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The cost of services for property rental contracts—such as fees for energy, water, and cleaning, for example—has increased by over one-third year on year in Czechia. To make matters worse, real estate experts warn that some landlords are adding charges to tenants’ rental payments that shouldn't be there. Tenants are urged to review their service fees regularly and request refunds for overpayments.
Huge increases across the board
At the beginning of this year, the average monthly fee for services related to renting an apartment increased by CZK 931, to a total of CZK 3,614, according to aggregated data from several real estate platforms. These fees typically cover water consumption, heating, cleaning, electricity in common areas, and elevator operation.
Data from real estate site UlovDomuv.cz suggests that gas costs have seen the largest increase at 46 percent, followed by water fees at 38 percent, and electricity at 31 percent. Real estate analysts attribute these rising costs to inflation, increased energy prices, and efforts by landlords to prevent payment arrears.
“In response to previous arrears, when some households underestimated their energy deposits, owners and management companies are increasing deposits to avoid high debts. This results in higher monthly service payments,” represenative of real estate website Ulovdomov.cz Robert Johnson explained.
A sneaky move from landlords?
Some landlords are unfairly including the costs of services in total rent payments—experts say that these bills should be separated. “The landlord should only demand payment for services that are associated with the use of the apartment and that the tenant uses. These services are also listed in the contract as services provided,” said František Brož, spokesman for real estate platform Bezrealitky.cz.
Industry experts emphasize that transparency is key. “Landlords should list rent and service deposits separately, clearly stating which services the deposits cover and for how many people they apply,” affirmed Hana Kontriš, manager of industry services at real estate platform Sreality.cz.
Unless a contract specifies otherwise, landlords must invoice the actual costs of services no later than four months after the end of the billing period, Brož stated. Tenants who overpay should receive refunds but noted that many avoid raising the issue to prevent conflicts with their landlords.
Service fees vary by region, with Prague having the highest average at approximately CZK 4,500 per month. In the Central Bohemian region, fees average CZK 3,800, while in the South Moravian region, they stand at CZK 3,100.
Including service and energy fees, the average rent in the Czech Republic, which was CZK 16,473 at the end of last year according to UlovDomov.cz, can further rise by nearly CZK 8,000.
Know your rights
Tenants can request an itemized breakdown of fees and, if discrepancies arise, seek legal recourse through contacting the national ombudsman or lawyers.
