OV, DV, po rekonstrukci: the Czech advert words that decide what you buy

Czech property portals compress a great deal of meaning into a few abbreviations and stock phrases. A flat described as OV, cihla, po rekonstrukci, 3. NP, výtah, sklep sounds like a short list. To a local it is a full description: personally owned, brick building, renovated, on the third above-ground storey, with a lift and a cellar. To a newcomer it is noise, and the differences hidden inside the words have a price.

This glossary groups the terms by what they tell you. It covers the language of the listing, not the legal contract, and the Czech word in the advert is a pointer to a question, not an answer. Our longer housing and property glossary covers the legal vocabulary more broadly. For the codes that describe layouts, such as 2+kk or 3+1, see our explainer on flat sizes and layouts.

Ownership: the letters that matter most

• OV*, *osobní vlastnictví (personal ownership). You own the unit and a share of the common parts. Ownership is recorded in the cadastre, and you can sell, mortgage or leave the flat without asking anyone. See our guide to ownership forms.
• DV*, *družstevní vlastnictví (cooperative ownership). The word vlastnictví is misleading: the cooperative owns the building and you hold a membership with a right to use the flat. The position is not recorded in the cadastre. Read about it in our explainer on housing cooperatives. Listings of co-operative flats in Prague (in Czech) show how the form is presented to buyers.
• SVJ (společenství vlastníků jednotek): the owners' association of an OV building. Its existence is normal and expected; see the SVJ explained.
• Věcné břemeno (easement or encumbrance): a right of someone else over the property, such as a right of residence or passage. It stays with the flat when it is sold.
• Zástavní právo (lien, pledge): usually a bank mortgage registered against the unit. A flat sold "with a pledge" is still being paid for, and the lien is lifted when the loan is repaid.
• Předkupní právo (right of pre-emption): someone else, for example a co-owner, has the first right to buy.

All of these can be checked against the cadastre extract (list vlastnictví), which we explain in our guide to reading a property extract.

Condition: promises without a definition

• Novostavba (new-build): a recently completed building, normally sold by a developer.
• Po rekonstrukci (after reconstruction): the flat has been renovated. There is no legal definition of how much. It can mean new electrics, plumbing and bathroom, or only new floors and paint.
• Před rekonstrukcí (before reconstruction): the flat needs work and is priced accordingly.
• Původní stav (original condition): untouched since built, which in a panel block usually means decades-old fixtures.
• Částečná rekonstrukce (partial reconstruction): some rooms or systems renewed, others not.
• Velmi dobrý stav (very good condition): the seller's judgement, which sets no standard.

The advice here is practical and short. Ask what was renewed and when, ask for invoices and, if the money is significant, have a surveyor look at it before you commit.

The building

• Cihla / cihlová (brick) and panel / panelová (prefabricated concrete panel): the two main construction types. Panel blocks have their own set of technical questions; see panel housing explained.
• Skeletová (framed structure): a concrete or steel frame, common in newer buildings.
• Smíšená (mixed): a combination of methods.
• Přízemí is the ground floor. NP (nadzemní podlaží, above-ground storey) counts the ground floor as the first, so 1. NP is the ground floor (přízemí) and 3. NP is two floors up. Patro counts from the floor above the ground, so 2. patro is 3. NP. PP is an underground floor.
• Výtah (lift) and bezbariérový (barrier-free, accessible without steps) are listed because they change the use of the flat considerably.
• Orientace (aspect): which direction the windows face, usually given as compass points.

Spaces and equipment

• Balkon, lodžie, terasa: a balcony projects, a loggia is recessed and covered, a terrace is flat open space on a roof or lower storey.
• Sklep (cellar), komora (pantry or storage), garážové stání (garage space) and parkovací stání (parking space): extras that may be included, rented or sold separately.
• Zařízeno, částečně zařízeno, nezařízeno (furnished, partly furnished, unfurnished).
• Kuchyňská linka (fitted kitchen) and vestavěné skříně (built-in wardrobes): worth checking whether they stay.

Area and energy

• Užitná plocha (usable area), podlahová plocha (floor area) and obytná plocha (living area) are three different measures, and the figure in an advert depends on which was used. Our explainer on floor-area standards separates them.
• PENB (průkaz energetické náročnosti budovy, energy performance certificate) and třída (class, from A to G). A proper listing quotes the class. Our explainers on certificates and energy classes cover what they mean.

Money: where the price hides

• Cena (price), cena na dotaz (price on request), cena k jednání (price negotiable).
• Včetně provize / bez provize (including or excluding the agent's commission). For how fees work, see real estate agents and fees.
• Poplatky / měsíční náklady (monthly charges): services and contributions to the house. Service charges and building funds shows what they usually include.
• Fond oprav (repair fund): the building's savings for large repairs. Ask for the balance.
• RK (realitní kancelář): a real-estate agency. Exkluzivně means the agency has sole rights to sell.
• Volný od (available from) and k nastěhování ihned (ready to move in).

Reading the rest of the advert

Beyond the single words, the order of information tells a story. A good advert gives the ownership form, the area and its type, the floor and lift, the energy class, the monthly charges and the availability date near the top. A weak one gives adjectives and a price. When photographs are taken at wide angles and the plan is missing, ask for the plan. When the advert says only plocha (area), ask which area. Agents expect these questions from experienced buyers, and the answers are quick to give if the sale has been prepared.

Prices also carry conventions. A price in an advert normally includes the flat itself and any cellar or parking sold with it. Whether the price includes the commission, the legal fee for the contract and the cadastre fee depends on the arrangement, so it is worth asking what is on top.

Words that should slow you down

Some phrases are not wrong, but they are hinges. Cena na dotaz often means the seller expects a negotiation. Právní vady (legal defects) in a contract mean claims against the property. V zástavě (pledged) is normal in a mortgaged flat and is lifted at the sale, but the contract should say how and when. If a flat is for sale with a tenant, the advert may say s nájemníkem (with a tenant), and the new owner takes over the lease.

Frequently asked questions

What does 'OV' mean in a Czech advert?

It stands for osobní vlastnictví, personal ownership. You own the unit and a share of the common parts, and ownership is recorded in the cadastre.

Is a 'DV' flat the same as an owned flat?

No. In a DV flat you hold a cooperative membership and a right to use the flat. The cooperative owns the building, and the position is not recorded in the cadastre.

What does 'po rekonstrukci' guarantee?

Nothing specific. It means the seller considers the flat renovated. Ask what was done, when and by whom, and ask for documents.

What does NP mean in the floor number?

NP means nadzemní podlaží, an above-ground storey, counted with the ground floor as the first. So 1. NP is the ground floor and 3. NP is two floors above it.

When you copy a flat's details into a notebook, write the Czech word next to its translation. The Czech one is what appears in the contract.

This is a general explainer, not legal or tax advice.