What constitutes an emergency and what does not
Breakdown is a sudden and unforeseen event that immediately endangers property or personal safety and requires immediate intervention. Examples:
- Burst riser or water pipe in the wall
- The roof leaks or partially collapses.
- Power outage throughout the entire building or in common areas
- Gas leak
- Elevator stuck with a person inside
- Blocked main sewer and flooding in the basement
What does not constitute a breakdown: A dripping tap, a fallen bulb in the hallway, slow drainage in the washbasin. These are routine maintenance issues and are resolved during working hours.
The distinction between an emergency and routine maintenance is crucial, as the building's owners' association pays significantly more for an emergency service callout on a Sunday at 2 a.m. Than for standard servicing.
How liability arises precisely: the legal framework
Law: Section 1189 and following of the Civil Code
The basic rule is: the building's owners' association is responsible for common areas, while the flat owner is responsible for their unit. However, in the event of an emergency, this boundary is the most frequent source of disputes.
Example 1: If a riser pipe in the wall between flats bursts, it is considered a common area and the costs are borne by the building's owners' association.
Example 2: If a flexible hose under the sink in an apartment bursts, it is a private matter and the apartment owner is liable. If water also floods the apartment below, liability for damage to the neighbour's apartment is covered by the insurance of the apartment owner who neglected the hose.
Example 3: If plaster is peeling from the ceiling in a flat due to water leaking through the roof from above, this constitutes an emergency affecting common areas: the building's owners' association covers the repair of both the roof and the plaster in the flat damaged from above.
Insurance: what is covered and what is not
Insurance for the building's owners' association (building property)
Covers the restoration of common areas following fire, flood, storm or burst pipes. It also typically includes liability for damage caused by the building's owners' association to third parties (e.g. A tile falling on a pedestrian).
Flat owner insurance (household + liability)
Covers apartment contents (furniture, electronics) and the owner's liability for damage to a neighbour in the event of an accident in their apartment. Without this insurance, flooding a neighbour's apartment results in personal debt.
Typical exclusions we encounter with our clients' owners' associations:
- Neglected maintenance (for example, a gas inspection overdue)
- Gross negligence (open window during a storm)
- Damage caused gradually (long-term moisture left unaddressed for years)
Before signing the insurance policy, have the property manager review the exclusions and coverage limits, ideally annually when renewing the contract.
What to do when it happens
First 15 minutes:
- Turn off the water (main shut-off valve in the flat or, if necessary, in the cellar).
- Switch off the electricity in the affected circuit.
- Take photographs of all damaged items: from close-ups to overall shots.
- Call the emergency line for the building manager.
Within an hour:
- Inform your neighbour above or below if water may have seeped to their property.
- Ensure that the emergency technician has access to both the flat and the common areas.
- In the event of a major incident, notify all owners by SMS or email.
Within 24 hours:
- Report the incident to the insurance company (the building's owners' association and the flat owner separately).
- Obtain at least two price quotes for the repair.
- Send the minutes of the incident, including photos and a timeline, to the chairman of the building's owners' association.
Documentation is gold: without it, insurance payouts are minimal and neighbour disputes drag on.
Who pays for what: practical examples
Example 1: Cracked shared riser in the wall
- Cause: failure of a common area component
- The repair of the riser is paid for by the building's owners' association (the administrator orders a plumber from the emergency network).
- The building's owners' association covers the drying and repair of plaster in the affected flats from insurance.
- Apartment contents (furniture, parquet flooring) are covered by the apartment owner's insurance.
Example 2: Burst flexible hose under the sink
- Cause: neglected unit (flexible hose has a service life of ~10 years)
- The flat owner pays for repairs in the flat.
- Damage to the neighbour below: flat owner liability and coverage under liability insurance
Example 3: Roof leakage after a storm
- Cause: failure of a common area (roof)
- The building's owners' association pays for the roof repair.
- Damage inside flats (plasterwork, fixtures and fittings) is covered by a combination of the building's owners' association insurance and individual flat owner insurance.
Example 4: Blocked drainage and flooding in the cellar
- If the cause is within the building: covered by the building's owners' association.
- If the cause lies in the street network, the administrator must lodge a complaint with PVS (Prague Water and Sewerage).
Frequently Asked Questions
If the property manager fails to respond to an emergency, can I sue them?
Yes. If the administrator demonstrably fails to meet their obligation to respond within the guaranteed time and thereby causes greater damage, they are liable for the difference. Keep records of calls and email correspondence as evidence.
How much does repairing a typical emergency cost?
Cracked secondary pipe in an apartment: 5,000-20,000 Kč. Replacement of a riser: 30,000-80,000 Kč. Repair of a damaged roof tile: 1,000-5,000 Kč. Complete roof repair after a storm: tens to hundreds of thousands of Kč. Emergency call-out outside working hours: 2,000-5,000 Kč for the call-out plus labour.
Can an owner do anything without the cooperation of the administrator?
For individual supply lines (within the flat, behind the shut-off valve), yes, at your own cost and responsibility. For common areas, no, even if acting in good faith, you risk that the building's owners' association will not reimburse the costs because the intervention was not approved.