Before renting a home
Before renting a home you should inform yourself of the conditions and obligations concerning you as a tenant as well as the obligations of your landlord.
Renting in Denmark is regulated through the Danish Rent Act - Lejeloven.
To find out more about the obligations and conditions for both tenant and landlord you can search online for 'lejeloven', 'lejeloven på engelsk', 'the Danish Rent Act' and similar phrases. Make sure the the information you find is from an official source and up to date.
If you experience a scam, The Danish Tenants Association (Lejernes Landsorganisation) offers advice and legal counselling to people who have problems with their landlords. They can advise you on your rights and possibilities.
DO's
- Check who owns the rental
- Always inspect the rental
- Check the rent level
- Get everything in writing
- Read the contract carefully and make sure it describes the specific terms and conditions clearly.
- Document any defects when moving in (photos are a good idea)
- When subletting note what the rules are for the specific subletting deal
- Make sure that the rental is consistent with the rental contract
- Make sure to go through the property
- Double-check the legality of the arrangement if you are told not to have your postal address there
DONT's
- Never pay without getting a rental contract - and remember that if it seems shady or too good to be true, it probably is. You have no legal claim if you haven't received a rental contract or if you have paid money "under the table".
- Never pay by cash
- Never pay via a foreign bank account or money transfer service
- Don't accept landlord pressure
- Don't be too critical about the location
- Never pay money under the table
- Don't pay too much in deposit and prepaid rent (ask The Danish Tenants Association, if in doubt)
- Be aware of non-Danish-speaking landlords
Find more information about renting in Denmark at lifeindenmark.dk