Renting

So you've decided to rent. What's next?

When getting in touch with an owner of a house or an apartment, it is important to explain in the first instance, why you are looking to rent. This helps owners sift out serious enquiries from insincere ones and increases your chance of getting a response.

We would recommend something along the lines of (replace the parts in italics to suit your situation):

“Hi. My name is John and I’ve recently been offered a job at Perfect Company AS in Arendal. I plan to arrive in Arendal in March, with my wife and three children from Germany, and I’m looking to rent a …”

Our simple rental checklist on this page can help you check off what you may want or need.

It is also important that you get answers to any questions that you may have from the landlord before signing a tenancy agreement to avoid any unnecessary disappointments later.

Let’s also not forget that as a tenant, you have obligations and rights.

The Tenancy Act stipulates what rights that you as a tenant is entitled to.

Some note-worthy stipulations:

• The tenant is not obliged to pay rent for more than one month in advance.
• The rent must be a fixed amount, unless otherwise agreed to by both the tenant and the landlord in the tenancy agreement. Both parties can agree, for example, that electricity, heating, water andor sewage charges will be paid separately on the basis of consumption in addition to the agreed upon rent. Other additions are not permitted.
• The tenant has a right to let his/her immediate family move into the dwelling.
• The landlord cannot enter the dwelling without the tenant's consent.
• Run-down properties can be rented out but they must be approved for human habitation and cannot be considered a health hazard.
• the landlord is obliged to repair any defects to ensure that the condition of the dwelling is in accordance with the tenancy agreement. This does not, however, include defects that the tenant knew about before signing the tenancy agreement. 
• The tenant can demand a reduction in rent or withhold the rent if the landlord refuses to repair the defects. It is also within the tenant's rights to terminate the tenancy agreement if the defects are substantial.
• The period of notice of termination is effective from the first day of the next calendar month.