What you’ll learn in this article

• The most common mistakes in lease agreements

• How to recognise a poorly written lease

• Which contract clauses are risky

• How to make sure your lease protects you instead of putting you at risk

The most common mistakes in lease agreements

1. Incomplete identification of the parties

Missing accurate details of the landlord or tenant can complicate the enforcement of rights.

2. Vague description of the leased premises

If it’s not clear what’s included in the rental (e.g., storage unit, parking space), unpleasant surprises may follow.

3. Unclear or missing provisions on utilities and services

Vague wording such as “tenant pays for services” without a breakdown can result in unexpected extra charges.

4. No clear agreement on repairs and maintenance

Without a proper division of responsibilities, disputes often arise over who pays for what.

5. Unbalanced termination clauses

If, for example, only one party is given the right to terminate, the clause – or the entire lease – may even be invalid.

Risky phrases to look out for

• “As needed”

• “To be agreed later”

• “The price may be adjusted” – without a clear process or limit.

These may seem harmless, but from a legal perspective they can be extremely dangerous.

Case example

A client signed a lease stating only that “the tenant pays for services related to the use of the flat.” A year later, she received a bill for CZK 25,000 in additional service charges. Since the amount and calculation method weren’t specified in the lease, recovering the money was nearly impossible.

Lawyer’s advice

Never sign a lease without carefully reading every paragraph. Even a short sentence can mean thousands in extra costs or an unexpected eviction. The safest option is to have a lawyer review it before signing.