Title deed (list vlastnictví)

Which sections to review

Section A lists the owners and their shares, while Section B lists the properties. Section C shows restrictions on ownership, such as mortgage liens or easements (věcná břemena). Section E refers to the documents on which ownership is based. So it is not enough just to check the seller’s name at the top of the extract.

Check for a plomba (seal) as well. This is how the Land Registry flags that a change to the registered rights is in progress. The seal alone does not tell you whether it concerns a transfer, a lien or something else. You will find the number of the related proceedings in Section D of the extract – check whether it relates to your transaction. Always check the date and time on every extract, as an older document may not reflect the current situation.

What the extract won’t tell you

A title deed is no substitute for checking the technical condition, the declaration of ownership (prohlášení vlastníka) or any contracts relating to a lease. The fact that no lease appears on the extract does not prove that nobody has the right to live in the flat. A lease does not have to be registered in the Land Registry.

To illustrate: a seller offers a flat as vacant and trouble-free. The extract may confirm that they own it, but it won’t tell you whether they have already signed a lease agreement. When buying, therefore, combine a current extract with a review of the documents and the seller’s representations. Check the unit’s identification against the Land Registry, not just the number on the door or the description in the listing.