Which Repairs Must a Tenant Carry Out from 2026 in the Czech Republic?

The Czech Civil Code divides the maintenance and repairs of an apartment (the same applies to a house rented for residential purposes) between the landlord and the tenant in such a way that the tenant carries out only routine maintenance and only minor repairs at their own expense. The rest of the maintenance to keep the apartment in a condition fit for use is the responsibility of the landlord. But what exactly is meant by routine maintenance and minor repairs?

The specific definition of these terms is left by Czech law to a government decree, which was amended effective January 1, 2026, after more than 10 years.

Routine Maintenance of the Apartment

First, let's look at routine maintenance. The decree defines this in two ways. The first definition states that routine maintenance means the upkeep and cleaning of the apartment, including its fixtures and equipment, which is usually carried out during the use of the apartment. This primarily includes:

• painting
• repair of plaster
• wallpapering and cleaning of floors, including floor coverings and wall tiles
• cleaning of clogged drains up to the vertical pipes

The use of the word "primarily" means that the above list is not exhaustive and its main purpose is to name the most common maintenance tasks to prevent disputes. However, the tenant is also obliged to carry out other routine maintenance tasks not listed, provided it is an act of maintaining and cleaning the apartment, its fixtures, and equipment that is usually carried out during the use of the apartment.

In addition, a second definition applies, according to which routine maintenance includes:

• keeping the apartment's equipment in working order
• checking the functionality of thermostatic valves with electronic control
• checking the functionality of smoke detectors, including replacing the power source
• checking and maintaining water faucets with electronic control
• regular inspections and cleaning of items listed in Section 4(g) and (h) of the decree

It is precisely in the regular inspections and cleaning of items that a change occurred from Jan 1, 2026. Previously, the decree only referred to Section 4(g), meaning the tenant had the obligation of regular inspections and cleaning for water outlets, odor traps, range hoods, extractor fans, mixer taps, showers, water heaters, bidets, washbasins, bathtubs, sinks, flushers, kitchen stoves, baking ovens, cookers, infrared heaters, kitchen cabinets, and built-in or attached wardrobes.

However, a reference to Section 4(h) was newly added, meaning that starting in 2026, the tenant must also carry out regular inspections and cleaning of solid fuel, gas, and electric stoves, flue pipes, floor heating boilers for electricity, liquid and gaseous fuels, shut-off and control valves, and control thermostats for floor heating.

In this respect, tenants in the Czech Republic have more obligations than before. It should be emphasized that routine maintenance tasks are not limited in terms of the costs the tenant incurs. The tenant is obliged to carry out all the above tasks regardless of how much it will cost.

Minor Repairs to the Apartment

In addition to routine maintenance, the tenant is also obliged to carry out minor repairs to the apartment and its internal equipment at their own expense. Here, the Czech decree uses a complicated structure, as it works with:

• a substantive definition of minor repairs
• a definition based on the cost of individual repairs
• an annual total cost limit for all repairs carried out

Substantive Definition of Minor Repairs

Within the substantive definition, the decree explicitly lists those repairs that are always considered minor, regardless of the cost required for the given repair. Specifically, these are:

• repairs of individual top layers of floors, repairs of floor coverings, and replacement of thresholds and skirting boards
• repairs of individual parts of doors and windows and their components, fittings, and handles, replacement of locks including electronic opening of the apartment entrance doors, and repairs of fittings, handles, roller blinds, and window blinds extending into the interior of the apartment
• repairs and replacement of electrical end devices and distribution devices, especially switches, sockets, circuit breakers, doorbells, intercoms, data network sockets, analog and digital TV signal sockets, and replacement of light sources in lighting fixtures, repairs of equipment for receiving satellite TV broadcasts, repairs of audiovisual equipment used for opening entrance doors to the house, repairs of control units and switches for ventilation, air conditioning, and central vacuum cleaners, repairs of electronic security systems and automatic motion detectors
• replacement of shut-off valves for gas distribution, except for the main apartment valve
• repairs and replacements of shut-off valves on water pipes, except for the main apartment valve, replacement of siphons and grease traps
• repairs and certification of apartment meters according to the Metrology Act or devices for allocating heating costs, and repairs and certification of hot and cold water meters, repairs of fire and smoke alarms, repairs of room temperature controllers in heating systems allowing individual temperature regulation
• repairs of water outlets, odor traps, range hoods, extractor fans, mixer taps, showers, water heaters, bidets, washbasins, bathtubs, sinks, flushers, kitchen stoves, baking ovens, cookers, infrared heaters, kitchen cabinets, and built-in or attached wardrobes
• repairs of solid fuel, gas, and electric stoves, flue pipes, floor heating boilers for electricity, liquid and gaseous fuels, flue pipes, shut-off and control valves, and control thermostats for floor heating; however, repairs of radiators and central heating distribution are not considered as such
• replacement of small components of the items listed in the previous two bullet points

Although the repairs listed here do not have a price limit per item, the overall annual limit on the cost of all minor repairs still applies, as explained below.

Definition of Minor Repairs Based on Cost

Following the substantive definition, the decree uses a definition based on the cost of individual repairs. This definition tells us that minor repairs also include repairs to the apartment and its equipment and replacements of individual items or their parts that are not listed in the substantive definition, provided that the cost of a single repair does not exceed 1,500 CZK. Transport costs are not included in this limit – these are always borne by the tenant. This is exactly where the change occurred – until the end of 2025, the limit for a single repair was 1,000 CZK.

It is important to note here that this limit does not apply to the repairs described above in the substantive definition.

On a positive note for tenants, if several repairs are carried out on the same item that are related and temporally follow one another, the decisive factor for assessing whether the repair still falls within the 1,500 CZK limit is the sum of the costs of the related repairs.

Annual Total Cost Limit for Minor Repairs

Finally, the decree sets an annual limit on the costs incurred by the tenant for minor repairs according to the substantive definition as well as for minor repairs up to 1,500 CZK. This limit is newly set at 150 CZK for each square meter of the apartment's floor area, whereas until the end of 2025, the limit was calculated at 100 CZK/m2. This is a significant increase. It is a combined limit that includes the costs of all minor repairs carried out by the tenant. Again, transport costs are not included in the limit. These are borne by the tenant.

Once the limit is reached in a given calendar year, further repairs are no longer considered minor repairs, even if they cost less than 1,500 CZK or fall under the substantive definition of minor repairs. Since the limit is per calendar year, its protective function will be weaker for leases that last only part of a given calendar year.

One final note: The annual limit does not apply to routine maintenance – that has no limit.

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Summary: Key Takeaways from the New 2026 Rules in Czechia?

🚩 Routine maintenance has no financial limit: The tenant always carries it out and pays for it regardless of the price. From Jan 1, 2026, this newly includes, for example, regular inspections and cleaning of solid fuel stoves or boilers.

🚩 The limit for a single minor repair has increased: If a repair is not explicitly listed in the decree, the tenant pays for it if the cost does not exceed 1,500 CZK (until the end of 2025, this was only 1,000 CZK).

🚩 The annual limit is newly 150 CZK/m²: In a single calendar year, the tenant pays a maximum total of 150 CZK for each square meter of the apartment's floor area for minor repairs (previously 100 CZK/m²). Anything above this annual limit is the responsibility of the landlord.

🚩 Transport is always paid by the tenant: The tradesman's travel expenses are not included in any limits (neither the single repair limit nor the annual one) and are always covered by the tenant.

Are You Dealing with a Tenancy Dispute in the Czech Republic?

Whether you are a tenant or a landlord, I will be happy to assist you in a dispute – be it related to repairs and maintenance, problems with lease termination, or the security deposit. I can attend to your matter today; contact me or view more information about my real estate services.