Private/Long-Term Accommodation - how to search for it, what are the rules, and what to be cautious about
- Last Updated: 22 May 2024
Foreigners in Slovakia can secure accommodation by renting, subletting, or purchasing property. Purchasing property in Slovakia does not provide grounds for obtaining a residence permit.
This information is designated for foreigners who already have or are searching for rented private/long-term accommodation, for example outside dormitories, hostels, hotels, Airbnb, or without the financial contribution for accommodation of persons with temporary refuge.
Information covered in this article:
- How and where to search for accommodation
- What should be included in a rental contract
- Rights and obligations
- What to be cautious about
- How can lease be terminated
- Accommodation and the Foreign Police
HOW AND WHERE TO SEARCH FOR ACCOMMODATION |
The conditions for renting apartments or houses in Slovakia are generally the same for foreigners as they are for Slovak citizens.
Rental options vary depending on your needs and financial capabilities. You can rent an entire apartment or house, a single room within an apartment, or part of a house. Prices may vary based on location, size, amenities, age of the property, and accessibility to services (public transportation, shops, schools, etc.).
Accommodation search and rental can be done directly through property owners or real estate agencies. When renting through a real estate agency, the tenant may be required to pay a commission for rental mediation equivalent to one month's rent, which must be agreed upon in advance and specified in the contract.
Rental listings can be found on various websites such as:
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WHAT SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN A RENTAL CONTRACT |
A rental contract is typically in written form. It is commonly arranged by the property owner or real estate agency. The tenant may propose amendments or modifications before signing the rental contract, or even provide an entire draft of the contract.
The rental contract can be concluded according to the Civil Code or the Short-Term Apartment Rental Act. The contract should specify which law it is based on. Information in this article applies to rental contracts under the Civil Code.
Duration of the rental contract can be agreed upon for a fixed term (from - to), typically for at least six months to one year, or for an indefinite period (without defining a specific rental period). If the rental period is not specified, the lease is considered to be agreed for an indefinite period.
Mandatory content:
- Identification of the contractual parties
Clear identification of the landlord and tenant - e.g. name and surname, birth identification number/date of birth, permanent address, bank account number
- Description of the rental object and extent of use
Clear identification of the property to avoid any confusion - e.g. number of habitable rooms, apartment number, floor, address, street number, entrance number, plot register and number, ownership certificate number, cadastral area, municipality and district, size of co-ownership share in common areas and facilities of the building and land/adjacent land, whether the entire apartment/house is being rented or only a part of it
- Rent amount
- Amount of payments for services related to the property use (e.g. water, electricity, gas, waste disposal, cleaning of common areas) or method of their calculation
Recommended content:
- Description of furnishings and condition of the apartment, e.g. in form of a Handover Protocol (what accessories/furniture/appliances are part of the lease and in what condition, number/type of keys, electricity/water meter readings, existing damages)
- Payment method for rent and services related to the property use (form of payment, schedule, handling of excess payments or back payments for services)
- Conditions under which rent can be increased
- Deposit - amount, payment method, conditions of its use and return
- Rights and obligations of the contractual parties
- Flatmates and visitors
- Duration of the lease
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RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS |
Basic rights and obligations of the tenant and landlord are regulated by law. Additional rights and obligations can be agreed upon in the rental contract. The law regulates, e.g.:
- Condition of the property: The landlord must hand over the apartment to the tenant in a condition suitable for proper use and ensure the tenant's full and uninterrupted exercise of rights associated with the use of the apartment.
- Use of the property: The tenant must use the apartment, common areas, and house facilities properly and properly utilise the services associated with the apartment use.
- Repairs:
- If not specified otherwise by the contract, minor repairs in the apartment related to its use and costs associated with routine maintenance are borne by the tenant. What constitutes minor repairs and routine maintenance is defined by a special regulation. The rental contract can specify a different arrangement for who is responsible for these repairs and maintenance and to what extent.
- The tenant must notify the landlord without undue delay of any necessary repairs in the apartment that the landlord is responsible for at their expense and allow for their execution; otherwise, the tenant is liable for damages resulting from failure to fulfil this obligation.
- Defects and damages:
- The tenant is obliged to rectify defects and damages caused by themselves or those living with them. Otherwise, the landlord has the right, after prior notice to the tenant, to rectify defects and damages and demand reimbursement from the tenant.
- If the landlord fails to remedy defects that significantly impair the proper use of the apartment or threaten the exercise of the tenant's rights, the tenant has the right, after prior notice to the landlord, to rectify the defects to a necessary extent and demand reimbursement of the incurred costs. The right to reimbursement must be claimed from the landlord without undue delay. The right expires if not claimed within six months of the defect rectification.
- Apartment modifications:
- The tenant may not carry out construction modifications or other significant changes in the apartment without the landlord's consent, even at their own expense.
- The rental contract can specify the possibility of performing other/minor modifications in the property (e.g. painting walls, drilling holes for furniture, installing security devices).
- Rent discount:
- The tenant is entitled to a reasonable rent discount if the landlord, despite prior notice by the tenant, fails to remedy a defect in the apartment or house that substantially or for an extended period impairs their use.
- The tenant is entitled to a reasonable rent discount if services associated with the apartment use were not provided or were provided defectively, resulting in a worsened apartment use.
- The tenant is entitled to a reasonable discount on payments for services associated with the apartment use if the landlord does not provide them properly and on time.
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WHAT TO BE CAUTIOUS ABOUT |
For your certainty and to minimize inconvenience, we recommend:
- Watch out for too-good-to-be-true offers/advertisements.
- Always inspect the property in person and live before signing a rental contract.
- Do not sign a rental contract if you don't understand it or when under time pressure.
- Before signing, read the contents of the rental contract carefully and, if possible, consult it with helping organizations, a lawyer, or a trusted person.
- If possible, verify property ownership and essential related information in the Real Estate Cadastre.
- Do not pay rent and/or deposit without a signed rental contract.
- Conduct any rental-related payments (rent, deposit, utilities, other services related to the property use) through bank transfers. Cash payments are not standard, and if agreed upon, always ensure you get a receipt from the payment recipient (confirmation of receiving the payment).
- In case of any problems, reach out to helping organizations, a lawyer, or the police.
HOW CAN LEASE BE TERMINATED |
A lease can be terminated:
- By expiry of the period for which it was agreed
- By a written agreement between the landlord and the tenant
- By written notice
The lease of an apartment is protected - if no mutual agreement is reached, the landlord can terminate it only for reasons specified by law. The termination must be justified and delivered to the tenant.
The tenant can terminate the lease for any reason. The termination must be delivered to the landlord.
The notice period for termination by the landlord cannot be shorter than three months. It begins on the first day of the month following the month in which the termination notice was delivered to the tenant.
When a landlord can terminate a rental contract and other useful information can be found in the informational brochure of the Centre for Legal Aid (in Slovak only).
ACCOMMODATION AND THE FOREIGN POLICE |
If you plan to apply for temporary or permanent residence in Slovakia, or if you already have a residence permit and will be renewing it, in many cases, proof of accommodation not older than 90 days is one of the required documents to be submitted with your application.
Accommodation must be in a space designated for living (apartment, family house or their part), lodging (dormitory, hostel), or recreation (hotel, guesthouse). It is not possible to live in non-residential spaces such as offices, commercial spaces, or other areas, even if they are adapted for living. You can find information on whether a property is designated for living or non-residential in the ownership certificate.
Accommodation must meet minimum requirements according to a special regulation. For example, the living area of an apartment must be at least 12 m2 per person and 6 m2 for each additional person living in the household. The usable area of the apartment must be at least 15 m2.
You can prove your accommodation with e.g.:
- A rental contract where you are indicated as the tenant or one of the tenants, with the signatures of both landlord and tenant notarised, or
- Affidavit of the property owner on the provision of accommodation, with the signatures of all owners notarised, or
- Confirmation from an accommodation facility on the provision of accommodation, or
- Your affidavit on property ownership, with the signatures of all owners notarised.
Regarding your accommodation and thus your place of residence in Slovakia, you have several obligations in relation to the Foreign Police:
- Apply for the issuance of a new residence card within five business days if the records in it do not correspond to reality (e.g. you move to a different address).
- Notify the Foreign Police that you will be staying outside the place of granted residence (within Slovakia) continuously for more than 30 days.
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