Deposits: what is normal and what protects you

A deposit (kauce, sometimes called jistota) is security against unpaid rent and damage. Amounts vary in Prague — commonly one to two months' rent, occasionally three — and the law sets an upper limit relative to the rent, so an unusually large demand is a warning sign.

What protects you

• Pay by bank transfer, never cash, so the payment is traceable.
• Have the amount and the return conditions written into the contract.
• Insist on a handover record with meter readings, and photograph every room, including existing damage, on the day you move in.
• Keep the same record when you move out, taken on the day you hand back the keys.

Getting it back

• The landlord may deduct unpaid rent, unpaid service charges and damage beyond normal wear.
• Normal wear and tear is not damage — faded paint after years of living somewhere is not the same as a broken door.
• Ask for an itemised statement of any deduction. If you disagree, put your objection in writing.
• The deposit should be returned after the tenancy ends and the accounts are settled; agree the timing in the contract so it is not left vague.