Renting a home

Fixed-term lease (nájem na dobu určitou)

In Czech: Nájem na dobu určitou

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.

Also called: fixed-term tenancy, lease for a definite period, nájem na určito

What it means

A fixed-term lease (nájem na dobu určitou) has a set length agreed in advance, typically one or two years. The landlord can choose not to renew when the term ends, while the tenant knows the landlord cannot end it at will during the term. The opposite is an open-ended lease (nájem na dobu neurčitou), which lasts until someone gives notice or both sides agree to end it.

How it works in the Czech Republic

The term is written into the lease as a date or a length. Before it ends the parties usually agree on an extension through an amendment (dodatek) or a new contract. If they do not and the tenant stays, § 2285 of the Civil Code applies: if the tenant keeps using the flat for at least three months after the day the lease was meant to end and the landlord does not ask the tenant in writing to leave during that time, the lease is treated as renewed for the same period, but for no more than two years.

During the term the landlord can give notice only on the grounds in § 2288, with a three-month notice period, for example for a serious breach of the tenant's duties. The tenant can terminate a fixed-term lease if circumstances change substantially (§ 2287). Otherwise the usual route to an earlier end is agreement of both sides; whether the lease can end on other grounds, such as a serious breach by the landlord, is a question for a lawyer. The rules are described as of October 2026.

Practical example

For example, a lease runs from 1 September 2025 to 31 August 2026. The tenant stays and keeps paying, and the landlord says nothing. If the landlord does not ask the tenant in writing to leave by the end of November 2026, the lease renews by law for another year, the same length as before.

What to watch out for

  • Check whether the lease provides for extension and agree on it in writing before the term ends.
  • With very short contracts of a few months, expect to move or renegotiate more often.
  • A request to leave after the term ends must be in writing.
  • A renewal contract may come with a different rent, so read it in full.
  • If you need a stable address for a residence permit or school enrolment, think about the length of the lease in advance.

Frequently asked questions

Does a fixed-term lease renew automatically?

It can. If the tenant stays for at least three months after the end date and the landlord does not ask in writing for the flat to be vacated during that time, the lease renews for the same period, at most two years (§ 2285).

Can I leave a fixed-term lease early?

By agreement with the landlord at any time. Unilaterally mainly by notice when circumstances change substantially under § 2287 of the Civil Code; for other options, such as a particularly serious breach of duty by the landlord, check with a lawyer.

Can the landlord make me leave before the term ends?

Only by a notice based on the grounds in § 2288, stating the reason and explaining your right to object, or without a notice period for a particularly serious breach.

On Lovec-Realit.cz

  • Lease agreement (nájemní smlouva)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.
  • Notice period (výpovědní lhůta)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.
  • Rent (nájemné)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.
  • Inflation clause (inflační doložka)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.
  • Registering permanent residence in a rented home (trvalý pobyt)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.

Sources

Laws and official pages this text is based on (in Czech).

This text is for information only and has not yet been checked by a legal or financial expert. It is not legal, tax or financial advice. Verify important details in the listed sources or with a professional.

Updated 25 October 2026

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