Hi all...I joined awhile back but haven't posted much. The scoop, in short, is that I'm in love and moving to Czech, probably in August. I've heard and read all kinds of nightmares about trying to rent in the Czech Republic...does anyone have any experience or advice to share? I think I'll be in either Hradec Kralove or Prague, or maybe somewhere in between... Anyway advice would be hugely appreciated! Diki- Nenipes
I've noticed that rent seems to be the only expensive thing in Prague. I'm planning on finding some people looking for a flatmate; I don't think I could personally afford to live alone. There are lots of places (including this website) where you could find flatmates. Hope this helps; good luck on your adventure!
Hi Nenipes, If you're uncomfortable about renting in the Czech Republic, you may want to go through a reputable real estate agency. That way you'll at least have an official lease agreement. The disadvantage is that agencies typically charge one-month rent for their services. I have rented apartments in Prague both directly from owners and through agencies (small, obscure ones). None of the experiences have been great but I haven't run into any nightmare scenarios either. I was disappointed that an agency that arranged one of the rentals couldn't care less about my problems with the apartment and its owner once the lease agreement was signed and they got their money. FYI, both agencies I used wanted to be paid in cash. No credit card, no bank transfer.
Thanks for the replies...yeah, it seems like a sort of complicated endeavor. Online you can read all sorts of horror stories about renting in Czech. I'm currently in New York City, where we have all kinds of tenant laws, but I know these don't exist in Czech. I do have a few contacts there already, so hopefully they'll be able to help me get settled. Thanks again!! Nenipes
Another question, maybe for Dana...how do I know if a rental agency is reputable? Besides trial and error, that is... Thanks! Nenipes
