Renting a home

Rent (nájemné)

In Czech: 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.

Also called: monthly rent, nájem, nájemné

What it means

Rent (nájemné) is the price for being allowed to use the flat. Czech listings often show a figure such as nájemné + služby (rent plus services) or nájem včetně poplatků (rent including charges), so it matters how much of the monthly payment is rent and how much are service advances (zálohy na služby). Advances are settled once a year against real costs; rent is not, it is a fixed amount set in the lease.

How it works in the Czech Republic

The rent and the way of paying it, usually a bank transfer, are agreed in the lease. The lease may also provide for an annual rent increase, which § 2248 of the Civil Code expressly allows, for example in line with inflation.

If the lease neither provides for nor excludes increases, the landlord may propose in writing a rise up to the comparable rent usual in the area, provided that this rise together with increases over the last three years does not exceed 20 % (§ 2249). If the tenant agrees, the new rent applies from the third calendar month after the proposal was delivered; if not, the landlord may ask a court within three months to set the rent. This is the rule as of October 2026.

For a landlord, rent is income under § 9 of the Income Tax Act. According to the Czech tax administration (Finanční správa), for the 2025 tax period a landlord could claim flat-rate expenses of 30 % of the income, up to CZK 600,000, or actual expenses instead, and the chosen method cannot be changed retroactively.

Practical example

For example, a listing says CZK 22,000 a month including charges. The lease then states rent of CZK 18,000 and service advances of CZK 4,000. The annual settlement can change only the service part; the rent stays at CZK 18,000 until it is raised under the lease or the law.

What to watch out for

  • Ask for rent and service advances to be listed separately in the lease.
  • Check whether and how the lease allows the rent to be increased.
  • Pay by bank transfer with a clear payment reference so you have proof.
  • A proposal to raise rent under § 2249 must be in writing.
  • If you let a flat, rental income belongs in your Czech tax return.

Frequently asked questions

Can my landlord raise the rent if the lease says nothing about it?

The landlord can propose in writing an increase up to the comparable rent usual in the area, as long as it does not exceed 20 % together with increases over the past three years. If you do not agree, the landlord may ask a court within three months to set the rent.

Is rent the same as service charges?

No. Rent is a fixed payment for using the flat, while service advances are settled once a year against actual costs.

How is rental income taxed in Czechia?

Under § 9 of the Income Tax Act. For 2025, landlords could claim either 30 % flat-rate expenses, capped at CZK 600,000, or their actual expenses.

On Lovec-Realit.cz

  • Service charge advances (zálohy na služby)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.
  • 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.
  • Rental deposit (kauce, jistota)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.
  • 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.
  • Rental yield (výnos z pronájmu)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.
  • Buy-to-let flat (investiční byt)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.

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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