtor must refrain from significant dealings with their assets, so selling their property follows special rules.

The interest rate (úroková sazba) is the price of borrowed money, stated as a yearly percentage. On a mortgage it sets how much of each payment goes to interest and is either fixed for a period or variable.

The land register (katastr nemovitostí) is the Czech public register of land, buildings and units and of the rights attached to them, such as ownership, mortgages and easements. It is run by ČÚZK through regional cadastral offices.

Latent defects (skryté vady) are faults in a property that could not normally be spotted at the viewing or handover, such as damp in the walls or damaged pipes. For buildings, the law links them to a five-year period from acquisition.

A lease agreement (nájemní smlouva) is the contract under which a landlord lets a flat or house to a tenant for temporary use in exchange for rent. Residential leases in Czechia are governed by the Civil Code.

Legal defects of a property (právní vady nemovitosti) are third-party rights or other legal restrictions that stop the buyer from freely using or disposing of it, such as a lien, easement, lease, enforcement or ownership dispute.

A lien (zástavní právo) secures a debt: if the debtor does not pay, the creditor can be satisfied from the pledged property. On a property in the land register it arises by entry and stays with the property when it changes hands.

A lifetime right of residence (věcné břemeno dožití) is the common name for a person's right to live for life in a flat or house owned by someone else. It is usually set up as a servitude of a flat or of use and ends on that person's death.

Living area (obytná plocha) is the area of the rooms used for living, such as the living room and bedrooms, sometimes also the kitchen. Bathrooms, hallways and storage are usually left out.

A loft is an open living or working space with high ceilings, typically created by converting a factory, warehouse or other industrial building. It tends to have large windows, exposed structures and often a gallery.

LTV (loan-to-value) is the ratio of the loan amount to the value of the collateral, i.e. the pledged property. It decides how much of a purchase a mortgage can cover and how much you must pay yourself.

A maisonette (mezonet) is a flat on two levels connected by its own internal staircase. It is usually found on the top floors of a building or in an attic and separates the living area from the bedrooms.

Market value (tržní cena) is the amount a property would most likely sell for at a given time and place, between a buyer and a seller acting freely and without pressure.

A mortgage (hypotéka) is a long-term housing loan secured by a lien on a property. The borrower repays it in regular monthly instalments, usually over many years.

Mortgage rate fixation (fixace) is the period during which the interest rate on a loan stays the same. When it ends, the bank offers a new rate and the borrower decides whether to stay, refinance or repay part.

Mortgage refinancing (refinancování) means paying off your existing mortgage with a new loan, usually from another bank on better terms. It is typically done when the fixed-rate period ends.

Net rental yield (čistý výnos) is the annual rent minus the owner's costs, divided by the total purchase cost including transaction costs. It shows a more realistic return than gross yield.

A new build (novostavba) is a newly built flat or house that nobody has lived in yet, whether finished or still under construction. Advertisers differ on how old a building can be and still be called a new build.

Non-residential premises (nebytový prostor) are rooms not intended for living, such as an office, shop, storage room, garage or workshop. What the space may be used for depends mainly on its occupancy approval.

A notice period (výpovědní lhůta, legally výpovědní doba) is the period after which a lease ends once notice has been given. It starts on the first day of the month after delivery; for an open-ended lease of real estate it is three months.

Occupancy approval (kolaudace) is the procedure in which the building office allows a finished building to be used. Where Building Act No. 283/2021 Sb. requires it, it ends with an occupancy decision, without which the building may not be used.

An online property auction (aukce) is a commercial way of selling, usually online, in which bidders raise their offers and the highest one gets the chance to buy. It need not be a public auction under the law; the organiser sets the rules.

An owners' association (SVJ, společenství vlastníků jednotek) is a legal entity that flat owners set up to manage the building and its land. It must be formed in a building with at least five units, at least four of them owned by four different owners.

A parcel number (parcelní číslo) is the number under which the Czech land register records a specific plot within a cadastral area. There are building parcels marked st. and land parcels, often split with a slash, such as 512/3.

Personal ownership (osobní vlastnictví, OV) means the buyer becomes the registered owner of the flat or house in the Czech land register, with the right to sell, rent out or mortgage it.

A plomba in the land register is the informal name for a note that proceedings affecting the registered rights are under way, typically an entry after a sale. The law calls it marking that the rights are affected by a change.

Price per square metre (cena za m²) is a property's asking or sale price divided by its area. It helps compare flats of different sizes, but only if the same type of area is used for each listing.

A property auction (dražba) is a legally regulated public sale in which the highest bid wins the property. It can be held, for example, as a public auction under the Public Auctions Act or as an auction within enforcement proceedings.

A property valuation (odhad nemovitosti) is an assessment of a flat, house or plot that a bank relies on when deciding on a mortgage. It is used to set the collateral value and thus how much the bank will lend.

A purchase agreement (kupní smlouva) is the written contract in which the seller undertakes to transfer ownership of a property to the buyer and the buyer undertakes to pay the price. Ownership passes only on entry into the land register.

The purchase price (kupní cena) is the amount the buyer pays the seller for a property, as agreed in the purchase agreement. The price in a listing is only an offer; what counts is the figure in the contract and what it includes.

Purchase price escrow (úschova kupní ceny) means the buyer deposits the money for a property with a lawyer, notary or bank, who pays it to the seller only when agreed conditions are met, usually once the buyer is in the land register.

Registering permanent residence (trvalý pobyt) in a rented home means recording the rented flat as your official address. The address is for records only and gives no right to the property.

Renovation (rekonstrukce) means repairing or modernising a flat or house by renewing parts of it, such as wiring, plumbing, the bathroom, windows or roof. In Czech listings the word can cover anything from new floors to a full rebuild.

Rent (nájemné) is the regular payment a tenant makes to the landlord for the use of a flat or house. Charges for services such as heating or water are usually added separately as monthly advances.

A rental deposit (kauce, legally jistota) is a sum the tenant pays the landlord to secure the rent and other obligations under the lease. It is returned when the lease ends, minus any debts from the lease.

Rental yield (výnos z pronájmu) shows what percentage of a property's price the rent returns each year. Gross yield uses the rent only; net yield first subtracts the owner's costs.

A reservation agreement (rezervační smlouva) is a contract in which a buyer pays a reservation fee and the seller or estate agency agrees not to offer the property to anyone else for a set period. It does not transfer ownership.

A residential unit (bytová jednotka) is a flat as a spatially separate part of a building together with a share in the building's common parts. It is the usual form of owning a flat in Czechia and is recorded in the land register.

Return on investment (ROI, návratnost investice) shows the percentage profit made on the money put into a property. In Czech, návratnost can also mean the number of years it takes rent to pay back the investment.

A right of pre-emption (předkupní právo) gives a particular person priority when a property is sold: an owner who wants to sell must first offer it to them. It can arise by law or be agreed in a contract.

RPSN (roční procentní sazba nákladů) is the Czech annual percentage rate of charge: the total cost of a consumer loan expressed as a yearly percentage of the loan amount, including fees, not just interest.

A semi-detached house (dvojdům) is a pair of family houses joined by one shared wall, often mirror images of each other. Each half can be a separate building on its own plot or a unit in one divided building.

Service charge advances (zálohy na služby) are monthly payments a tenant makes on top of rent for heating, water, the lift, cleaning of common areas and similar services. They are settled after each billing period.

A service charge settlement (vyúčtování služeb) is the statement in which the provider compares the advances paid for a billing period with the actual costs of heating, water and other services. The result is a refund or a balance to pay.

A servitude (služebnost) is a type of easement under which the owner of a property must tolerate something or refrain from something for another's benefit, such as a path across the land or another person living in the house.

A solar PV system (fotovoltaická elektrárna, FVE) turns sunlight into electricity for a home. It consists of panels, an inverter and sometimes a battery; when buying a house you need to know who owns it and which contracts relate to it.

Structural stability (statika budovy) describes how a building's load-bearing parts, its foundations, walls, floors and roof frame, carry loads. Structural defects show up as cracks or sagging ceilings and are assessed by a structural engineer.

A studio flat (garsoniéra) is the smallest type of self-contained flat: one living room with a kitchenette or small kitchen and its own bathroom and toilet. Czech listings usually label it 1+kk or 1+0.

A studio unit (ateliér) is a space originally intended for creative or professional work, often in an attic or a former workshop. It may be advertised much like a flat, yet the land register and occupancy approval may not treat it as one.

A sublease agreement (podnájemní smlouva) is a contract in which a tenant lets the flat, or part of it, to another person, the subtenant. The subtenant has a contract with the tenant, not with the owner.

A terraced house (řadový dům) is a family house forming part of a continuous row of similar houses and sharing one or two side walls with its neighbours. It usually has its own entrance, its own plot and a smaller garden.

Thermal insulation (tepelná izolace) is a material or layer that limits heat loss through a building's walls, roof and floors. An insulated house needs less energy for heating, which can show as a better class in its PENB.

A title deed (list vlastnictví, LV) is the land register sheet that shows, for one cadastral area, who owns which properties and what burdens them, such as mortgages, easements or a pending change of ownership.

Total area (celková plocha) is the headline size figure in a Czech listing. Depending on the advertiser it may cover only the flat or also a balcony, terrace, cellar or front garden.

Transfer to personal ownership (převod do osobního vlastnictví) is the process in which a housing cooperative transfers a flat to its member, who then becomes the registered owner of the unit instead of a tenant.

An unauthorised building (černá stavba) is a colloquial term for a building or part of one built without the required permit or contrary to it. The building office can order its removal, so check the documents before you buy.

Usable area (užitná plocha) is the area of all spaces in a flat or house that can be used, including rooms and ancillary spaces such as bathroom, hallway or storage. What is included varies.

Utility connections (inženýrské sítě) are the water, sewer, electricity, gas and telecom networks that buildings connect to. Under the Czech Civil Code they are not part of the land, so they usually belong to the network operator, not the landowner.

Waterproofing (hydroizolace) is a layer or treatment that stops water and ground moisture getting into walls, floors, cellars and the roof. Where it is missing or worn out, you get damp, mould and crumbling plaster.

A zoning plan (územní plán) is a municipality's main planning document. It sets where building is allowed, what each area may be used for and which conditions apply to development, so it is worth checking before buying land or a house.