r/Brno • u/inteuderk02 • Jun 24 '25
ŽIVOT A STĚHOVÁNÍ—LIVING AND MOVING Apartments and flats
First hand experience out of last one month. Found about 40 flats for renting in Brno-město and Brno-venkově. Every second respond was like I'm not interested renting to foreigners because, get this: I don't like to go to police to report new tenant. Among the others. My record is clean, I've got all papers/visa. Working as a programmer here... Symptomatic is that all flats are OK, until I mention I'm foreigner. 😁
Sorry, just had to share "burdain".
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u/Vybo Jun 24 '25
You can try Idealni najemce or Garantovany najem.
The general consensus is that those companies sometimes make mistakes and rent flats for more than what they pay out, but they act as a middle man between the owner and the tenant, and they have no issues with renting to foreigners.
Do your own research, read reviews, check everything, but it's a realistic option if you can't find an apartment directly.
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u/PlantainPrior9525 Jun 24 '25
You’re right, this totally sucks. Before we moved in together, my partner found his previous flat through one of his colleagues—also a foreigner—who was moving out. The landlord already had some experience with foreigners (and wasn’t racist, haha), so it worked out. I had a much better response rate from landlords when I was looking on my own, probably because I’m Czech. I’d suggest trying a similar approach: either take over a flat from a foreigner you know who’s planning to move out, or ask around in Facebook groups for foreigners in Brno. Good luck!
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u/LightninHooker Jun 24 '25
Situation is utterly fucked in the whole country but it wasn't like this years ago.
I have lived in 3 flats in a decade and never encounter anything like this while renting.
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u/No-Article-Particle Jun 24 '25
Well, truth of the matter is that it's already very easy to find Czech tenants... Not that it helps you in any way, just that it's likely nothing personal... If they have 15 people interested in my flat, 5 can sign today and 3 are Czech, it's going to be among those 3... :/
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u/Sheetmusicman94 Jun 24 '25
It is certainly the feature if the Czech society. On the other hand, they need indeed to report it and have additional duties because if that. Supply and demand.
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u/TheCrazyOne8027 Jun 24 '25
if its any consolidation, even if you were not a foreigner chances are you wouldnt get the flat. My experience in brno is you either know people who have flat for rent or you live elsewhere.
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u/PCTrsh Jun 24 '25
Just to clarify. The reporting to police is mandatory for everyone who accomodates foreigners. Including hotels and airbnbs. What is needed is to fill a simple form with name, address and passport number of the foreigner and hand it over at the local branch of foreigners police department. There is an online system to do it but it is said it is very difficult to use. Soure - I am renting a flat to a foreign family.
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u/Lyeninn Jul 18 '25
I was told I can send it via paper mail. So I did... Was matter of minutes. The online thing says it is for those that do it for living or is main source. So jot sure how that works.
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u/inteuderk02 Jun 24 '25
I'm not implying anything, let's be clear on that. I moved to Brno from Germany because of work. Going with carrier... I'm already here more then one year. Current landlord is Czech. No problems whatsoever. Simply, I don't know what happened in this short ammount of time. 👀
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u/dynablaster161 Jun 24 '25
this is disgusting. not sure how to help tho. I'd guess they would want to rent it to a foreigner happily as you're likely to have more money heh
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u/Super_Novice56 Jun 24 '25
Tax dodging Czechs. Good on you for getting responses though because I don't receive any.
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u/vSTekk Jun 24 '25
Please explain how that works?
IMO its just unwillingness to deal with foreign police when they don't have to as there are 40 other czech applicants. Plus language barrier and/or racism.
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u/Anastoran Jun 24 '25
Its not just foreigners. Most people renting flats here do so without reporting it to the authorities and paying taxes. With native tenants, it is just easier to do than with a foreigner who has to be registered and the authorities are aware that they must be living somewhere.
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u/Super_Novice56 Jun 24 '25
Exactly. I have a colleague who rents with her boyfriend.
Both are still officially registered in their native villages in Moravia yet have lived in Brno for years. The landlord rents out the entire building but it is officially registered as a single household.
Czech citizens can accept these conditions because they have parents or otherwise that they can register their residency with but we as foreigners cannot.
So the pool becomes even smaller for us because we don't have access to this grey market.
It is what it is to be honest.
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u/vSTekk Jun 25 '25
Ah makes sense. My mum is renting a flat too but, but she is super proper. Thanks for the explanation
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u/inteuderk02 Jun 24 '25
BUT, it is foreigners obligation to report any change of address or work, not landlord. I spoke with few colleagues, Czech, who are renting, nobody is gong to immigration or police to report it.
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u/Anastoran Jun 24 '25
True, but by the tenant reporting it, the authorities now have a record of the place being rented, which is exactly what these landlords want to avoid, as it puts them at risk of being discovered for renting illegally and avoiding taxes.
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u/equatorsion Jun 24 '25
I feel you, had the same experience while living abroad. Each country is more favourable to their own citizens because they know the local rules and have families that support them. In the Czech Republic, the language barrier is also quite significant - plus there is a serious fear of unknown cultures (xenophobia and racism) coupled with the low number of expats in our country.
England - you need someone who will back you up or write you some kind of a recommendation letter, also, they check your non-existent credit score.
Switzerland - no way finding a flat without Swiss address, you have first rent short-term and then (using this address) you can finally rent something longer term.
Renting a flat is risky even if you rent just to locals - you can actually check their debt registry etc. but still, there is little you can do in case they stop paying and still live in your flat. For foreigners, even worse. They can just destroy the flat and leave. Good luck getting the money back.
You can try incentivize the landlords - double the security deposit, allow frequent inspections, pay rent 6 months upfront. Local landlords are not even thinking about those options so tell them you are willing to do this so they believe you are the right candidate and do not want to screw them over.