Flat handover protocol: what to check and record when returning a rented flat

In the handover protocol at the end of a tenancy, record the readings of all meters (electricity, gas, water), the number of keys returned, the condition of the furnishings according to the move-in list, the cleanliness of the flat and every defect with a description. For defects, state whether in your view they are normal wear and tear or damage. Attach dated photographs and have the protocol signed by both parties.

This article deals with documenting the handover. How to clean the flat before handing it over is described in a separate guide, cleaning a flat before handing it over to the landlord.

Why draw up a protocol even though it is not mandatory

On its page about the end of a tenancy, the Ministry for Regional Development states that a handover protocol is not required by law, but that drawing one up is strongly recommended. According to the MMR, it covers both parties, the tenant and the landlord.

The reason is practical. In Section 2293, the Civil Code provides that the tenant hands over the flat in the condition in which they received it, apart from normal wear and tear from ordinary use and from defects that the landlord is obliged to remedy. To tell whether the condition has changed, you need two comparable records: one from move-in and one from move-out.

The protocol is also important for the deposit. Under Section 2254, at the end of the tenancy the landlord returns the deposit and offsets whatever the tenant may owe them under the tenancy. A signed description of the condition of the flat helps clarify whether any debt has arisen and how large it is.

What belongs in the protocol

The MMR lists the readings of meters, the condition of the flat's furnishings, the number of keys returned and the overall condition of the premises as the content of a protocol at the end of a tenancy. In practice, it is worth having these sections:

• identification: the address and number of the flat, the names of the tenant and the landlord (or their representative), and the date and time of handover,
• meter readings with serial numbers,
• keys, key fobs and remote controls with quantities,
• a list of furnishings and their condition,
• cleanliness of the flat,
• defects, damage and changes made by the tenant in the flat,
• an agreement on next steps (who will remedy what, by when, how the deposit will be settled),
• a list of attachments (photographs, video) and the signatures of both parties.

Meters

Copy down the readings of the electricity meter, the gas meter and the hot and cold water meters, and where applicable the heating indicators on the radiators. For each meter, write down the serial number to avoid mix-ups. Photograph each display so that both the reading and the serial number plate are visible.

If the utilities are in your name, you will also need the electricity and gas meter readings for the change of customer. On its page about the transfer of utilities and handover of the flat, the MMR states that the form contains, among other things, the meter reading, its serial number and the signatures of both parties. Check the procedure with your supplier.

Keys, key fobs and remote controls

Record the number and type: keys to the flat, the building, the letterbox and the cellar, key fobs, and remote controls for the garage or gate. Under Section 2292 of the Civil Code, the flat is handed over if the landlord receives the keys and is otherwise not prevented from accessing and using the flat. The number of keys returned is therefore an important piece of information.

Furnishings

Go through the list of furnishings from the move-in protocol item by item: the kitchen unit and appliances, furniture, light fittings, blinds, curtains, drying rack and accessories. Briefly test that the appliances work. Record any missing or faulty items by name.

Cleanliness

Describe the cleanliness room by room, ideally briefly (for example, "kitchen tidy, oven cleaned, fridge switched off and left open"). The moving cleaning checklist can help here, as it takes you through the places that are easily forgotten before handover.

Defects and changes to the flat

For each defect, state the location, extent and a description (for example, "scratch approx. 10 cm long on the floor by the balcony door"). Also record any alterations you made in the flat. Under Section 2293, the tenant removes them if they were made without the landlord's consent, unless the landlord says they do not require their removal. For alterations made with consent, the obligation to restore the flat to its original condition applies only if the parties agreed on it.

Normal wear and tear, or damage?

The law does not define "normal wear and tear from ordinary use" by means of a list. What matters is whether the change arose from ordinary living during the tenancy, or from carelessness or interference beyond ordinary use. The length of the tenancy and the age of the furnishings also play a role. The following table is only an indicative guide, not a binding interpretation:

For the dividing line between what the tenant pays for and what the landlord pays for, Government Regulation No. 308/2015 Sb. is useful. Under Section 2257 of the Civil Code, the tenant carries out and pays for only routine maintenance and minor repairs connected with the use of the flat. The Regulation classes as routine maintenance, among other things, painting, repairs to plaster and the cleaning of floors, tiles and blocked drains up to the vertical pipework. It defines minor repairs by a list (for example, repairs of handles, replacement of light sources, repairs of taps and traps) and for other repairs sets cost limits per repair and per calendar year.

If during the tenancy you discovered a defect that the landlord is to remedy and you reported it, state this in the protocol as well. Under Section 2265(3), a tenant who did not notify the landlord of damage or a defect without undue delay after they had discovered it, or could have discovered it with proper care, has no right to reimbursement of costs.

How to document the condition with photos

The MMR already recommends taking photographs at the handover at the start of a tenancy. When leaving, proceed in the same way, ideally with the same shots as at move-in.

1. Take photographs in daylight and after cleaning, on the day of handover. Switch on date and location saving on your phone.
2. Start with an overall shot of each room from two opposite corners.
3. Then photograph the details: floors, walls around switches and doors, windows and window sills, the insides of appliances, the bathroom and the toilet.
4. Photograph each defect both close up and from a distance, so that it is clear where in the flat it is. For scale, place, for example, a tape measure next to the defect.
5. Photograph all the meters and the keys laid out on a table.
6. Record a short video in which you walk through the whole flat without a break.
7. Back up the photos immediately (cloud, e-mail to yourself) and state in the protocol that they are attached and how many there are.

The handover step by step

1. Find your tenancy agreement and the move-in protocol in advance and agree a handover date with the landlord, no later than the day the tenancy ends (Section 2292).
2. Empty and clean the flat. If you do not have time to clean, you can order it, for example as moving cleaning from Úklid 1-2-3; you will find the indicative scope and prices on the page how much flat cleaning costs in Prague.
3. Take the photographs as described above, before the landlord arrives.
4. At the handover, walk through the flat together, room by room, with the move-in protocol in hand.
5. Copy down the meter readings and count the keys.
6. Record the defects and, for each, what the parties agreed. If you do not agree, record both opinions.
7. Sign the protocol in two copies and each keep one. Do not sign blank fields or any text you disagree with.
8. Hand over the keys and agree how and when the deposit will be settled and the utilities transferred.

If you disagree on something

Feel free to write your disagreement directly into the protocol, for example, "the tenant considers this normal wear and tear". Writing down your own opinion helps show that you disagreed with the assessment. The photographs and the move-in protocol are useful material for further negotiation at that point. How the opinion would be assessed in a possible dispute should be checked against your specific situation.

This article provides general information under the Civil Code and Government Regulation No. 308/2015 Sb. as in force in 2026. It is not legal advice. Your tenancy agreement may contain further arrangements, so please check your specific situation, for example with a lawyer or a tenants' advice centre.