How to buy a flat in Prague with a partner: ownership and mortgage

Buying a flat together is romantic for about as long as it takes to read the contract. The questions that matter are unglamorous: whose name goes where, who is liable if one of you stops paying, and what happens to the flat if the relationship ends.

This guide explains how the Czech system treats couples. It cannot advise on your case. The cheapest hour of the whole purchase is the one you spend with a lawyer or notary before signing.

Three ways to hold a flat

Married couples usually acquire property during the marriage into the shared marital property (společné jmění manželů, SJM), unless they have agreed otherwise by a marital property contract. The flat then belongs to both, without fixed shares.

Unmarried couples hold the flat as co-owners (podílové spoluvlastnictví) with stated shares. The shares can be 50/50 or something else, such as 60/40 if one of you puts in more. They are recorded in the cadastre.

Partners in a registered relationship. Since 1 January 2025 the old registered partnership has been replaced by partnership under the Civil Code, and marriage provisions apply to it by analogy, including joint property (as of 2026; check the Ministry of Justice and a lawyer for how your case is treated).

Who pays what

The cadastre records shares, not contributions. If one partner puts in a larger deposit from savings, the register will not show it unless you set the shares to match or sign a side agreement. The best protection for the partner who pays more is an agreement, drafted by a lawyer, that says what happens to the extra on a sale or a split.

Think about what you would want in ten years, not today. Would you buy the other person out? On what valuation? Over what time? These questions are awkward and cheap to answer now.

The mortgage

On a joint mortgage the two of you are usually co-borrowers, and each is normally liable for the whole debt, not just half. If one stops paying, the bank can ask the other for all of it. Banks also add up both incomes, so a joint application may borrow more than a single one, but it ties your credit together.

The Czech National Bank sets recommended limits for lenders. For owner-occupied housing the recommended loan-to-value is 80%, rising to 90% for applicants under 36 (as of 2026; check the Czech National Bank). Whether and how the age rule applies when one of you is over 36 and one under is a question for the bank: ask how it applies to couples.

If you are building a budget, our guide to how much deposit you need shows what to save. The first mortgage guide on Hypoteky.com goes through the process step by step, and the borrowing estimator shows roughly what a bank might lend on your income and costs. Neither is advice.

If you are not both Czech

No Czech law stops foreigners buying a flat; land has been open to them since 2011. The practical hurdles are with the lender. Banks look at residence status and income history, and they can treat a foreign income differently. Our guide to mortgages for expats and the piece on pre-approval for expats explain what to prepare.

Splitting up, selling, dying

The least romantic part is the most useful. If a mortgage was agreed or refixed since 1 September 2024, repaying early because the property is sold at least two years after purchase can be free of charge, as can repayment after the settlement of marital property following a divorce (as of 2026; check the Czech National Bank and the contract). Death or long-term illness of a borrower can also allow free early repayment in some cases; the contract and the bank will say which.

Think too about a will, and ask the bank what it offers on insuring the loan. A professional can advise on both.

Before you sign

Check the flat as you would on your own; our viewing checklist covers the building. If you are unsure whether to buy at all, see questions to ask first.

Family money and gifts

Many couples buy with help from parents. If a parent gives money, say so in writing: a gift, a loan, or an advance on an inheritance each have different consequences, and only one of you may be the recipient. If it is a loan, decide the terms. A lender will ask where the deposit came from, as banks check the source of funds, and a clean paper trail makes that conversation short.

Wills and "what if"

Joint ownership interacts with inheritance. If one co-owner dies, their share generally passes under their will or the statutory rules, not automatically to the survivor, so unmarried couples in particular should speak to a notary or lawyer. It is a short appointment and a dull one, which is the best sort. Our guide to English-speaking lawyers shows where to start.

Frequently asked questions

Do both names have to be on the mortgage?

Not always, but when both are co-owners the bank will usually want both as borrowers. Ask the lender.

Can an unmarried couple buy with different shares?

Yes. The shares are recorded in the cadastre.

What if one of us is not Czech?

Foreigners can buy property in Czechia. Lenders look closely at residence status and income, so check early.

Do we need a lawyer?

Not by law in every case, but joint purchases are where a lawyer's hour pays off. See our guide to [English-speaking lawyers](/directory/how-to-find-an-english-speaking-lawyer-in-prague).

This is a general explainer, not legal or tax advice.