Property Rental

Rental
If you rent a property, the rent is normally not more than the similar properties in the area. In case your apartment has been renovated the rule does not apply.

Rent Assessment Committee
If you as a tenant has complaints about your landlord, for example due to a high rent, you should contact first the rent assessment committee in your municipality before you go to the property court. All the municipalities have the rent assessment committee. The amount is DKK 121 (2007) if you want to complain to the rent assessment committee.

All complaints must be send with ordinary mail enclosing documents explaining the case. The documents could be a copy of lease contract or the landlord ´s notice about the rent increase. As soon as the rent assessment committee receive your complaint, they will contact your landlord about the matter. A landlord has to respond within 14 days. Review and decission of the case will be made by the rent assessment committee afterwards.

Rent Increase
The landlord should not just raise the rent. If a landlord makes improvements on a property he can increase the monthly rent. In most municipalities, the rent is regulated according to how much expenses the property has. Thus, the landlord can raise the rent if the property’s cost increases, which may be the property tax, heating costs and etc.

The landlord should not just raise the rent if you lived in the house for less than 2 years, or if it is less than 2 years ago, when the rent was last increased. Normally you receive a notice about the raise 3 month before. The landlord must give written notice, explaining why and how much the rent increases.

If you, the tenant cannot accept the landlord´s demand for rent increase, you need a written contact to the landlord within six weeks. If the landlord still wants the rent increase, the landlord can take a legal action at the property court within six weeks after the tenant´s deadline has expired. The property court is the Municipal Court in the locality.

Rent Increase For The Entire Property
If you live in a big property where you have a resident´s representative, the landlord shall contact the representative prior to the rental increase, if the cost is more than 20 kr. m2. Any planned improvements and maintenance has to be reported to the resident representative with estimated time scale and specifications. The resident representative have three weeks to convey this information to the other residents in the property.

Deposit
It is normal for landlords in the private buildings to require a deposit when renting out a property. A deposit is a kind of security for the landlord as tenant is obliged to take care of the lease, then the landlord may repair any damage caused by the tenant when moving out. Property deposit can only go up or down according to the monthly rent. When the tenant moves from the property, the landlord determines its requirements and pay the balance of the deposit to the tenant. 3 months rent is the maximum deposit.

Prepaid rent
The landlord may require that you as a tenant shall pay a prepaid rent. Prepaid rent is regulated only for the rent increase, and prepaid rent must not exceed three months rent. The amount is calculated to pay the rent in the last month of tenancy.

Complaints procedure
If you wish to complain about your landlord, your rent, etc., you can complain to the rent assessment committee. Contact your municipality to find the local rent assessment committee in your locality. If you are not satisfied with the decision, you can bring your case to the property court.