- by croatiaweek
- February 5, 2026
-
in
News
Zagreb Image by frimufilms on Freepik
Croatia is facing a striking housing paradox. While the country currently lacks around 230,000 residential properties, an estimated 600,000 homes stand empty.
In response, the government has launched a new Affordable Rental Programme aimed at activating a portion of these unused properties and easing pressure on the housing market.
The programme is being implemented by the Agency for Legal Transactions and Real Estate Brokerage (APN), which opened a public call on 18 December for owners of vacant apartments and houses.
The initiative targets properties that have been unused for at least the past two years and offers owners the option of placing them under APN management for long-term rental periods ranging from three to ten years.
According to APN, the scheme is designed to remove many of the barriers that have discouraged owners from renting out their properties. These include fear of unreliable tenants, uncertainty around payments, and practical difficulties for owners who live in another city or abroad, Večernji list writes.
Under the programme, APN assumes full responsibility for the property. This includes managing tenant relations, ensuring rent and utility payments are made, and maintaining the condition of the property throughout the rental period.
APN also guarantees that the property will be returned to the owner in its original condition at the end of the contract.
A key incentive is financial certainty. Instead of receiving rent monthly, participating owners are paid in two instalments: 60 per cent at the start of the contract, with the remaining amount paid halfway through the agreed rental period.
APN has published illustrative earnings calculations. In Osijek, a 62-square-metre apartment rented for six years at €7.90 per square metre would generate €35,265.60 in total rent, with the owner receiving €21,159.36.
A 95-square-metre house in Belišće rented for seven years would earn the owner €27,052.20, while a 70-square-metre house in Đakovo rented over ten years would bring €31,701.60.
To apply, owners must provide proof that the property has been unused for two years, including electricity consumption data, along with standard documentation such as proof of ownership, identification, photographs and relevant permits. Applications are open until 15 February. More details here.
