End of Tenancy Cleaning in Prague: Deposit, Rules, Prices

Moving out of a rented flat in Prague and want your whole deposit back? What matters most is the condition you leave the flat in and what goes into the handover protocol. This guide explains what Czech law says about end of tenancy cleaning and deposits (as of October 2026), gives you a room-by-room checklist, compares what Prague cleaning companies charge and sets out a two-week plan.

Who is responsible for end of tenancy cleaning?

The tenant is. Residential leases in the Czech Republic are governed by the Civil Code (občanský zákoník, Act No. 89/2012 Coll.). Section 2293 says the tenant hands the flat back “in the condition in which they received it”, disregarding normal wear and tear from normal use. During the lease the tenant carries out and pays for routine maintenance and minor repairs (Section 2257), and Government Regulation No. 308/2015 Coll. expressly lists “maintaining and cleaning the flat, including its fixtures and furnishings” as routine maintenance – including floors, wall tiles and clogged drains up to the main pipes.

You don’t pay for normal wear and tear. The law doesn’t list what counts as wear and what counts as damage; it depends on the circumstances and, above all, on the condition when you moved in. A carpet worn down after years of living is not the same as a burn mark on the kitchen worktop. Changes you made with the landlord’s consent only have to be removed if you agreed to that; changes made without consent must be removed unless the landlord says they don’t mind (Section 2293).

How to get your deposit back in Prague

Your deposit (kauce, legally jistota) is returned when the lease ends, and the landlord may only offset what you owe them under the lease. The key rules in Section 2254 of the Civil Code:

• Maximum amount: the deposit plus any contractual penalty may not exceed three times the monthly rent. Until 27 February 2017 the cap was six times the rent (Act No. 460/2016 Coll.).
• Return: when the lease ends, the landlord returns the deposit and offsets whatever the tenant owes them under the lease.
• There is no 30-day deadline in the law. The Ministry for Regional Development (MMR) noted in its working group minutes of 23 May 2025 that the law requires the deposit to be returned when the lease ends, “without a thirty-day period”. A 30-day rule has so far only been proposed by tenants’ representatives.
• Interest: the tenant is entitled to interest on the deposit “at least at the statutory rate”. No regulation actually sets that rate, so the amount is disputed.
• No other payments: apart from rent, advances for services and the deposit, the landlord may not demand any other payments or “deposits” (Section 2251).

Clauses that cut back the tenant’s rights or impose a clearly unreasonable obligation are disregarded (Sections 2235 and 2239). Whether a landlord may deduct cleaning costs for a dirty flat is not addressed in the law itself. In a case discussed by the Czech legal portal Právní prostor (2020), the lease allowed deducting up to 5,000 CZK for cleaning and the authors considered that a valid agreement. What hurt the tenants most was a signed handover protocol that didn’t match reality.

Minor repairs: higher limits since 1 January 2026

Since 1 January 2026, a minor repair the tenant pays for is one costing up to 1,500 CZK (previously 1,000 CZK), and the annual total is capped at 150 CZK per m² of floor area (previously 100 CZK). The change was made by Government Regulation No. 493/2025 Coll. Travel costs don’t count towards the limit and are paid by the tenant. Many websites still quote the old figures.

Handover protocol and photos

Czech law doesn’t require a handover protocol (předávací protokol), but it counts with one: if a written record describing the flat was made when you moved in, it is taken into account when you return it (Section 2225). The flat is handed over once the landlord has the keys and nothing prevents them from using it (Section 2292). If you don’t hand it over on the day the lease ends, you owe compensation equal to the rent until you actually do (Section 2295).

1. Find the protocol and photos from when you moved in – they are the benchmark for the condition you must return.
2. After cleaning, photograph every room and the details: oven, cooker hood, bathroom grout, windows.
3. At the handover, walk through the flat with the landlord and record the condition of each room, meter readings and the number of keys returned.
4. Don’t sign a protocol that doesn’t match reality. Any objections should be written down specifically: what, where and how much.
5. Agree in writing when and to which account the deposit will be returned. If your Czech is limited, ask for a bilingual protocol or bring someone who can translate.

End of tenancy cleaning checklist, room by room

Clean only after the furniture is gone – that is when the dust behind wardrobes and under the bed shows up. Use the table as a checklist for yourself or your cleaner.

How much end of tenancy cleaning costs in Prague

Prague cleaning companies charge from 1,150 CZK excluding VAT for a studio flat (Ohayno) to 4,500 CZK or more for a large flat (CleanWork24). Few companies publish a move-out price list by flat size: half of those whose price lists we reviewed (for example Magnolia, CleanWhale and Proficlean) don’t list a move-out price at all and quote individually.

The figures aren’t directly comparable: Ohayno quotes prices without the 21% VAT, other companies don’t say, and some add a travel fee. An independent cleaner charges for the hours worked. Ohayno estimates about four hours for a 2+kk, so with a typical rate the same flat comes to roughly 1,190–1,450 CZK. For what drives the price, see how much cleaning costs and our page on move-out cleaning.

Two-week move-out plan

1. 14 days before: read your lease (cleaning, painting, penalties) and the move-in protocol. Agree on the handover date.
2. 10 days before: book the cleaning for the day after the furniture leaves. With a company, check what’s included (windows, oven, supplies, travel).
3. One week before: finish minor repairs and report defects the landlord should fix, in writing.
4. Moving day: take out your things and the rubbish, empty the cellar and the fridge.
5. Cleaning day: clean the empty flat, then photograph every room.
6. Handover: protocol, meter readings, keys and a written agreement on returning the deposit.

Plan the cleaning so it is finished at least a day before the handover; if the landlord spots something, you still have time to fix it. Landlords and agents will find more on our page for real estate agents.