Repairs - Small and big ones.
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When you move into a new apartment, everything usually looks perfect. But after a few months, a faucet starts leaking, the boiler stops heating, or a crack appears in the wall. Who should pay for the fix? In the Czech Republic, the law distinguishes between "routine maintenance and minor repairs," which are the tenant's responsibility, and "major repairs," which fall on the landlord. Understanding this boundary is key to a peaceful relationship with your property owner.
## Minor Repairs: The Tenant’s Responsibility
The definition of what constitutes a "minor repair" is not left to the landlord's imagination. It is strictly defined by Government Decree No. 308/2015 Coll. Generally, these are repairs related to the everyday use of the apartment that do not require structural changes.
### 1. Repairs by Type
The decree lists specific items that the tenant must always pay for. These include:
* **Floors and Windows:** Repairing floor coverings, cleaning windows, and replacing small parts of window/door hardware (handles, locks).
* **Water and Gas:** Replacing shower hoses, faucets, siphons, and toilet seats.
* **Electricity:** Replacing light bulbs, fuses, and damaged switches or sockets.
* **Heating:** Cleaning and venting radiators, and checking the functionality of thermostats.
Generally, you can imagine it all as: What is on wall is mine reposibility, all behind wall including the wall itself is landlords.
### 2. The Financial Limit
Even if a repair isn't specifically listed in the decree, it is considered "minor" if the cost does not exceed **1,500 CZK** per individual repair. However, there is also an annual cap: the total sum of all minor repairs in a calendar year must not exceed **150 CZK per square meter** of the apartment's floor area. Once you hit this limit, any further repairs—even small ones—become the landlord's responsibility. To repairs, the transport does not count in - so if you have - Transport on invoice, you have to extract that.
## Major Repairs: The Landlord’s Duty
Anything that goes beyond "minor" is considered a major repair. This typically involves the building's infrastructure or expensive equipment provided with the apartment.
Common examples include:
* Replacing a broken boiler or water heater.
* Repairing structural elements (leaking roof, cracked walls).
* Replacing old electrical wiring or rising water pipes (stupačky).
* Fixing large appliances (fridge, washing machine) if they were part of the lease and the repair cost exceeds the 1,500 CZK limit.
## How to Report and Enforce Repairs
If a major defect occurs, you cannot simply stop paying rent or fix it yourself and deduct it from the next payment without following the legal procedure.
### 1. Reporting the Issue
You must notify the landlord "without undue delay." We strongly recommend doing this in writing (email or registered letter) so you have a paper trail. Describe the defect clearly and, if possible, attach photos.
### 2. Setting a Deadline
In your notification, request that the landlord fix the issue within a "reasonable period." For a broken heater in winter, this might be 24 hours; for a cracked tile, it might be weeks.
### 3. What if the Landlord is Silent?
If the landlord fails to act within a reasonable time:
* **Self-help:** You can perform the repair yourself and demand reimbursement. However, you must notify the landlord in advance that you intend to do this. You must claim the costs within six months of the repair, otherwise, your right to reimbursement expires.
* **Rent Discount:** If the defect significantly limits your use of the apartment (e.g., the shower doesn't work at all), you are entitled to a reasonable discount on the rent until the repair is completed.
**A final tip:** Always check your contract. While the law protects the tenant as the "weaker party," some contracts try to shift more responsibility onto the tenant. If a clause in your contract contradicts the Government Decree by making you pay for a new 30,000 CZK boiler, that clause is likely void and unenforceable.