Owning a house in Czechia: what nobody tells you

Updated 29 July 2026 · 6 min read

The short version: in the Czech Republic nobody sends you a reminder. There is no authority that writes to you each year telling you what is due at your property — unlike Germany, where the district chimney sweep issues a formal schedule and simply turns up. Here the obligation to know is yours, the sources are Czech-only, and the consequence of missing something usually appears on an insurance claim.

If you moved here from Germany or Austria, this is the difference that catches people out. There, the state keeps the calendar for you. In Czechia the rules exist, they are enforceable, and there is no letter in the post.

Who does what

Kominík (chimney sweep) — annual inspection of the flue and sweeping. Book in early autumn; by October they are fully booked.
Revizní technik (certified inspector) — electrical installations, gas, lightning protection. Different specialisms, different certificates.
Energetický specialista — the only person who may issue an Energy Performance Certificate.
Společenství vlastníků (SVJ) — if you own a flat, this association handles the building’s shared obligations.

How to check that someone is actually qualified

Two public state registers let you verify credentials yourself, which is worth doing if you are arranging work remotely or do not speak Czech:

Certified inspectors are listed by the Czech Technical Inspection authority in its register of inspection technicians.
Energy specialists are listed by the Ministry of Industry and Trade in its register of energy specialists.

One caveat so you do not reject a perfectly good tradesperson: the inspectors’ register only contains certificates issued from 1 July 2022 onwards. If someone is not listed, they may simply hold an older certificate. In that case just ask to see it.

Keep the paperwork, even though it is in Czech

Every inspection ends with a written report. You will probably not be able to read all of it — keep it anyway. After a fire, a flood or a lightning strike, the first thing a Czech insurer asks for is the relevant revizní zpráva. A missing report is the single most common reason a claim gets reduced.

The practical habit that costs nothing: photograph every report the day you receive it, and note the date of the next one. That is the whole system.

If you let the property out

Letting changes your exposure rather than simply adding rules. You are responsible for equipment used by someone else, and Czech law obliges you to keep gas and electrical installations in a state that does not endanger life, health or property. Whether a periodic electrical inspection is strictly mandatory for a let flat is genuinely disputed among Czech sources; what is not disputed is that the report is your proof of diligence if something happens. If you manage the property from abroad, that proof is worth more to you than to a resident owner, not less.

A sensible first step

Find out what actually applies to your property before you start booking anyone. Our tool asks what you have — the type of heating, whether there is lightning protection, a well, solar panels — and gives you the list, in English, with the intervals and the reason behind each one.

See what applies to your house

Tick what you have and get your own list of inspections and deadlines — in English, in about a minute.

Open the tool

Free, no sign-up.

Official sources

General information about Czech rules as of 2026, not legal advice. Requirements depend on your specific property and can change. Where it matters, follow the applicable regulations and consult a qualified professional.