When a tap drips or a socket or washing machine stops working, first find out what caused the fault and who owns the item. Only then can you determine who pays for the repair. The rule “the tenant pays up to 1,500 Kč, the landlord above that” isn't enough on its own: routine maintenance, minor repairs and damage are each assessed differently. This guide shows you how to tell them apart.
Quick answer: who pays for repairs in a rented flat
The landlord keeps the flat in a condition fit for use; the tenant pays only for routine maintenance and minor repairs (§ 2257 of the Civil Code). What counts as routine maintenance and a minor repair is defined by Government Regulation No. 308/2015 Coll., as amended from 1 January 2026 by Regulation No. 493/2025 Coll. A minor repair is, on the one hand, any repair on the list in § 4 (handles, locks, switches, taps, siphons, cooker parts and more) regardless of cost, and on the other, any other repair costing up to 1,500 Kč per repair (§ 5). If the total cost of minor repairs in a calendar year exceeds 150 Kč/m² of floor area, further repairs that year no longer count as minor and are paid by the landlord (§ 6).
For repairs governed by the regulation, travel costs aren't counted towards these limits, and the regulation assigns them to the tenant. But that doesn't mean the tenant pays for every call-out to any fault in the building. Routine maintenance has its own regime, and the financial limits for minor repairs don't apply to it. Nor do they cap compensation for proven damage for which the tenant is liable.
What the law and the regulation say
Civil Code, § 2257: during the tenancy, the landlord keeps the flat and the building in a condition fit for use (subsection 1); the tenant carries out and pays only for routine maintenance and minor repairs related to the use of the flat (subsection 2). The word “only” matters: a clause stating that “the tenant pays for all repairs” is disregarded to the extent that it curtails the rights of a protected residential tenant (§ 2235(1) of the Civil Code).
Government Regulation No. 308/2015 Coll. defines routine maintenance in § 2 and minor repairs in §§ 3 to 6. From 1 January 2026, the price threshold for repairs under § 5 rose from 1,000 to 1,500 Kč and the annual total from 100 to 150 Kč/m². The current wording expressly excludes travel costs from the annual total as well. It no longer contains the former general exclusion of other related costs in § 5. So check which amounts apply based on the date of the repair, not an old contract template.
The regulation sets out the default regime for renting a flat. By a more favourable agreement, the landlord may also take on some of the tenant's obligations. Conversely, arbitrary repairs cannot validly be shifted onto a protected residential tenant. Assess the owner's contract with a company under the Garant option separately, based on its nature and specific terms, not as an automatic exception to this regulation.
Four-step decision process
First, check that this is a residential tenancy and that the item belongs to the landlord and forms part of the flat or its fittings under § 3. Payment for the tenant's own washing machine would be handled differently. Then work through these questions in turn:
| Step | Question | If yes |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Liability for damage? | Is there proven damage for which the tenant is liable, for example through a breach of duty in using the flat? | It's a matter of compensation for damage. Minor-repair limits don't cap it, but the cause, liability and amount must be proven. |
| 2. Routine maintenance? | Is it upkeep and cleaning of the flat during normal use under § 2 of the regulation (painting, cleaning drains, replacing smoke detector batteries)? | The tenant pays; the annual limit of 150 Kč/m² doesn't apply to maintenance. |
| 3. Minor repair on the list? | Is the repair listed in § 4 of the regulation (handles, locks, switches, siphons, cooker parts and more)? | The tenant pays regardless of the cost of the individual repair; only the annual total is tracked. |
| 4. Other repair up to 1,500 Kč? | It's not on the list, but does the cost of a single repair, excluding travel, stay within 1,500 Kč? | The tenant pays; the annual total is tracked. |
| None of the above | The work is neither maintenance nor a minor repair, and the tenant isn't liable for damage. | It falls to the landlord, or to building management if it's a repair to a common area. |
Older equipment isn't automatically exempt from the minor-repair rules either. It depends on the specific work. So when you send an invoice to the other party, also explain the cause, how the repair is classified and the current annual total.
Routine maintenance has its own rules
The regulation classes as routine maintenance the upkeep and cleaning of the flat, including its fittings, that is normally carried out in the course of use: painting, plaster repairs, wallpapering, cleaning floors, tiling and blocked drains up to the vertical stacks. The current § 2 also covers keeping equipment in working order, regular inspections and cleaning of items under § 4(g) and (h), checking electronically controlled thermostatic radiator valves, and smoke detectors and electronic taps, including replacing their power source.
The annual limit of 150 Kč/m² applies to minor repairs, not to routine maintenance. So record cleaning and painting separately. The duty of routine maintenance continues even once the minor-repair limit is used up, and that limit doesn't apply to its costs.
Beware the opposite mistake: just because painting is routine maintenance doesn't mean the flat must always be returned freshly painted. At the end of the tenancy, what matters is the condition of the flat and normal wear and tear under § 2293 of the Civil Code. A tenant who has lived in the flat for three years, with the walls reasonably grubby, doesn't have to repaint; a tenant who has left holes and scribbles on the walls does. More in our article on handing over the flat and the handover protocol.
Minor repairs on the list: the price doesn't matter
§ 4 lists specific types of work to which the 1,500 Kč per-repair threshold doesn't apply. The regulation's other conditions still apply, though, especially the annual total. Examples include:
- repairs to individual top layers of floors and floor coverings, and replacement of thresholds and skirting,
- repairs to individual parts of doors and windows, their components, fittings and handles, replacement of locks, and statutorily defined repairs to interior roller blinds and venetian blinds,
- replacement of electrical end devices: switches, sockets, circuit breakers, doorbells, intercoms, data network sockets and TV signal outlets,
- replacement of shut-off valves on gas lines, except the main shut-off,
- repair and replacement of shut-off valves on water pipes, except the main shut-off, and replacement of siphons and grease traps,
- repair and certification of in-flat meters and repair of heat cost allocators,
- repairs to water outlets, traps, extractor fans, cooker hoods, mixer taps, showers, water heaters, bidets, washbasins, baths, utility sinks, kitchen sinks, cisterns, cookers, ovens, hobs, infrared heaters, kitchen units, and built-in and attached cupboards (para. g),
- repairs to stoves, flue pipes, specified boilers for individual flat heating, their fittings and control thermostats; § 4(h), by contrast, excludes repairs to radiators and central heating pipes,
- replacement of small components of the items listed above.
If a repair is on the list, it doesn't matter whether it cost more than 1,500 Kč. Repairing a window handle for 1,900 Kč is still a minor repair. But you still track the annual total under § 6.
With appliances, the key distinction is between repair and replacement. Repairing an oven (replacing the heating element for 2,500 Kč) is a minor repair on the list. Buying a new oven for 12,000 Kč because the old one has reached the end of its life isn't a minor repair, and the landlord pays; an appliance's age isn't the tenant's fault. Before passing on a bill for a replacement, check what actually happened.
Other repairs: the 1,500 Kč per-repair threshold
For repairs not listed in § 4, price is decisive. From 2026, a minor repair is one whose cost doesn't exceed 1,500 Kč (§ 5 of the regulation). If several related repairs are carried out on the same item in close succession, their combined cost is what counts. Splitting one job into three invoices of 1,400 Kč doesn't create three minor repairs.
Travel costs aren't counted towards the price limit, and § 5 assigns them to the tenant. So a model repair costing 1,400 Kč plus 500 Kč travel means that, if the other conditions are met, the tenant pays 1,900 Kč, but only 1,400 Kč goes into the minor-repair total. A repair not on the list costing 1,600 Kč no longer passes the price test. For work outside the minor-repair regime, don't assess travel costs in isolation or automatically pass them on to the tenant; what matters is the nature of the obligation as a whole.
Ask for an invoice that describes the work done and lists travel separately. An item reading “flat service 2,400 Kč” doesn't say what was repaired or how much went on labour and travel. Without these details, it's hard to judge who should bear the cost.
Annual total: 150 Kč per square metre
If the total cost of minor repairs under §§ 4 and 5 in a calendar year exceeds 150 Kč/m² of the flat's floor area, further repairs that year are not considered minor (§ 6(1) of the regulation). Travel costs aren't included in the total.
How to calculate the floor area
For this purpose, the flat's floor area includes spaces outside the flat used exclusively by the tenant; cellars that aren't rooms, balconies, loggias and terraces count at half their area (§ 6(2) of the regulation).
| Flat | Calculation | Annual limit |
|---|---|---|
| 2+kk, 50 m² + balcony 6 m² | 150 × (50 + 3) | 7,950 Kč |
| 3+kk, 75 m² + cellar storage unit 4 m² + loggia 8 m² | 150 × (75 + 2 + 4) | 12,150 Kč |
| 1+kk, 32 m², no extra spaces | 150 × 32 | 4,800 Kč |
Floor area isn't judged by the marketing figure in the listing but by the actual situation; the most reliable sources are the declaration of ownership or the homeowners' association (SVJ) record sheet.
What happens once the limit is exceeded
The regulation says that further repairs after the total is exceeded are no longer minor. It doesn't describe splitting the cost of the repair that crosses the limit. In practice: for a 53 m² flat, minor repairs totalled 7,200 Kč by October; a siphon repair in November for 1,200 Kč raises the total to 8,400 Kč and is still minor (when it was carried out, the total didn't exceed the limit); a switch replacement in December for 600 Kč is already over the limit and the landlord pays. So the order of repairs during the year matters, which is why you need running records.
Twenty model scenarios
The amounts are illustrative, not a price list. We assume the landlord's fittings, a flat with a relevant floor area of 53 m² and a running total so far below the 7,950 Kč threshold. If the cause or extent is unclear, the right first step is a professional assessment, not automatically assigning the cost.
| Scenario | Category | Who pays |
|---|---|---|
| Dripping tap, cartridge replacement 900 Kč + travel 400 Kč | Minor repair, § 4(g) | Tenant, 1,300 Kč |
| Replacing the entire mixer tap for 3,200 Kč, old one worn out | The list in § 4(g) refers to repairing the outlet and replacing small components, not replacing the whole fitting | Disputed; the prevailing view is that the landlord pays for the whole tap and the tenant for components (cartridge, aerator) |
| Blocked siphon under the sink, cleaning 800 Kč | Routine maintenance, § 2 (cleaning drains up to the vertical stack) | Tenant, not counted towards the annual limit |
| Blocked shared soil stack, affecting the flat | Common part of the building | SVJ / landlord, handled with the building manager |
| Faulty socket, replacement 700 Kč | Minor repair, § 4(c) | Tenant |
| Blown circuit breaker in the flat's fuse box, 1,100 Kč | Minor repair, § 4(c) (circuit breakers) | Tenant |
| Oven fault, heating element replacement 2,500 Kč | Minor repair, § 4(g) (cooker repair, replacing small components) | Tenant; price doesn't matter |
| Oven dead after 15 years, new one 12,000 Kč | Replacement due to age | Landlord |
| Window pane broken in a storm, 4,500 Kč | Repair to part of a window; the cause and any insurance cover also need to be established | Assess based on the circumstances and § 4; an amount over 1,500 Kč doesn't by itself prove the landlord is liable |
| Window pane broken by a child's ball, repair 4,500 Kč | Damage; the tenant is also liable for household members and visitors (§ 2913 of the Civil Code) | Tenant, to the extent documented |
| Burst washing machine hose, neighbour's flat flooded | Emergency; the cause is decisive (hose perished with age vs. connection not tightened by the tenant) | Depends on the cause; typically the tenant's liability insurance or home contents / building insurance |
| Lock cylinder replaced after the tenant lost a key, 1,800 Kč | Consider the reason for and reasonableness of the replacement; where there's liability for damage, the annual limit doesn't apply | Tenant, if the conditions for their liability are met – not automatically as normal wear and tear |
| Mould in the bathroom from lack of ventilation | Damage from improper use | Tenant (removal, repainting) |
| Mould in a bedroom corner due to a thermal bridge in the wall | Building defect | Landlord / SVJ |
| Replacing smoke detector batteries, 150 Kč | Routine maintenance, § 2 | Tenant |
| Regular inspection and cleaning of an individual flat heating boiler, 2,200 Kč | Routine maintenance within the scope of § 2 and § 4(h) | Tenant, to that extent; the invoice may also include a repair or safety inspection that needs assessing separately |
| Repainting after 3 years of tenancy, normally grubby walls | Normal wear and tear, § 2293 of the Civil Code | Landlord |
| Repainting after 1 year, walls scribbled on by children | Damage | Tenant |
| Extractor fan not working, motor repair 2,800 Kč | Minor repair, § 4(g) (extractor fans) | Tenant |
| Replacing a shower hose for 350 Kč and a shower head for 450 Kč in the same week | Related repairs to the same item, total 800 Kč | Tenant; counts as a single repair |
Two points to bear in mind: the item name on an invoice may not accurately describe the work done, and an insurance payout isn't the same as legal liability. So for unclear work, ask for a service description and agree on payment in advance, unless it's an emergency. Liability insurance can help with some damage, but it depends on the scope, exclusions and excess. Have a lawyer assess the validity and reasonableness of any contractual obligation to be insured.
Damage is not a minor repair
Compensation for proven damage follows different rules from minor repairs. If the tenant breaches their duty when using the flat and, for example, damages a door, an exhausted annual repair limit doesn't release them from liability. But the damage, liability, causation and amount of compensation all have to be proven. For other people, their relationship to the tenant and the specific legal basis for liability are also considered.
Damage can't be attributed to the tenant simply because an appliance broke down during their tenancy. An old washing machine reaching the end of its life is different from damage caused by proven misuse. Ask for a service description of the cause, not just the word “repair”. An expert opinion helps, but may not settle legal liability on its own.
Under § 2969 of the Civil Code, compensation is based on the usual price of the item at the time of damage, taking into account what must reasonably be spent to restore or replace its function. There's no universal statutory depreciation of appliances at 10% a year. Consider actual age, condition, repair and reasonable compensation, not automatically the price of a new item.
When a fault occurs: first gather information and limit the damage
The tenant must report a defect requiring urgent repair immediately, and any other defect without undue delay, and take steps to prevent further damage (§ 2264 of the Civil Code). If they don't and the damage gets worse, they're liable for the additional damage. The landlord, in turn, must fix the defect within a reasonable time; otherwise the tenant can fix it themselves and claim the costs, or ask for a rent reduction (§ 2265 of the Civil Code).
A practical procedure for tenants and landlords alike:
- Emergency: protect health first and act only when it's safe. If water is leaking, you can close an accessible shut-off valve, provided doing so creates no further danger. If you suspect a gas leak, don't use open flames, electrical switches or appliances. Get to safety and call for help from there; if there's immediate danger, dial 112. Follow the responders' instructions and inform the manager. Price comparisons can wait.
- Ordinary fault: the tenant sends a description, a photo, the type of appliance and when the problem started. Agree a target response time in advance, for example two working days; urgent faults need a faster response.
- Before ordering work: for repairs the landlord pays for, clarify the scope and approval of costs. For repairs the tenant pays for, agree whether they'll arrange the tradesperson themselves or the landlord will send one and the tenant pays the invoice.
- After the repair: an invoice describing the work and the cause, with travel listed separately. Copies to both parties, entry in the records.
Don't tamper with electrical or gas installations without the necessary qualifications. A professional should determine the safe procedure and what checks and documentation will be needed after the repair.
How to keep track of repairs and costs
In your minor-repair log, record the date, item, cause and type of work (maintenance / listed minor repair / other repair / damage / landlord's repair). Add the amount excluding travel, the travel cost, who paid and the running annual total of minor repairs. That way you can easily look back at a repair you dealt with months ago.
| Date | Item | Cause | Type | Excl. travel | Travel | Paid by | Minor repairs total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 February 2026 | Kitchen tap | Worn cartridge | Minor, § 4(g) | 900 Kč | 400 Kč | Tenant | 900 Kč |
| 3 May 2026 | Sink siphon | Blocked | Maintenance, § 2 | 800 Kč | 0 Kč | Tenant | 900 Kč (maintenance not counted) |
| 20 September 2026 | Oven | Faulty heating element | Minor, § 4(g) | 2,500 Kč | 500 Kč | Tenant | 3,400 Kč |
| 11 November 2026 | Water heater | Worn out after 14 years | Landlord's repair | 18,000 Kč | 800 Kč | Landlord | 3,400 Kč |
Under property management, the record of faults and payments should tie in with the flat's documentation. It helps the landlord see what has been repaired and, at the end of the tenancy, can be one of the documents used for the final settlement. However, an entry in the table alone doesn't create a right to deduct from the security deposit.
FAQs
Does the tenant always pay for all repairs up to 1,500 Kč?
No. It depends on the type of tenancy, who owns the item, the cause and type of work, and the annual total so far. The 1,500 Kč amount is a test for repairs under § 5, not a rule for all faults. Repairs listed in § 4 are assessed differently, and maintenance and compensation for damage have their own regimes.
Do a technician's travel costs count towards the limits?
For repairs assessed under §§ 5 and 6 of the regulation, travel costs aren't counted towards the 1,500 Kč limit or the annual total, and the regulation assigns them to the tenant. That doesn't mean the tenant automatically pays travel for every replacement of an entire appliance or every repair to common parts of the building. So ask for travel to be listed separately on the invoice and assess it in the context of the whole job.
Who pays for a new washing machine when the old one breaks?
First check who owns the washing machine and why it broke down. For a landlord's washing machine, a repair or part replacement up to 1,500 Kč is assessed under the price rule for minor repairs, as washing machines aren't on the § 4 list. The annual limit of 150 Kč/m² and the rules for using it described above also apply. Once the annual limit is exceeded, further repairs are no longer minor repairs paid by the tenant. Replacing a landlord's washing machine that has worn out with age is paid by the landlord. Where damage results from misuse, compensation is assessed based on the proven cause and liability. A tenant's own washing machine needs to be considered separately.
Can the contract set different limits?
Lower obligations for the tenant, yes (for example, “the landlord pays for all repairs”). Conversely, the obligations of a protected residential tenant can't be extended at will; a clause curtailing their statutory rights is disregarded (§ 2235(1) of the Civil Code).
Does property management mean the manager pays for all repairs?
No. Organising a repair and paying for it are different things. The manager arranges the repair, assesses who pays and recharges the cost to the responsible party. With the Garant option, where we are the tenant, the split of maintenance and repairs is part of the lease agreement with FLAT SERVICE, and we'll go through it with you before signing.
The rules and amounts reflect the legislation as verified on 12 September 2026 (Government Regulation No. 308/2015 Coll., as amended by No. 493/2025 Coll.). The examples are indicative; for a disputed fault or a non-standard arrangement, individual legal advice is advisable.
Sources and conditions: Government Regulation No. 308/2015 Coll., current §§ 2 to 6, Civil Code, in particular § 2257, § 2264, § 2265 and § 2969, Fire Rescue Service: what to do in a gas leak. The legal classification of specific work depends on the facts. Organisational recommendations are not statutory deadlines.