Finding the right place to live is an important part of your smooth relocation aim. Not only is your housing a fundamental necessity, but it also affects your working and personal adjustment. Everyone is happiest and most productive in comfortable surroundings.
Housing arrangements can sometimes be completed before your arrival. Some employees wait until they arrive in the Czech Republic to look for a place to live.
On-Campus Housing
Housing is one of the most expensive items in your budget. CZU offers on-campus housing, which is less expensive and more convenient than off-campus housing. However, the Residence halls or dormitories are in high demand, and capacity is reached each semester very quickly.
For more information about our Residence Halls, visit www.kam.czu.cz
Off-Campus Housing
Despite it being more expensive, most of our international employees prefer the independence of living in private apartments in Prague. Types of accommodations include furnished and unfurnished apartments and houses, flatshare rooms, and rented rooms in private homes. Making arrangements for an apartment can often be challenging. While looking for your accommodation, consider available transportation, gas, electricity, internet and telephone services. These are known as "utilities“ and you pay some utility fees (poplatky), which usually are not included in the rent and must be paid by you each month. You must make arrangements with the utility companies.
Please contact our Welcome Centre for assistance.
Tips for Apartment Seekers
Take your time – giving yourself some time to find the right place is the best way to feel the city’s different vibes and to be able to choose the neighbourhood which suits you the most for the rest of your stay.
Read any lease carefully – The minimum information a lease or rental agreement should include is the rental rate, required deposit, the method of payment, length of occupancy, apartment rules, and termination requirements. There are several ways to put an end to a lease contract, but there are some rules to follow.
Termination of a lease
- The set period of the lease is expired.
- Both the tenant and the owner agree to put an end to the contract, which can happen at any time. Thereupon, a written agreement has to be signed by both parties.
- If it is the tenant's decision to terminate the lease, then he/she must inform the landlord. This written termination notice must mention the date of termination of the lease; the notice period must not be shorter than 3 months and must terminate at the end of the calendar month. The notice period starts on the first day of the month, after which it was sent. No special reason needs to be stated in the notice letter. Deliver it in person and ask the landlord to sign and date a copy for your records or send it by certified mail.
- if the landlord wishes to terminate his/her tenant's lease, he/she can only do it under special circumstances, and it requires the consent of the court. You will find a list of the specific reasons in the Article 711a of the Civil Code.
Deposits
In a lease or rental agreement, a landlord cannot require a non-refundable cleaning or security deposit. A security deposit is often required, but a landlord may keep only those parts of cleaning and security deposits needed to repair damage caused by the tenant, to clean the premises, or to make up for unpaid rent. The landlord must return the refundable part of the deposit within 4 weeks of the time you vacate an apartment. Deductions from the deposit must be itemized in writing. If you pay a deposit to a landlord to hold an apartment, and then you change your mind about moving in, you are not entitled to receive that money back unless it was agreed upon in writing at the time you paid it.
Home, Personal Property, and Liability Insurance
These types of insurance can cover your house against fire, natural disasters, or flood damage, also your belongings, such as furniture, clothing, sporting goods, or electronics, in the event of a covered loss – whether they get damaged at your home, apartment, or anywhere in the world. Landlords often require tenants to have their own personal property and liability insurance.
Selected insurance providers:
Slavia pojišťovna - House, Household and Liability Insurance https://www.slavia-pojistovna.cz/en/people/flat-house-household/
Maxima Pojistovna - Property and liability insurance https://www.maximapojistovna.cz/en/property-and-liability/household-insurance
Allianz – Propery, liability, travel, and life insurance www.allianz.cz
Generali Česká pojišťovna – Property, liability, travel and life insurance www.generaliceska.cz
Kooperativa - Property, liability, travel and life insurance www.koop.cz
Pojišťovna VZP a.s - Property and household insurance and common civil liability https://www.pvzp.cz/en/products/citizens-insurance/
Some questions you may want to ask before signing a lease contract include:
- Amount of rent? What is included in the rent? (gas, electricity, water, internet)
- When and how must rent be paid each month?
- Are you allowed to sublet?
- If roommates share the apartment, who is responsible if one should leave?
- Under what conditions is the security deposit refundable?
- What is the length of occupancy? What is the landlord’s right of entry?
- What are the rules concerning pets?
All rental agreements should be in writing. Most leases are written in the Czech language.
Please contact our Welcome Centre for assistance.
Finding A Place To Live
Prague is divided into several municipal districts. You might be interested in living in one or another depending on your criteria (prices, atmosphere, facilities, schools…). They each come with distinctive features. The closest ones to CZU are Prague 5,6,7, and Prague 1 and 2, located in the city centre. However, Prague‘s public transportation services are one of the best in the world, and CZU is easily reachable from any district.
Praha 1: Stare město, Mala Strana, Hradcany
Praha 2: Vinohrady, Nové město
Praha 3: Žizkov, Vinohrady
Praha 4: Nusle, Podolí, Braník, Krč, Michle
Praha 5: Smíchov, Košíře, Motol, Radlice
Praha 6: Dejvice, Střešovice, Vokovice, Liboc, Ruzyně, Suchdol = CZU
Praha 7: Holešovice, Bubeneč
In addition, you may also look at CZU’s close vicinity area – Unětice and Roztoky, where our international employees found their homes.
Where to search
Websites:
- sreality.cz - the most popular real estate and property search engine. It is the largest advertising space for individual advertisers to place offers. It offers a comprehensive list of other servers. (Czech and English)
- Bezrealitky.cz – property for sale without commission (only in Czech)
- RealityMix.cz – listings from private individuals and real estate agents (only in Czech)
- Real City – listings from private individuals and real estate agents (Czech and English)
- Bazoš.cz – listings from private individuals and real estate agents (Czech and English)
- www.expats.cz
- Albertov rental apartments - apartments in the centre of Prague, available for days, weeks, months or years. The apartments are fully furnished with park landscaping, reception and 24/7 emergency service.
Real Estate Agencies
www.engelvoelkers.com/cs-cz/praha
Facebook is a real goldmine if you have time to search for groups like
- Flatshare in Prague
- Apartments for rent in Prague
- Flat Rent Prague
- https://cs-cz.facebook.com/UlovDomov/
- Flatshare in Prague and Flat Rentals with No Commission
- Prague Accommodation: Flats for Rent
MS Teams
CZU Welcome Centre selects some apartments which may match your criteria. We post it on the Accommodation and Furniture offers a channel of our Teams group. Please contact our CZU Welcome Centre for more information.
Short Term Rentals
- www.booking.com
- www.tripadvisor.com
- www.vrbo.com
- www.internationalprague.cz/ - Hotel International is about 15 minutes away by public transportation from the University