Accommodation

Residence Halls of UCT Prague

The UCT Prague provides the possibility of accommodation at the Residence Halls of UCT Prague during the first 3 months of your stay. The halls are located on the outskirts of Prague, about 40 minutes away from the university campus by public transport. Although you will not get the comfort of your own place, it is the cheapest and the easiest option for you before you start searching for a private flat. To book a room, please contact your UCT coordinator.

THE FIZZ apartments

These apartments are opened in the autumn of 2020, located in Holešovice, Prague 7. They offer modern accommodation primarily for students, however they are willing to offer even long-term contracts to our employeees.

The options they offer are: SINGLE studio, DOUBLE studio and SHARE studio.

Apartments are from 15 to 32m².

Apartment search

There is one basic rule: the further away from the center you are, the cheaper rent you will pay. However, in 2020 the rents have dropped in the historical center (Prague 1) due to lack of tourists which makes a good opportunity for you to enjoy living in the city centre. If you choose this option, it will take you approximately 10 minutes by metro to get to the University campus.

There are several ways to look for a flat. You can use services of a real estate agency (with a fee), rent a flat directly from the owner or join facebook groups with personal advertisements.

When you see an interesting offer, do not wait and arrange a visit as soon as possible. The best offers are usually gone within 3 days. 

1. Real estate agency: If you choose a real estate agency, please be aware that you will have to pay a fee for using their services which is usually an additional month of rent. This fee is not refundable.
   The advantage of a non-Czech speaking person is that the agency takes care of all legal service and paperwork. Using their services prevents you from signing a contract with false statements and misrepresentations.
   
   www.sreality.cz in English and Russian
   
   https://reality.idnes.cz/
   - the most popular portal showing offers of almost all real estate agencies in the Czech Republic.
   
   www.expats.cz/praguerealestate/search/apartments/rent
   - a portal with Czech news in English, used by real estate agencies for advertisement. Their offers are only in English
   
   
2. Private advertising: You can rent a flat directy from the owner. Usually, you are asked to pay one extra month of rent as a deposit (which is refundable after the end of your contract)
   www.bezrealitky.cz
   -a portal used by owners of a real estate. You will have to register and pay 100 CZK as a registration fee to be able to communicate with the owners 
   
   
3. Facebook groups: on facebook, you can find a number of groups created to advertise free flats and houses directly by the owners, or people who are looking for flatmates 
   
   
4. Shared housing “Spolubydlení”: means sharing a flat with other persons, it may be cheaper, but be careful whom you share the apartment with. Offers for shared housing are advertised on the website
   https://www.espolubydleni.cz/podnajem-spolubydlici/

Vocabulary:

You might find it useful to know what these abbreviations mean to avoid confusion or even a surprise. 

• Pokoj – one room in a flat, where bathroom, kitchen and entrance hall are shared with other persons
• 1+kk/garsoniéra/garsonka/studio – an apartment with one room that includes a kitchen corner, bathroom and a small entrance hall
• “kk” means a kitchenette, where the kitchen is a part of one room
• 1+1 – an apartment including one room, separate kitchen, a bathroom and an entrance hall.
• 2+kk - an apartment with one separate room, second room that includes a kitchenette, bathroom and an entrance hall
• Poplatky – charges, please make sure that the „poplatky“ include everything you will have to pay together with the rent (electricity, gas, water, wi-fi). This part should be clearly described in the accommodation contract. It should not be higher than 3 000 CZK per month.
• Plynový kotel – gas heater. If the apartment has a gas heater, please make sure it is functional and has been properly subjected to regular inspection by a technician (should be inspected every year). The owner should show you a confirmation of the last revision. This check-up will help you to avoid problems with heating when winter comes up
• Vlastnictví – ownership
• Spolubydlení - sharing a flat with other persons, you have own room and you share a bathroom, kitchen and hall with other persons.
• Družstevní vlastnictví – cooperative (property is cooperatively owned)
• Osobní vlastnictví – privately owned property

Lease Agreement: 

Before signing an agreement, please make sure that you understand all terms and conditions and information about the monthly rent, service fees, deposit and provision to the real estate agency.

Don’t forget to ask for a Czech and English version – the Czech version is needed for visa purposes or asking for residence cards. Please be aware of the fact that in case of discrepancy, the Czech version legally prevails.

You should not forget to ask to see a Proof of ownership (it is an extract from the Cadastral Register which is a property register ensuring that the person with whom you are signing the contract is the real owner and thus the flat is rented legally).

As the Cadastral Register is accessible online to everybody, we recommend looking it up before signing the contract.

https://nahlizenidokn.cuzk.cz/

You should make sure that:

- It is an apartment or a house (not a commercial space, attic, attention! to „ateliér“)
- The proprietor is identical to the person you sign the contract with
- There is no limitation of the proprietary right - in case of a joint ownership, the absolute majority of owners must sign the contract (more than 50%)
- If the owner is cooperative (bytové družstvo), you will need their signature as well

If there is a discrepancy with the above, the Ministry of Interior (OAMP) will not accept this accommodation.

• Charges/fees
  Are paid on the top of the monthly rent.

1. Service charges (such as water, cleaning common areas, garbage removal etc.) are usually included in the monthly rent, but please check with the owner, usually they equal to 1000 CZK per month and they are settled according to the actual consumption usually at the end of the year or by agreement with the owner once per year
   
   
2. Internet: is paid directly to the service provider of your own choice which you can find here according to your address:
   https://rychlost.cz/pripojeni/
   
   
3. The utility charges (electricity and gas,) are paid in 2 ways
   

1.  On a monthly basis (fixed rate) paid directly to the owner on the top of the monthly rent. At the end of the year, the advances are compared to the real consumption and the finances are settled out.
2. You sign a contract with a gas and electricity service supplier and you pay the monthly charges directly to them. If this is your case, please note the current value of the consumption of the electricity and gas marked on the electricity and gas meter and have it confirmed in written by the owner. Please do so at the end of your contract as well. Please don’t forget to cancel your contract with the service provider before the termination of the lease agreement.

Usual energy suppliers in Prague:

Electricity, gas: PRE - Pražská energetika, a. s.,  https://www.pre.cz/en/households/
Gas, electricity: Pražská plynárenská, a. s., https://www.ppas.cz/

The accommodation contract includes a Handover protocol as well, describing the current condition of the flat and its equipment (including furniture), sometimes a requirement to paint the walls before you leave the flat. Please do check the content of the protocol very carefully so you wouldn‘t be held responsible for any damage caused before the start of your lease or for items that were not even there.