Buildings and property types

Semi-detached house (dvojdům)

In Czech: Dvojdům

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.

Also called: semi, duplex house, dvojdům, polovina dvojdomu

What it means

A semi-detached house (dvojdům) is two family houses built side by side and joined by one shared wall. The halves are often mirror images, each with its own entrance and usually its own garden, which is why listings offer 'half of a dvojdům' (polovina dvojdomu).

It is close to a terraced house, but you have only one neighbouring family. The key question for a buyer is how the pair is divided in terms of ownership, because that determines exactly what you are buying and how you share the common parts with your neighbour.

How it works in the Czech Republic

There are two possibilities. Either the dvojdům is two separate buildings, each with its own descriptive number on its own parcel; under the Civil Code the building is then part of the land, and you buy your half of the house together with your plot. Or it is one building divided into two units, where each unit includes its part of the house and a share in the common parts such as the roof, foundations and possibly the land.

In the second case the owners look after the common parts together. The law requires an owners' association (společenství vlastníků jednotek, SVJ) only in a building with at least five units, at least four of which belong to four different owners, so a two-unit dvojdům does not have to have one. It is sensible to agree rules on repairs and shared costs with your neighbour in writing.

The title deed (list vlastnictví) shows which case applies: either a separate parcel with a building on it, or a unit with a share in the common parts of the building.

Practical example

For example, a couple is buying half of a 1990s dvojdům. The title deed shows that the building is divided into two units and the land is co-owned by both owners according to their shares. Before signing, they ask the neighbour how roof and facade repairs have been split so far and clarify who uses which part of the garden.

What to watch out for

  • Check on the title deed whether you are buying a separate house with land or a unit.
  • For a unit, find out your share in the land and who uses which part of the garden.
  • Ask the neighbour about the condition of the shared wall, roof and utility connections.
  • If the building has two units, agree the rules for shared repairs in writing.

Frequently asked questions

Does a dvojdům split into two units need an SVJ?

Not by law. An SVJ is required where a building has at least five units and at least four of them belong to four different owners.

Do I get land with half of a dvojdům?

If your half is a separate building on its own parcel, it is part of that land. If the house is divided into units, it depends on whether the land belongs to the building; the title deed shows your share.

Is a dvojdům the same as an English 'duplex'?

Not always. In English, duplex can mean a two-level flat, which in Czech is a mezonet. A dvojdům is always two attached houses.

On Lovec-Realit.cz

  • Family house (rodinný dům)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.
  • Terraced house (řadový dům)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.
  • Owners' association (SVJ)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.
  • Residential unit (bytová jednotka)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.
  • Co-ownership share (spoluvlastnický podíl)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.
  • Title deed (list vlastnictví)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.

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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