Tenant rights in Croatia: what the Housing Lease Act says

Which law applies

Croatian law calls a tenant a najmoprimacTenant (najmoprimac)simplifiedThe person who rents the flat and pays the rent; in everyday Croatian a podstanar. The lease is made with one person, exceptionally with both spouses.Source: Zakon o najmu stanova (NN 91/96 … 105/20), čl. 4. i 14.–17., checked 19 Oct 2026More in the glossary (in everyday speech, podstanarTenant (podstanar, everyday word)The everyday Croatian word for someone renting a flat. In the law the tenant is called najmoprimac.Source: Zakon o najmu stanova (NN 91/96 … 105/20), checked 19 Oct 2026More in the glossary), and the Zakon o najmu stanova, the Housing Lease Act, sets out their rights. Anything it doesn't regulate is up to the parties (Art. 3), with the Obligations Act's lease rules as a fallback (Art. 551), so the lease matters. Our lease checklist covers what it should say.

The consolidated text on zakon.hr still shows chapter XIII (Arts. 30–49) on former tenancy rights. The act implementing the Statileo judgments repealed that chapter from 1 January 2025 (NN 36/2024, Art. 58), so don't read it as law in force. As we read it, the rules for ordinary leases (Arts. 1–29) didn't change.

The draft new Housing Lease Act hasn't been passed, so this guide describes the law in force. Our guide to the draft covers what it would change.

Can the landlord enter the flat?

You must let the landlord, or someone they authorise, into the flat for necessary repairs and in connection with checking how it's used (Art. 16). The Act sets no notice periodNotice to end a lease (otkaz ugovora o najmu)simplifiedA statement by which landlord or tenant ends a lease. A tenant gives at least three months' notice on an open-ended lease; a landlord may only give notice on legal grounds.Source: Zakon o najmu stanova (NN 91/96 … 105/20), čl. 19.–25., checked 19 Oct 2026More in the glossary, so put one in the lease.

The Constitution says the home is inviolable (Art. 34), and the Criminal Code makes unauthorised entry into another person's home an offence (Art. 141). How that applies when an owner enters a flat they've let depends on the facts and on case law.

As the tenant you are the possessor of the flat (Ownership and Other Real Rights Act, Art. 10). If anyone disturbs your possession or takes it from you on their own authority, you can ask a court for protection in an urgent procedure, within 30 days of learning of the act and who did it, and no later than a year after it happened (Arts. 21 and 22). As we read the law, changing the locks or removing your belongings without a court decision is self-help a landlord isn't allowed. Whether cutting off electricity or water counts as disturbing possession depends on the facts and case law. Because of the 30-day limit, get free legal advice straight away.

A landlord can't evict you on their own. That takes a court judgment or an enforceable notarial deed, and the evictionMoving out and eviction (iseljenje)simplifiedThe tenant leaving the flat at the end of a lease. If they don't leave, the landlord can sue, and a court officer carries out the eviction, never the landlord.Source: Ovršni zakon (NN 112/12 … 06/24), čl. 255.–258., checked 24 Oct 2026More in the glossary is carried out in enforcement proceedingsEnforcement (ovrha)simplifiedCourt proceedings that force an obligation to be met, such as paying a debt or moving out. They rest on an enforcement title or, for money claims, an authentic document.Source: Ovršni zakon (NN 112/12 … 06/24), čl. 13., 23., 31. i 255., checked 19 Oct 2026More in the glossary (guide to ending a lease).

Who pays for repairs

The landlord hands over a flat fit to live in and keeps it that way (Arts. 12 and 13). You must tell them about necessary repairs, which they pay for. Alterations need their prior written consent (Art. 14). The Obligations Act adds (Art. 554):

• Small repairs and the costs of ordinary use are yours; taxes and public charges are the landlord's.
• Report a fault without delay, or you're liable for the damage the delay causes. Do it in writing with a photo, so you have proof.
• The landlord pays you back for a repair you had done because it couldn't wait, or because they didn't do it within a reasonable time after you told them. Keep the receipts.

If, through no fault of yours, the flat can't be used, or repairs much reduce its use for a long time, you can claim a rent reduction, and terminate if it isn't put right within a reasonable time (Art. 555). If the landlord doesn't remove a defect by a reasonable deadline you set, you can terminate or ask for a rent reduction, and claim damages either way (Art. 559). You can end the lease without notice if the flat is dangerous to health, even if you knew its condition when you signed, and waiving that right has no effect (Art. 576).

Leases and building managersBuilding manager (upravitelj zgrade)simplifiedThe company or registered trader the co-owners choose to run the building. It allocates and collects the reserve fund and organises maintenance and emergency repairs.Source: Zakon o upravljanju i održavanju zgrada (NN 152/24, 47/26), čl. 41., 49.–52., checked 19 Oct 2026More in the glossary use the terms tekuće (routine) and investicijsko (capital) održavanje, but the Housing Lease Act and the Obligations Act's lease rules don't. They split necessary repairs (landlord) from small repairs (tenant), so a lease that uses those terms should define them.

Can the landlord raise the rent?

In an open-ended lease the rent can't change in the first year. After that, either side can propose a new rent in writing, at most 20% above the average freely agreed rentRent (najamnina)simplifiedWhat the tenant pays the landlord for the use of the flat. In market leases it's agreed freely; the lease and the law limit changes during the tenancy.Source: Zakon o najmu stanova (NN 91/96 … 105/20), čl. 3., 6., 9. i 10., checked 19 Oct 2026More in the glossary for a comparable flat, and the tenant has 30 days to ask a court to set the amount (Arts. 10 and 11). Our lease checklist has the exact wording of Art. 11.

For a fixed-term lease the Act doesn't regulate rises during the term, so the lease decides. The landlord can offer a higher rent for a renewal, in writing and at least 30 days before the end. If you don't accept within 15 days, you're taken to have declined a new lease (Art. 25).

Subletting, flatmates and family

You need the landlord's consent to subletSubletting (podnajam)simplifiedWhen the tenant lets the flat, or part of it, to someone else. They need the landlord's consent; subletting without it is a ground for notice.Source: Zakon o najmu stanova (NN 91/96 … 105/20), čl. 19. i 28., checked 19 Oct 2026More in the glossary. The Act doesn't say what form it takes, but written consent is something you can prove. You send the sublease and any change to the subtenant's rent to Porezna uprava (the Tax Administration) and to the landlord (Art. 28). You guarantee to the landlord that your subtenant will use the flat as the lease allows, and the sublease ends when your lease does (Obligations Act, Arts. 567 and 569).

Subletting without permission is a ground for notice, and so is someone not named in the lease living there more than 30 days without permission, unless they're your spouse, descendant, parent, dependant or carer (Art. 19). Get written permission for a flatmate. Before giving notice on these grounds the landlord must warn you in writing and give you 30 days to put things right, unless you've breached the lease or the Act more than twice (Art. 19). Our guide to ending a lease has the notice periodsNotice to end a lease (otkaz ugovora o najmu)simplifiedA statement by which landlord or tenant ends a lease. A tenant gives at least three months' notice on an open-ended lease; a landlord may only give notice on legal grounds.Source: Zakon o najmu stanova (NN 91/96 … 105/20), čl. 19.–25., checked 19 Oct 2026More in the glossary.

Reporting the lease and registering your address

A residential lease must be in writing (Art. 4). The landlord sends it, and every rent change, to the City of Zagreb and to Porezna uprava (Art. 26), to Porezna uprava within 8 days of the lease being made or the let starting (Income TaxIncome tax on rent (porez na dohodak)simplifiedThe tax a private landlord pays on rent: 12% of the rent less 30% for expenses, i.e. 8.4% of the rent. It's paid monthly under a Tax Administration decision.Source: Zakon o porezu na dohodak, čl. 57. i 62., checked 19 Oct 2026More in the glossary Act, Art. 62). Our reporting checklist has the steps.

Croatian citizens register their residence at the flat within 15 days, with the landlord's consent. Our guide for foreigners explains what foreign tenants need.

When you can't agree

Under the Mediation Act (Zakon o medijaciji, NN 27/2026), in force since 26 March 2026, parties should try to settle amicably before going to court where possible. If you sue after a failed mediation, you pay no court fee on the claim (Art. 13). Unless agreed otherwise, mediation costs are split equally (Art. 33). The Nacionalni centar za medijaciju keeps the register of mediators (Arts. 6 and 8).

Lease and possession disputes go to the municipal court at first instance, in Zagreb the Općinski građanski sud u Zagrebu (for Novi Zagreb and Brezovica the Općinski sud u Novom Zagrebu, for Sesvete the Općinski sud u Sesvetama; Civil Procedure Act, Art. 34). Money claims up to €1,320 follow the small-claims procedure, which should be over within a year, but disputes over property and possession are excluded (Arts. 458, 459 and 461).

Unpaid rent becomes time-barred three years after each monthly payment fell due (Obligations Act, Arts. 229 and 215).

Free legal help in Zagreb

• The City of Zagreb's free legal aid section (Sektor za besplatnu pravnu pomoć), Zapoljska 1, tel. 01 6100-300, 01 6100-301 or 01 6100-303. Open Monday, Wednesday and Friday 8:30–15:30, Tuesday and Thursday 8:30–18:00. It gives primary legal aid in person, by post or by email, and decides on secondary legal aid: a lawyer paid partly or fully by the state.
• The legal clinic of the Zagreb Faculty of Law (Pravna klinika), Palmotićeva 30, ground floor, klinika@pravo.hr or the form at klinika.pravo.hr. Supervised student volunteers give free general legal information and advice, but don't represent anyone in court.
• The Ombudswoman (Pučka pravobraniteljica, ombudsman.hr), if a landlord turned you down on a ground the Anti-Discrimination Act protects. That Act covers housing and private persons (Arts. 8 and 12), but the office doesn't handle ordinary lease disputes.

Primary legal aid, such as information, advice and help settling out of court, is for people who can't deal with the matter themselves, if the claim isn't plainly unfounded and paying would put their upkeep at risk (Free Legal Aid Act, Arts. 9 and 10). Secondary legal aid is granted only in the types of case the Act lists, otherwise by exception (Art. 13), and it's means-tested: monthly household income per member can't exceed the state budget base (proračunska osnovica, Art. 14). Ask the City's office for the euro figure, as its web page still gives kuna. The list of authorised associations is on gov.hr.

Frequently asked questions