How to Find and Rent an Apartment in Prague: A Guide for Foreigners

Sreality vs Bezrealitky: Choosing the Right Platform to Rent an Apartment in Prague

Finding long-term accommodation in Prague moves fast. Apartments in popular neighborhoods like Vinohrady, Karlín, and Letná frequently receive dozens of inquiries within hours of being listed.

For international residents, navigating the Czech rental market usually comes down to two major portals: Sreality.cz and Bezrealitky.cz. Each platform operates on a completely different business model, with distinct trade-offs in upfront fees, language support, and legal safety.

At a Glance: Sreality vs. Bezrealitky

Sreality.cz: The Broker-Managed Route

Sreality is the largest real estate portal in the Czech Republic. The vast majority of listings are managed by professional real estate agencies (realitní kanceláře).

Advantages

• English-Speaking Agents: Most commercial brokers in Prague can coordinate viewings, explain lease terms, and draft contracts in English.
• Organized Viewings: Agents schedule individual appointment slots and coordinate directly with building managers.
• Standard Handover Protocols: Agencies routinely provide official handover protocols (předávací protokol) documenting meter readings and initial apartment conditions.

Drawbacks

• Agency Commission (Provize): You must pay a one-time brokerage fee, standardly calculated as one month’s cold rent + 21% Czech VAT.
• High Initial Cash Outlay: Moving into an Sreality apartment requires paying the first month’s rent, a refundable security deposit (1–2 months), and the agency commission on day one.

Best For: Expats moving to Prague for the first time, busy professionals, or anyone relocating on a corporate budget who prioritizes convenience over saving on commission fees.

Bezrealitky.cz: The Direct-to-Owner Route

Bezrealitky (literally “without real estate agencies”) connects prospective tenants directly with property owners, cutting out broker commissions entirely.

Advantages

• Zero Agency Commission: You save thousands of crowns by dealing directly with the owner (majitel).
• Direct Communication: Maintenance requests, lease extensions, and house rules are negotiated directly with the person who owns the property.
• Integrated Contract Builder: The platform offers built-in digital lease templates vetted under the Czech Civil Code.

Drawbacks

• Paid Tenant Profile Required: To contact owners immediately when a listing goes live, tenants must purchase a Premium Profile (~799 CZK for 3 months). Free accounts face delays that make securing high-demand apartments difficult.
• Language Barrier: A substantial portion of private Czech landlords prefer communicating in Czech and may ignore inquiries written in English.
• High Competition: An attractive, reasonably priced apartment in Prague can receive 40+ messages within the first 3 hours.

Pro Tip for Bezrealitky: Never send a generic English message. Draft a polite introduction in Czech (using translation tools if needed) outlining your occupation, employment stability, non-smoking status, and planned lease duration.

The Financial Reality: Calculating Upfront Move-In Costs

When budgeting for a rental in Prague, separate the base rent (nájemné) from the service advances (poplatky za služby) and energy bills (elektřina a plyn).

Standard Move-In Cost Breakdown

• First Month’s Rent & Service Advances: Paid in advance prior to moving in.
• Refundable Security Deposit (Kauce): Landlords standardly request 1 to 2 months’ rent. Under the Czech Civil Code, the legal maximum deposit is 3 months’ rent.
• Building Utilities (Poplatky): Covers central heating, cold/hot water, trash removal, elevator maintenance, and common area lighting.
• Electricity & Gas (Přepis energií): Either billed as monthly advances (zálohy) to the landlord with an annual reconciliation (vyúčtování), or transferred into your name directly with utility providers like PRE or ČEZ.

Critical Expat Checklist Before Signing a Lease

1. Private Ownership vs. Housing Cooperatives (Osobní vs. Družstevní)

Always check the ownership structure in the listing:

• Personal Ownership (Osobní vlastnictví – OV): The landlord owns the unit outright and can legally lease it to you directly.
• Cooperative Housing (Družstevní vlastnictví – DB): The landlord owns a share in a cooperative, meaning your contract is technically a sublease (podnájem). Subleases require written permission from the cooperative board, offer weaker legal protections under Czech tenancy law, and complicate visa registrations.

2. Proof of Accommodation for Visa & Residency (Potvrzení o ubytování)

If you are a non-EU citizen or an EU citizen registering your stay with the Foreign Police / Ministry of the Interior (MOI / OAMP), you require proof of legal residence:

• Landlords must sign the official Proof of Accommodation form (Doklad o zajištění ubytování) with a notarized signature (ověřený podpis via Czech POINT), or
• You must submit a certified copy of your valid lease agreement along with proof of property ownership (Výpis z Katastru nemovitostí).
• Confirm that the landlord is willing to provide this signature before paying any reservation fees.

3. Insist on a Bilingual Contract

Czech courts and authorities only interpret the Czech language version of a contract in legal disputes. Always request a side-by-side Czech-English lease agreement so you understand payment due dates, notice periods (výpovědní lhůta), and deposit return terms.

Need Help Finding an Apartment & Settling In?

Finding an apartment in Prague as a foreigner shouldn’t mean endless rejections, language barriers, or confusing lease terms.

Through our trusted network of English-speaking real estate partners, Wise Expats helps you find and secure vetted rental properties across Prague. We handle the process from your initial search to move-in day:

• Curated Apartment Search: Direct access to expat-friendly listings matched to your budget and preferred neighborhood.
• English-Speaking Viewings: Seamless coordination and communication with landlords.
• Land Registry & Contract Review: Verification of property ownership in the Katastr nemovitostí to prevent illegal subleases.
• Visa & Residency Alignment: Ensuring your lease and Proof of Accommodation (Doklad o ubytování) meet strict Ministry of the Interior (MOI / OAMP) requirements.