Housing and moving

If you do not have housing yet

First, do not panic: Czechia has a support network for people left without a roof. The first step is the KACPU help centre in your region (the list is on ipc.gov.cz); it can point to current overnight options, and there is also the temporary protection information line: +420 974 801 802 (Mon–Thu 8:00–16:00, Fri 8:00–14:00). Addresses and opening hours of centres change, so check the page of the specific centre before travelling.

Then look for a temporary solution: NGOs, municipalities, churches and volunteer networks in Prague and elsewhere often offer a bed for a few weeks. Hostels and short lets are costlier but give you time to find a permanent place.

What to avoid: advance payments to strangers on a messenger without a contract and a viewing; "housing in exchange for services" where the host demands unpaid work; leaving your passport original as a deposit. An ad saying "very cheap, urgent, money first" is almost certainly a scam.

Tip: keep a simple list — date, address, contact, what was promised. If someone threatens you or holds your belongings or documents, call 158 (police) or 112.

State humanitarian accommodation: the 90-day limit

State humanitarian accommodation is temporary housing organised by the state for people with temporary protection. From 1 September 2024 it is limited to a maximum of 90 days, counted from the day temporary protection was first granted. The limit applies to all categories, including vulnerable persons; special conditions for vulnerable persons were abolished.

For those who had already stayed in such housing for 90 days or more as of 31 August 2024, free accommodation ended from 1 September 2024: either leave or pay under an ordinary contract. The whole period of free stay before that date counts toward the 90 days (citing Act No. 454/2023 Sb., Art. II).

What this means in practice for new arrivals: you may have up to three months to find your own housing. Do not wait for the last week: the rental market in Prague is tight and a search can take weeks. Start from the first week — check prices, talk to landlords, gather documents.

How many days exactly remain and whether you are entitled to accommodation is decided by the competent authorities; ipc.gov.cz notes that the page contains preliminary information and will be updated. See the Interior Ministry contacts page for where to turn.

Tip: ask the accommodation coordinator what happens after 90 days and whether help with finding a rental is available (help centres sometimes assist with contacts).

Finding a rental: where to look and how to avoid scams

Renting in Prague is expensive, so widen your search: neighbouring districts with a metro, tram or train link are often substantially cheaper, and PID fares usually cost less than the rent difference. A room in a shared flat (spolubydlení) also suits the first period.

Where to look: the large Czech rental ad portals (there are several in practice), social media groups, your help centre or ICP, acquaintances, Czech and Ukrainian communities. "Pronájem" means a lease, "podnájem" a sublease, "družstevní" a cooperative flat.

Scam red flags: the owner is "abroad" and asks you to transfer money for keys; the price is several times below the market; refusal to show the flat in person; pressure like "five more people want it"; demands for a deposit to someone else's account; reluctance to sign a contract.

What to do before signing: view the flat in person (or through a trusted acquaintance), check that the person in the contract is the owner or has a power of attorney, ask what the price includes (utilities, internet). Ask for photos of the meters and a description of the flat's condition.

Tip: take a Czech-speaking friend, or ask a help centre to read the contract. A little time for careful reading saves months of trouble.

The lease and the deposit (kauce)

A lease should be written and contain: the parties (landlord and tenant), the address and description of the property, the rent, separately the advance payments for utilities, the term (indefinite or fixed), how and when the deposit is returned, and termination rules. Read it all; if you do not understand, do not sign.

The deposit (kauce, jistota). The landlord often asks for a deposit securing payment of debts or damages. The law limits the deposit; check the exact limit on portal.gov.cz or with a help centre's advice service — no figure is given here because it has not been checked against an official source today. The deposit is returned at the end of the tenancy, with lawful deductions only.

The handover protocol (předávací protokol). The most important paper: it records the flat's condition, meter readings and keys. Photograph every room and the meters on move-in day and keep the photos. It helps when "damages" are claimed.

Typical mistakes: paying cash without a receipt; paying "on the side" without a contract; registering at someone else's address. Sign only what you understand.

Tip: make all payments by bank transfer with a note ("nájem 12/2026") — it is your proof. Demand the contract before paying the deposit, not after.

Prepare proper proof of accommodation

For many Interior Ministry procedures — long-term visas, residence permits, change of address — proof of accommodation is needed. According to the Ministry's official page it can take one of these forms: - a confirmation of accommodation (potvrzení o zajištění ubytování) on a special form from the owner or an authorised person; - a lease or sublease agreement; - proof of ownership (a cadastre extract or a declaration of ownership).

Signature requirements: the owner's signature on the confirmation must be officially certified (notary, post office, Czech POINT), unless they sign in front of a Ministry employee. A lease signed by both parties does not need certification; submit an original or a certified copy (submitted documents are not returned, so certified copies are handy).

If you are not the owner but a tenant hosting a guest, add a document linking the tenant to the owner (a lease, power of attorney, cooperative consent). For cooperative housing, proof of membership. Family members living with the owner do not need separate consent but must prove the relationship (marriage or birth certificate).

Electronic submission: the owner can send the confirmation from their data box, or by e-mail with a qualified electronic signature. Send only after receiving the application's registration number and quote it.

Tip: ask the owner to prepare the confirmation before the visit. A dispute with the owner over the signature is among the most common reasons for refusal.

State humanitarian accommodation: the 90-day limit

State humanitarian accommodation is temporary housing organised by the state for people with temporary protection. From 1 September 2024 it is limited to a maximum of 90 days, counted from the day temporary protection was first granted. The limit applies to all categories, including vulnerable persons; special conditions for vulnerable persons were abolished.

For those who had already stayed in such housing for 90 days or more as of 31 August 2024, free accommodation ended from 1 September 2024: either leave or pay under an ordinary contract. The whole period of free stay before that date counts toward the 90 days (citing Act No. 454/2023 Sb., Art. II).

What this means in practice for new arrivals: you may have up to three months to find your own housing. Do not wait for the last week: the rental market in Prague is tight and a search can take weeks. Start from the first week — check prices, talk to landlords, gather documents.

How many days exactly remain and whether you are entitled to accommodation is decided by the competent authorities; ipc.gov.cz notes that the page contains preliminary information and will be updated. See the Interior Ministry contacts page for where to turn.

Tip: ask the accommodation coordinator what happens after 90 days and whether help with finding a rental is available (help centres sometimes assist with contacts).

Finding a rental: where to look and how to avoid scams

Renting in Prague is expensive, so widen your search: neighbouring districts with a metro, tram or train link are often substantially cheaper, and PID fares usually cost less than the rent difference. A room in a shared flat (spolubydlení) also suits the first period.

Where to look: the large Czech rental ad portals (there are several in practice), social media groups, your help centre or ICP, acquaintances, Czech and Ukrainian communities. "Pronájem" means a lease, "podnájem" a sublease, "družstevní" a cooperative flat.

Scam red flags: the owner is "abroad" and asks you to transfer money for keys; the price is several times below the market; refusal to show the flat in person; pressure like "five more people want it"; demands for a deposit to someone else's account; reluctance to sign a contract.

What to do before signing: view the flat in person (or through a trusted acquaintance), check that the person in the contract is the owner or has a power of attorney, ask what the price includes (utilities, internet). Ask for photos of the meters and a description of the flat's condition.

Tip: take a Czech-speaking friend, or ask a help centre to read the contract. A little time for careful reading saves months of trouble.

The lease and the deposit (kauce)

A lease should be written and contain: the parties (landlord and tenant), the address and description of the property, the rent, separately the advance payments for utilities, the term (indefinite or fixed), how and when the deposit is returned, and termination rules. Read it all; if you do not understand, do not sign.

The deposit (kauce, jistota). The landlord often asks for a deposit securing payment of debts or damages. The law limits the deposit; check the exact limit on portal.gov.cz or with a help centre's advice service — no figure is given here because it has not been checked against an official source today. The deposit is returned at the end of the tenancy, with lawful deductions only.

The handover protocol (předávací protokol). The most important paper: it records the flat's condition, meter readings and keys. Photograph every room and the meters on move-in day and keep the photos. It helps when "damages" are claimed.

Typical mistakes: paying cash without a receipt; paying "on the side" without a contract; registering at someone else's address. Sign only what you understand.

Tip: make all payments by bank transfer with a note ("nájem 12/2026") — it is your proof. Demand the contract before paying the deposit, not after.

Prepare proper proof of accommodation

For many Interior Ministry procedures — long-term visas, residence permits, change of address — proof of accommodation is needed. According to the Ministry's official page it can take one of these forms: - a confirmation of accommodation (potvrzení o zajištění ubytování) on a special form from the owner or an authorised person; - a lease or sublease agreement; - proof of ownership (a cadastre extract or a declaration of ownership).

Signature requirements: the owner's signature on the confirmation must be officially certified (notary, post office, Czech POINT), unless they sign in front of a Ministry employee. A lease signed by both parties does not need certification; submit an original or a certified copy (submitted documents are not returned, so certified copies are handy).

If you are not the owner but a tenant hosting a guest, add a document linking the tenant to the owner (a lease, power of attorney, cooperative consent). For cooperative housing, proof of membership. Family members living with the owner do not need separate consent but must prove the relationship (marriage or birth certificate).

Electronic submission: the owner can send the confirmation from their data box, or by e-mail with a qualified electronic signature. Send only after receiving the application's registration number and quote it.

Tip: ask the owner to prepare the confirmation before the visit. A dispute with the owner over the signature is among the most common reasons for refusal.

After moving, report your address on time

A temporary protection holder must report a new address if they will live there for more than 15 days. The deadline is three working days after the actual move; you cannot report in advance. No fee is charged, but a late report can result in a fine.

How to submit: in person at a KACPU or Ministry office; by post; through a data box; by e-mail with a qualified electronic signature; through an authorised representative. You need: your passport, proof of accommodation (see the previous step) and the change-of-address form (it can be completed online, printed and signed, or filled in by hand — legibly, in Latin block letters). If you posted it, call the information line no earlier than two weeks later to check that the change has been processed.

Why it matters. If your address is cancelled (for example the owner cancelled it, or after a police check), you are registered at a Ministry office. If that registration lasts more than 90 days, temporary protection expires. So monitor your address in the Citizen Portal (Portál občana) and clarify it promptly if needed.

Tip: after each move keep the proof of submission and a copy of the accommodation document. Do not rely on the owner's verbal assurances — they must be ready to sign the confirmation.

Utilities, neighbours and daily life

After moving in, sort out utilities. The contract usually lists rent separately from advance payments (zálohy) for water, heating, electricity and waste collection. Once a year the landlord does a "vyúčtování" — a reconciliation against actual use; there may be an additional payment or a refund.

Electricity and gas. The supply contract is often concluded in the tenant's name: you will need the meter readings on move-in day (record them on a photo in the handover protocol) and the distributor's details. To avoid overpaying, compare suppliers' tariffs; prices can differ substantially.

Internet and mobile. An internet contract may require a Czech account and address; prepaid SIM cards are convenient to begin with.

Waste sorting. Czechia has containers for plastic (yellow), paper (blue), glass (green/white), metal and bio-waste. Mixed waste goes in the agreed bin; payment is either included in the rent or paid separately.

Neighbours and house rules. A house order (domovní řád) usually applies: quiet at night and at weekends, rules for laundry, balconies, cellars. A "Dobrý den" in the lift or stairwell is well received and helps you make friends.

Tip: keep a "housing" folder with the contract, protocols, payments and correspondence with the landlord — it will be needed at move-out, for the deposit and in any dispute.

Housing support: what to check

In addition to your own funds there is state support whose conditions change. For people with temporary protection, the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs has published a "humanitarian benefit" page stating who is entitled, in what amounts and where to apply. Amounts and conditions are not stated here: the page is only partly visible, conditions depend on the situation and change. Open it on the day you apply and check the current state.

What to do in practice: - Contact the Labour Office — it processes social benefit applications and can explain what applies to you. - If you are refused, ask for a written answer with the reasons and deadlines for appeal. - Keep records: applications submitted, dates, replies. - Consult help centres or the integration centre: advisers know current practice.

Separately: local authorities sometimes run support programmes for low-income tenants. Ask at the district office.

Typical mistake: counting on a benefit without checking the conditions, and therefore setting nothing aside for rent. Tip: plan the budget without the benefit and treat it as additional support.