Slovakia Rental Laws: Pro-landlord, Neutral or Pro-tenant?

Slovakia's landlord and tenant laws are judged by the Global Property Guide to be Pro-Tenant between landlord and tenant. Slovakia tends to protect tenants’ rights more rigorously than some neighboring countries, especially in urban and residential settings, but still preserves landlords' ability to manage their properties and contracts within the law.

Rents: Can landlord and tenant freely agree rents in Slovakia?

Landlords and tenants are generally free to agree on the amount of rent through mutual consent. This principle of freedom of contract applies to most private residential leases and is a core aspect of Slovak civil law.

There are no statutory rent controls or limits on how high the rent can be set for privately owned properties, unless special regulations apply (such as for state-owned or subsidized housing). The parties are also free to agree on how and when the rent is paid, as long as it complies with general legal standards of fairness and good faith.

However, once agreed, the rent must be clearly specified in the lease agreement, ideally in written form, and becomes legally binding. Sudden unilateral increases are not allowed—any change in rent must also be agreed upon by both parties, unless the lease includes a valid rent adjustment clause (e.g., linked to inflation or operating costs).

Deposits

The maximum deposit for rent is not limited by law, and is only subject to agreement between the landlord and tenant. In practice, deposits typically range from one to three months' rent, though it's not uncommon in some deals—especially involving short-term or furnished rentals—for landlords to ask for more.

What rights do landlords and tenants have in Slovakia, especially as to duration of contract, and eviction?

The lease agreement can be concluded either for a definite or an indefinite period of time. Based on the contractual freedom principle, the duration of the lease agreement can be agreed upon by the contracting parties at their discretion.

In Slovakia, a lease agreement may be terminated in several ways: by the expiration of the agreed lease term, by a written agreement between the landlord and the tenant, or by written notice. Residential leases, particularly those concerning apartments, are subject to tenant protection under Slovak law. This means that if the parties do not reach a mutual agreement, the landlord may terminate the lease only for reasons explicitly provided by law. Any such termination must be in writing, justified, and properly delivered to the tenant. The notice period for termination by the landlord cannot be shorter than three months, and it begins on the first day of the month following the month in which the notice was delivered. On the other hand, the tenant has greater flexibility and may terminate the lease for any reason, provided that written notice is given to the landlord in accordance with the terms of the lease or applicable legal provisions.

Where the lease agreement has been concluded for an indefinite time period, the tenant is protected by the principle that he cannot be left without housing, and he must be provided with alternative accommodation if he is being evicted, unless stipulated otherwise by the respective law. This, in certain cases stipulated by law, applies even if the lease was terminated by a landlord who is entitled to do so (and thus the reason for eviction of the tenant was given), and even if failure to pay the rent on time, or other breaches of the lease agreement the tenant, were the cause for the termination. The tenant is, in general, not obliged to vacate until appropriate housing compensation has been secured unless stipulated otherwise by law. The law states what type of housing compensation (i.e., compensatory flat, compensatory accommodation, shelter) must be provided to the tenant, following the termination of the lease agreement.

As to the definite period lease agreements, the tenant is not entitled to be provided with the alternative accommodation unless the lease ended prior to the end of the rental period due to the tenant's able to use the premises for reasons attributable to the landlord or a third party.

How effective is the Slovak legal system?

The obligations of the tenant are stipulated by substantive law, in particular the obligation to vacate the premises and to pay the rent to the landlord, and are also safeguarded by procedural law. The landlord may file an eviction action if the tenant refuses to move out of the flat. Should the tenant fail to pay the rent within a given time period, it is possible to sue him and to petition the court to bind him to pay the rent. One can however expect procedural delays. Should the tenant fail to meet the conditions stated in the court's enforceable judgment/payment order, the landlord may turn to an executor to enforce his rights.

Effectiveness of law

Landlord-tenant issues connected with the lease of residential premises are regulated by the Slovak Civil Code, which has been effective since April 1964. This regulation basically covers all residential premises leases, and yet also respects particular specific features of the legal regime of certain types of apartments, such as business flats, flats for special purposes for invalid persons, etc.

Brief History: Recent changes in Slovak landlord and tenant law

During the time of the communist regime, no legal regulation regarding the lease of flats existed, and in general, all residential premises were owned by the state. The regulation of the lease of residential premises is rather young and was implemented only in 1992 by a major amendment of the Civil Code.