Czech tenants face rising rents and insecure leases as lawmakers call for reform

Rising rents and short-term rental contracts are making it increasingly difficult for tenants in Czechia to find stable housing, prompting calls for stronger legal protections and reforms to the country's rental market.

At the Senate Rental Housing Days conference on Thursday, Nov. 12, lawmakers and tenant representatives warned that while renting has become an increasingly important alternative to home ownership, many households continue to face uncertainty over costs and whether their leases will be renewed.

According to Eurostat data, rents in Czechia increased by approximately 50 percent between 2015 and 2025. The average advertised rent reached around CZK 400 per square meter in the third quarter of 2026, although prices vary significantly between regions.

Czechia has also recorded the fourth-highest increase in house prices relative to income in the European Union over the past decade, further limiting the ability of residents to move from renting into home ownership.

Lenka Veselá, president of the Association of Tenants, said rising rents, service charges, and energy costs are among the biggest concerns facing renters. However, she identified the widespread use of short-term rental agreements as another major source of insecurity.

Tenants may feel pressured to accept unfavorable conditions out of fear that their landlord will refuse to renew their contract, she warned.

A 2024 survey by the Ministry of Regional Development found that 46 percent of tenants had rental agreements lasting less than two years, while 45 percent held indefinite contracts.

Short-term agreements were particularly common among younger, lower-income residents living in major cities.

Veselá argued that indefinite rental agreements could benefit landlords as well as tenants by reducing the need to repeatedly find new occupants. She pointed to countries such as Germany, Denmark, and Sweden, where longer-term rental arrangements offer greater stability.

Senator Eva Rajchmanová of KDU-ČSL said housing legislation should balance the rights of landlords and tenants.

While property owners need effective ways to respond when tenants fail to meet their obligations, she argued that people who pay their rent and follow their agreements should also be able to rely on greater housing security.

Rajchmanová also called for changes to construction regulations to ensure that smaller developers and other housing providers are not disadvantaged compared with large investors.

Senator Hana Kordová Marvanová of SEN 21 argued that increasing construction alone would not solve the housing crisis if newly built apartments continued to serve primarily as investment properties rather than homes for residents.

She also suggested reconsidering tax incentives that can make