Renting a home in Norway

Where the homes are

Almost every rental in Norway is advertised on Finn.no, under Eiendom then Bolig til leie. Good flats in Oslo, Bergen or Trondheim draw many applicants within hours: a short message giving your job, your moving date and a reference is often what gets you the viewing (visning).

Words you will meet: hybel (a room, often in the owner's house), kollektiv (a flat share), leilighet (a flat), møblert (furnished), strøm (electricity — often not included in the rent).

The deposit, capped by law

The Tenancy Act (husleieloven) limits the deposit (depositum) to six months' rent. It must be paid into a separate account in the tenant's name, at a bank, and the landlord pays the cost of opening it. Cash, or a transfer to a private account, is not a deposit under Norwegian law.

A landlord may accept a security from a third party instead of, or together with, a deposit — the total may still not exceed six months' rent.

How long, and how to leave

A fixed-term lease for a home must run at least three years. One year is allowed for a basement or loft flat in a house where the landlord also lives, and shorter terms when the landlord has a legitimate reason, such as moving back in.

Unless the lease says otherwise, the notice period is three months, ending at the close of a calendar month — one month for a single room with shared facilities.

If something goes wrong

Housing disputes go to the Rental Disputes Tribunal (Husleietvistutvalget) before any court. Check who owns the property before paying anything: the land register (grunnboken, kept by Kartverket) says so.