Buying a house in instalments without a mortgage: what to watch out for

You can buy a house without a mortgage by paying the price directly to the seller, or by renting it first with the option to buy later. But this isn’t a standard product with known terms. Everything is set by the specific contract, and you bear its risks.

The most important thing to know is that you only become the owner of a property once the transfer is registered in the land register (kataster). Until registration is approved, the house belongs to the seller, even if you’ve already paid a large part of the price.

When you become the owner

Under Section 133(2) of the Civil Code, when property is transferred by contract, ownership is acquired on registration in the land register. The guide on Slovensko.sk (updated 7 October 2026) also says ownership arises when registration is approved, not merely when the purchase contract is signed.

Retention of title in Section 601 of the Civil Code – the rule that something only becomes yours once paid for – expressly concerns movable goods. It is not a ready-made mechanism for buying a house in instalments. A lawyer or notary must assess how your contract deals with the transfer of ownership.

According to Slovensko.sk and the Administrative Fees Act, the following applies to registration proceedings:

	Paper	Electronic
Fee for the registration application	€100	€50
Fee for expedited proceedings	€300	€150

The land register normally decides within 30 days, within 20 days for notary or lawyer documents that meet the statutory conditions, and within 15 days in expedited proceedings. These time limits only apply to the registration decision, not to the whole purchase.

Three forms of a “house in instalments”

Arrangement	What you need to ask
Buy now, pay the seller over time	When will the registration application be filed? What secures the unpaid part of the price? What happens if you don’t pay?
Rent now, possibly buy later	Is the purchase binding, or only an option? What is rent and what, if anything, counts towards the price?
Agreement to sign the purchase contract later	What triggers signing and registration? What if one party can’t complete the purchase? What protects money paid before ownership passes?

These are explanatory categories, not types of regulated product. The label “without a mortgage” on its own tells you nothing about the price, charges for deferred payment, ownership, security or what happens if you stop paying.

Note: some “instalment” offers may simply spread out payments, with the rest of the price still financed by a loan. Check whether you will need a mortgage at the end.

What happens if you stop paying

Neither the law nor any standard product gives a general answer. The consequences are set by the contract. Before signing, you need to be able to answer:

• whether, and on what terms, the seller can withdraw from the contract,
• whether you get the instalments you’ve paid back or lose them,
• what secures the unpaid part of the price – for example, a lien in the seller’s favour over the house if you are already the owner,
• what happens if either party dies or becomes insolvent.

If ownership only passes once you’ve paid in full, you may spend years paying for a house that still belongs to the seller. Meanwhile, the seller could encumber it or have debts that also affect the house.

If the seller has a mortgage on the house

If the seller’s bank has a lien over the house, it stays registered until the bank releases it. You can’t simply take over the seller’s mortgage and repay it instead of them. Under Section 531 of the Civil Code, taking over a debt must be approved by the lender and agreed in writing. Buying the house and taking over the loan are two separate arrangements. We explain how a property with a bank lien is sold in selling a flat with a mortgage.

Checklist before you sign

These questions don’t replace legal advice. They will help you prepare for a consultation with a lawyer or notary:

1. Total price: the amount and number of instalments, any large final payment and how much more you will pay in total than if you paid in one go.
2. Rent versus price: which payments count towards the purchase price and which are only rent.
3. Land register registration: when and on what conditions the registration application will be filed, and who files it.
4. Title deed (list vlastníctva): who the owner is, which encumbrances and liens are registered and whether new ones can be added.
5. Non-payment and termination: what happens on late payment, withdrawal, or the death or insolvency of either party.
6. Refunds: what happens to the amounts you’ve paid if the purchase isn’t completed.
7. Looking after the house: who pays for repairs, property tax and insurance.
8. Early settlement: whether you can pay the rest of the price early, for example with a mortgage, and on what terms.
9. Disputes: how disagreements will be resolved.

A professional should also assess whether consumer credit rules apply to your arrangement.

Comparison with a mortgage

	Mortgage	Paying the seller or rent-to-own
When you become the owner	After the purchase contract is registered in the land register	Depends on the contract; always only on registration
Who lends to you	A bank	The seller, if it is a loan at all
Security	The bank’s lien over the property	Depends on the contract
Affordability assessment	The bank, under NBS limits (DSTI, DTI, LTV)	Not standardised; a professional must assess it
Costs	Interest and fees in the contract, comparable using the APRC	Depends on the contract, often with no comparable figure
If you don’t repay	The bank may recover the debt from the pledged property	Depends on the contract; you may lose both the money paid and the house

If you are considering paying the seller because you think you won’t get a mortgage, check your options first. The income-based calculation shows how much a bank may lend you. You can work out the monthly payment with the mortgage calculator, and read more about financing a house purchase on the mortgage for a house page.