It is no longer necessary to buy Czech property through a company if you are an EU citizen - but if you've already got one, how do you wind it up? Anna Grybel explains...

Before EU entry all foreign investors in residential property in the Czech Republic needed to buy through a company.

This was probably one of the aspects that most pit off prospective investors in this extremely attractive market. It was quite simply the hassle factor.

The most common type of company set up by investors was the real estate s.r.o. - a business entity that, except for buying, owning, renting and selling properties, does not conduct other business activities.

The investor becomes the only shareholder in the company. Such companies typically contain an investment provided by the shareholder(s) as a loan in order to buy property.