Like many things in life, what should have been simple and easy immediately after the Czech Republic joined the EU in May 2004, was in reality anything but straightforward.

That is, the right of EU citizens to buy property as individuals in that country without the need to set up a Czech company as had been the case previously.

Several EU accession countries negotiated with the EU to keep several restrictions on foreigners buying land and property in their countries. These restrictions are designed to last for several years and to allow for a gradual freeing of the market.

But the right of an EU citizen to live, work and buy property freely in another member state is a fundamental one - and while restrictions have been imposed on the free movement of people by some member states, free movement remains the default position.

And, technically, it has been possible for an EU citizen to obtain the right of residency in the Czech Republic and then buy property using this status from the moment the country joined the EU.