No. The protected regime with statutory grounds for notice, alternative accommodation and an action challenging the validity of notice applies to renting a flat. If the tenancy covers a family house as a whole, the general lease rules apply: notice needs no statutory ground, an indefinite tenancy has a three-month notice period, and there is no entitlement to alternative accommodation. Watch for renewal, however: if the tenant continues using the house after the tenancy ends and the landlord does not bring an eviction claim within 30 days, the tenancy renews. The first step in any dispute is therefore to establish precisely what was let.
Intuitively, a family house seems merely a larger flat, so the same rules should apply. The Civil Code (Act No. 40/1964 Coll.) sees it differently, and the distinction becomes apparent when either party wants to end the tenancy.
What is let matters, not the building type in the Land Register
The special protection attaches to renting a flat:
A tenancy of a flat is protected; unless agreement is reached, it may be terminated by notice only on grounds prescribed by law.
— Section 685(1) of the Civil Code (unofficial translation)
If a family house as a whole is let, this is not a tenancy of a flat and the general lease provisions apply (Section 663 et seq.). The dividing line is not between an “apartment building” and a “house”: letting a separate residential unit within a family house may constitute a protected tenancy of a flat. The first step is therefore always to interpret the agreement and establish exactly what was made available for use.
What the protected regime for a flat means
A landlord may terminate a flat tenancy only on the grounds in Section 711(1), must specify the factual basis in the notice and cannot change it later (Section 711(2)). The tenant may bring an action challenging the notice within three months of receipt, and the notice does not take effect in the meantime (Section 711(6)). For several grounds, the tenant is also entitled to alternative accommodation (Section 712a). Eviction can therefore be delayed by many months.
The rules for a house
The general lease regime has no statutory grounds for notice. An indefinite agreement may be terminated without giving a reason, with three months’ notice for immovable property (Section 677(2)). The parties may also agree different rules: the notice provisions here can be varied by agreement (Section 678). A house tenant has no entitlement to alternative accommodation. This is a considerably more flexible regime for the landlord and a weaker position for the tenant; both should understand that when signing.
The hidden trap: renewal of a house tenancy
For a fixed-term tenancy, the general regime includes the rule in Section 676(2):
If the tenant continues to use the property after the tenancy ends and the landlord does not bring a court application for return of the property or eviction from the immovable property within 30 days, the lease agreement renews on the same terms as originally agreed.
— Section 676(2) of the Civil Code (unofficial translation)
This rule is expressly excluded for a flat tenancy (Section 710(2)), but applies fully to a house: the landlord’s silence extends the tenancy. We discuss this in detail in the tenant did not leave and the tenancy renewed.
If you let a flat, the protected regime can be avoided through a short-term flat tenancy agreement. We explain its requirements in short-term flat tenancies. No such special regime exists or is needed for a family house.
How we can help
We structure house and flat tenancy agreements so that notice and handover work, through our flat and house tenancy service. If the tenant does not pay or has not left after the tenancy ends, we handle rent recovery and eviction. We represent you in disputes over the validity of notice through our court representation service.
If you are preparing a notice, contact us before sending it. An incorrectly specified ground or incorrectly calculated period cannot be corrected retrospectively.
This answer provides general information on the law as at 5 September 2026. It does not constitute legal services or replace an assessment of an individual case. The details of your situation may differ. Book a consultation to discuss them.
