What renters in Norway should know when they move homes
Your contract is almost up, and your tenancy is nearly at an end, so what do you need to know about moving out and settling into a new place in Norway?
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So, you've been renting in Norway, but your tenancy is coming to an end you'll be moving out into a new place.
What should you expect, what do you need to know about the process, and when can you expect your deposit back? Here we answer those questions and guide you through what you should know about moving apartments in Norway.
Notice period
The notice period for rental contracts in Norway is typically around three months, some contracts will have different notice periods, but this will generally be stated in the lease. The notice will need to be given in writing.
Tenants can terminate a lease in Norway at any time without specifying why. One final thing to note is that the three months begin from the last day of the month from when the notice was issued.
When is the deposit given back?
The security deposit you paid at the beginning of the tenancy is returned once the apartment checkout process is completed. The checkout process is the same as in most other countries, whereby the landlord inspects the place to ensure the apartment is in the same condition as when you initially moved in.
As a general rule of thumb, the deposit should always sit in a separate account that neither party can touch until the tenancy ends. After that, any fees charged by the landlord will be paid into a different account owned by the landlord.
What if there is a dispute about the deposit?
Typically, the best way to avoid disputes around the deposit is to take pictures before and after you move in and put together an inventory.
Keeping receipts and invoices for any purchases or services, such as the end of tenancy clean, is also a good idea. You should also keep a record of correspondence with your landlord.
However, even then, problems can still occur. Since landlords typically ask for the equivalent of three months in rent as a deposit, this can seriously dent your cash flow.
If the problem doesn't look like it can be resolved amicably, you can refer any potential issues to the Rent Disputes Committee.
The Rent Disputes Committee is a government agency that can resolve conflicts through mediation and enforceable rulings. The committee deals with all manners of issues from evictions, late payment of rent, withholding of deposits and more.
The committee's resolution team are lawyers that specialise in rental law. Both tenants and landlords can use the service.
Cases handled by the committee usually take around 12 weeks to be processed.
READ MORE: How to resolve disputes with your landlord
End of tenancy clean
In Norway, you are required by law to leave the place clean and more or less to the same standard you found it.
This leaves you two options. You can either choose to do it yourself or book an end-of-tenancy clean. An end-of-tenancy clean is perhaps the easiest option. However, end-of-tenancy cleaning in Norway can be costly. Depending on the size of the place, you could be expected to pay up to 6,000 kroner.
If you do it yourself, it'll take two people a full day or probably more to get it up to the standard of a professional end-of-tenancy clean. You will also need to be incredibly thorough with your cleaning.
What isn't allowed is for the landlord to choose a cleaning company on your behalf and bill you for it.
Report the move
When you move homes in Norway, you are legally required to notify the authorities of an address change within 31 days of moving, or eight days after taking over the new place.
This ensures that the address you are listed under in the national population register is correct.
You will also need to register the move with the national postal service Posten Norge.
READ ALSO: How to register a change of address in Norway
Fix the bills, change GPS
When you move, it'll be down to you to cancel the electricity agreement and grid rent for your current place and sort an arrangement for your new home If you will be paying the bill.
Some places may ask you to enter your målepunkt-ID. This is an eight-digit number that appears on your electricity bills.
If you are moving a decent distance, you'll also need to switch your GP on Norway's digital health portal, Helsenorge.
Moving costs
Using a removal firm, you can expect to pay around 750-1,500 kroner for two people and a moving vehicle. However, the cost will depend on who you choose and how far you are moving. For example, if you are moving from Oslo to Tromsø, it will cost a lot more than you move from Drammen to Drøbak.
Many places will offer a free estimate, so maybe order one, so you can budget. Be sure the company has liability insurance and extended freight liability insurance. You will need to take out transport insurance on your items if you are transporting valuable as moving agencies' liability insurance does not cover more than NOK 1,200 per cubic meter of damaged moving goods.
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So, you've been renting in Norway, but your tenancy is coming to an end you'll be moving out into a new place.
What should you expect, what do you need to know about the process, and when can you expect your deposit back? Here we answer those questions and guide you through what you should know about moving apartments in Norway.
Notice period
The notice period for rental contracts in Norway is typically around three months, some contracts will have different notice periods, but this will generally be stated in the lease. The notice will need to be given in writing.
Tenants can terminate a lease in Norway at any time without specifying why. One final thing to note is that the three months begin from the last day of the month from when the notice was issued.
When is the deposit given back?
The security deposit you paid at the beginning of the tenancy is returned once the apartment checkout process is completed. The checkout process is the same as in most other countries, whereby the landlord inspects the place to ensure the apartment is in the same condition as when you initially moved in.
As a general rule of thumb, the deposit should always sit in a separate account that neither party can touch until the tenancy ends. After that, any fees charged by the landlord will be paid into a different account owned by the landlord.
What if there is a dispute about the deposit?
Typically, the best way to avoid disputes around the deposit is to take pictures before and after you move in and put together an inventory.
Keeping receipts and invoices for any purchases or services, such as the end of tenancy clean, is also a good idea. You should also keep a record of correspondence with your landlord.
However, even then, problems can still occur. Since landlords typically ask for the equivalent of three months in rent as a deposit, this can seriously dent your cash flow.
If the problem doesn't look like it can be resolved amicably, you can refer any potential issues to the Rent Disputes Committee.
The Rent Disputes Committee is a government agency that can resolve conflicts through mediation and enforceable rulings. The committee deals with all manners of issues from evictions, late payment of rent, withholding of deposits and more.
The committee's resolution team are lawyers that specialise in rental law. Both tenants and landlords can use the service.
Cases handled by the committee usually take around 12 weeks to be processed.
READ MORE: How to resolve disputes with your landlord
End of tenancy clean
In Norway, you are required by law to leave the place clean and more or less to the same standard you found it.
This leaves you two options. You can either choose to do it yourself or book an end-of-tenancy clean. An end-of-tenancy clean is perhaps the easiest option. However, end-of-tenancy cleaning in Norway can be costly. Depending on the size of the place, you could be expected to pay up to 6,000 kroner.
If you do it yourself, it'll take two people a full day or probably more to get it up to the standard of a professional end-of-tenancy clean. You will also need to be incredibly thorough with your cleaning.
What isn't allowed is for the landlord to choose a cleaning company on your behalf and bill you for it.
Report the move
When you move homes in Norway, you are legally required to notify the authorities of an address change within 31 days of moving, or eight days after taking over the new place.
This ensures that the address you are listed under in the national population register is correct.
You will also need to register the move with the national postal service Posten Norge.
READ ALSO: How to register a change of address in Norway
Fix the bills, change GPS
When you move, it'll be down to you to cancel the electricity agreement and grid rent for your current place and sort an arrangement for your new home If you will be paying the bill.
Some places may ask you to enter your målepunkt-ID. This is an eight-digit number that appears on your electricity bills.
If you are moving a decent distance, you'll also need to switch your GP on Norway's digital health portal, Helsenorge.
Moving costs
Using a removal firm, you can expect to pay around 750-1,500 kroner for two people and a moving vehicle. However, the cost will depend on who you choose and how far you are moving. For example, if you are moving from Oslo to Tromsø, it will cost a lot more than you move from Drammen to Drøbak.
Many places will offer a free estimate, so maybe order one, so you can budget. Be sure the company has liability insurance and extended freight liability insurance. You will need to take out transport insurance on your items if you are transporting valuable as moving agencies' liability insurance does not cover more than NOK 1,200 per cubic meter of damaged moving goods.
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