New-build flats for rent in Prague: who the landlord really is

The brochure shows a lobby, a gym and a roof terrace. The lease shows a name you do not recognise. Renting in a new-build is not the same as renting in a 1930s apartment house, and the biggest difference is the person on the other end of the contract.

Who rents out new flats

Developers build and sell. After completion the flats pass to buyers, and some of those buyers are investors who let rather than live there. So your landlord is usually one of three kinds:

• A private owner who bought the flat to let, sometimes through an agent or management company.
• A company or investor with several flats in the building, often on a standard lease.
• A developer or related company letting unsold units or ones kept for rent. This happens but is less common, so confirm who is named on your contract.

The sale side is covered in our new-build buying guide. To see what is on the rental market, new-build flats available to rent (in Czech) collects listings, and property developers active in Prague (in Czech) shows who is building.

What you get

New buildings have real advantages: modern insulation and heating, lifts, often a balcony or terrace, a cellar and parking in the building. Developers choose sites near transport, so they tend to be well connected. Our overview of where the cranes are shows the areas.

They also have drawbacks. Streets around may still be building sites, shops arrive late, and the first years bring small defects (snagging) that need fixing. Ask whether the building is fully approved for use and whether works are planned nearby.

What it costs

We do not quote rents. New-build rents are set flat by flat and move quickly. What we can show is how the cost is built:

• Rent, set by the landlord for that flat.
• Service advances for lift, cleaning, lighting, water and heating, which can be higher in a building with amenities. See who pays what.
• Extras: a parking space and a cellar are often rented separately, as covered in parking and storage.
• Deposit, capped at three months' rent.

Add rent, advances and extras into one monthly total, then compare it with an older flat of the same size nearby. The rent by district guide helps you calibrate.

Documents and questions

An energy performance certificate (PENB) shows the building's energy class. The landlord should be able to show it and hand it over, and the class is stated in adverts (check the current advert rule for rentals with the Ministry of Industry and Trade). A new building should have a good one.

Short-term letting is regulated, and some owners' associations restrict it. Subletting needs the landlord's consent, and the house rules may add limits, so read the short-term rental rules before you plan anything of the kind.

Show flat or the real thing

A show flat is a staged marketing flat for sale. A rental is a real one, so ask to see the unit you will live in, on the same floor and with the same orientation as the contract. Check the windows, sockets and noise. Our guide to visiting a developer's sales office covers the buyer's side, and the principle is identical.

Where they cluster

New-build rentals gather where developers have built: Karlín, Smíchov, Holešovice, Vysočany and the outskirts along the metro lines. Each has a different feel. See Karlín today, Prague 5 and Smíchov and Vysočany.

Timing matters too. A building that has just opened has many flats available at once, which can mean room to negotiate for a landlord who wants a first tenant. A building ten years old has settled neighbours and a track record with its owners' association (SVJ). Neither is better, they just trade off differently.

Living there

Check what makes daily life easier. How are parcels handled? Where do bikes and prams go? Is the heating individual or central? Do the windows face a quiet courtyard or a main road? The SVJ or the building manager sets house rules on quiet hours, roof terraces, gyms, pets and short lets. Ask for a copy, because they bind you through the lease.

Check the lease length and notice too. Some new-build leases are fixed-term; see ending a rental in Prague. On handover, photograph everything using the move-in checklist.

Frequently asked questions

Do developers rent out flats directly?

Sometimes, but many rental flats in new buildings belong to private investors. Confirm who the landlord is.

Are new-build rents higher?

Often, but it varies by area and building. Compare the total monthly cost with older flats nearby.

What is a PENB?

An energy performance certificate showing a building's energy class. Ask for it before you sign.

Can I register my address in a new-build?

Normally yes, with the owner's consent. Ask for it in writing.

Ask the landlord who answers the phone when the lift breaks. That one answer tells you more than the brochure.

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