Reklamace vady nemovitosti: Co musíte vědět, aby vám neukradli peníze

When you buy a house or apartment, you expect it to work properly — no leaking roofs, no crooked doors, no cracked tiles. But what if it doesn’t? That’s where reklamace vady nemovitosti, proces, kdy vlastník požaduje opravu nebo náhradu za skryté nebo viditelné nedostatky v nové nebo rekonstruované nemovitosti. Also known as záruka na nemovitost, it is your legal right under the Czech Civil Code, not a favor from the builder or seller. Too many people think it’s just about complaining — but it’s not. It’s about deadlines, written notices, and knowing who to hold accountable.

If your new kitchen cabinet warps after three months, or your bathroom tiles start falling off, that’s not normal wear and tear. That’s a vada nemovitosti, fyzický nebo funkční nedostatek, který existoval již při převzetí nemovitosti a který snižuje její hodnotu nebo použitelnost. Builders and contractors often try to brush it off as "normal settling" or "user error." But if the defect was there from the start — and you can prove it — they’re legally required to fix it. The clock starts ticking the day you take possession. You have two years to report it, but the sooner you act, the better your chances.

Don’t confuse this with regular maintenance. A broken hinge on a door? That’s repairable. But if the entire door frame is warped because the installer used cheap wood and didn’t level it properly? That’s a structural flaw — and it falls under stavební vady, chyby v provedení stavebních prvků, které vznikly během výstavby nebo rekonstrukce a které nejsou způsobeny běžným používáním. These are the ones that cost thousands to fix later. And yes — if your custom-built wardrobe from Kraus Truhlářství cracks because of poor material choice, that’s also a defect you can and should claim.

Many people don’t realize that the builder, not the homeowner, bears the burden of proof in the first year. After that, you need to show the defect existed at handover. That’s why photos, emails, and written reports matter. Keep everything. A simple text message saying "the door won’t close" isn’t enough. Send a formal letter. Record dates. Take videos. If the seller says "we’ll fix it," get it in writing — and make sure it includes a deadline.

And here’s the kicker: if they refuse to fix it, you can demand a price reduction or even cancel the contract — but only if the defect is serious enough. A dripping faucet? Probably not. A moldy wall because the insulation was installed wrong? Absolutely. The law doesn’t care about small annoyances. It cares about safety, functionality, and value. That’s why we’ve seen clients successfully claim compensation for misaligned doors that made their custom cabinets unusable — even when the builder claimed it was "just a small gap."

What you’ll find below are real-life examples of how people handled these situations — from fixing hidden plumbing leaks to getting new windows installed after the contractor disappeared. You’ll see how to write a proper complaint, what documents to gather, and how to avoid the traps that make people lose their rights. Whether you’re dealing with a new build, a renovated apartment, or even a custom-made piece of furniture that failed, the rules are the same. You have power. You just need to use it the right way.