Why landlords in Czechia can get away with almost anything—and how to fight back

Nearly half the rental disputes handled by Prague's main tenants' rights group involve foreign renters: there's a simple reason why. Czech tenant protections are among the weakest in Europe, and landlords know that expats are least likely to know their limited rights or fight back when those rights are violated.

Now, a new English-language, foreigner-friendly guide by an organization called the Tenants’ Initiative (in Czech, Iniciativa nájemníků a nájemnic, or simply INN) aims to level the playing field. Written by expats, some of whom who've been burned by the system, the new "How to Rent in Prague 101" handbook explains exactly why Czech tenants have so little power, and what foreigners can do about it.

Tenants' protection in Czechia is weak in general. “If you're not oriented in the legal system, plus don't speak the language, you'll naturally have a harder time,” explains Freia Böhm, organizer at INN.

This vulnerability is compounded by systemic shortcomings: in September 2024, the European Committee of Social Rights condemned the country for violating the European Social Charter, citing deficient housing policy, inadequate social housing, and discriminatory practices, particularly against the Roma community.

The problems start with contracts. In Czech law, every renewal of a fixed-term rental agreement is treated as a brand-new contract: meaning your rent and conditions can change completely each year. Unlike many European countries with rent control or tenant stability protections, Czech law gives landlords sweeping power to alter terms, the handbook explains.

"Landlords pretty much use tenants' lack of [legal] knowledge or rely on the fact that foreigners won't bother investing time and energy in their issues," Böhm tells Expats.cz.

The deposit system exemplifies the imbalance. While landlords routinely demand hefty security deposits, illegally withholding them is among the most common problems INN handles. Many non-native tenants simply write off stolen deposits rather than navigate Czech courts in a foreign language.

"If landlords want to withhold your deposit to pay for damages, they should be able to prove it was your responsibility as a tenant," the guide explains—but many non-Czechs don't know this basic rental protection exists.

When asked whether landlords discriminate against foreigners, Böhm is direct: "Whether it's more often unwillingness to deal with a language barrier and specific issues concerning residency, straight-up xenophobia, or other reasons, I cannot tell you."

She notes that discrimination varies based on "whether you're from the EU or not, whether you're white or not, and so on." But the underlying dynamic remains: landlords know foreigners are less likely to know their rights or pursue legal action.

"INN was founded by people renting and seeing that their problems, such as ever-rising rents and housing insecurity, are not only their own but a structural problem," Böhm explains.

The new guide tackles this information gap head-on, covering everything expats need to know about Czech rental law:

The guide even covers counterintuitive protections, like the right to demand rent reductions if living conditions deteriorate due to construction or noise.

Beyond individual tenant education, INN is pushing for systemic reforms. Their active petition calls for ending the chaining of short-term contracts, better market regulation, and tackling energy poverty.

"As a general rule for rental agreements: everything that is in a contract but in conflict with the law is, if it benefits the landlord, an invalid provision," the guide notes. However, enforcing this requires knowledge most expats lack.

The organization celebrates its third anniversary on Friday, Sept. 26, at Prague 3's Krenovka Center, welcoming anyone interested in joining the fight for stronger tenant rights.

For now, knowledge remains the best defense in a system designed to favor landlords. The guide aims to ensure that language barriers and unfamiliarity with Czech law no longer make expats such easy targets.

You can access the guide and join INN by filling out this form, or through the website, Instagram, and Facebook pages.