Awareness of relevant rights and responsibilities can make your tenant's life much easier: knowledge of what you are eligible to do and what you must do significantly reduces the possibility of deceptive acts by a landlord.
Although the main conditions of your cooperation depend on your ability to find common ground (what will be reflected in the rental agreement) contract clauses should not contradict the law. That means you can always prevent unfair treatment by a landlord by referring to the following Civil Code's provisions:
Tenant's rights:
- demand during the apartment handover that it is in a fit and habitable condition
- require provision of documents confirming that flat equipment meets safety standards
- use the apartment, related premises and common areas of residential building
- use the services related to tenancy (central heating, lighting and cleaning in the building common areas, hot and cold water supply, garbage collection, etc.)
- back out of the rental agreement if the apartment becomes uninhabitable or was handed over in uninhabitable condition
- refuse to pay rent if the apartment cannot be used due to damage which wasn't caused by a tenant or his visitors
- require adequate rental discount if some defect (which wasn't removed by a landlord despite being reported to him / her) including failure to render above mentioned services in a proper way significantly or for a long time limits apartment use
- remove the defects which the landlord hasn't eliminated despite notification and bill him / her for the work done
- defend tenant's privacy
- rent out to further tenants (with the landlord's consent)
- receive visitors on an unrestricted basis
Tenant's responsibilities:
- use the rented apartment in accordance with the permitted use and in such a way from which no damage arises
- duly and regularly pay rent
- incur a penalty of the late payment of rent (including utility bills)
- behave and use the apartment in such a way which doesn't infringe upon other tenants' rights
- notify the landlord if the number of flatmates has changed (in a written form during 15 days after such a change had occurred)
- cover the cost of routine maintenance and minor repairs
- immediately notify damage, defects and accidents to the landlord in case he / she is obliged to eliminate them
- enable the landlord or other authorized individuals preliminarily notified access to the apartment with the purpose of repairs, installation, heat measurement and readout of cold and hot water temperature
- make alterations in the flat only with the landlord's consent (even if a tenant intends to make them on his / her own account)
- hand over the apartment in the condition consistent with normal wear and tear in the end of rental period. In other case a tenant has to pay an additional charge.
