On Thursday, the government passed a new law with three main parts: a new private rental law, expanded options for subletting condominiums and changed rules for corporate and residential communities. The aim is to make better use of the existing housing stock.
“There is a great demand for living space, but at the same time there are empty apartments in many places that could be rented out,” says Andreas Carlson (KD), Minister for Infrastructure and Housing.
The new private rental law means that private individuals can rent out up to two apartments compared to today. At the same time, the government wants to grant greater freedom in determining the rent and the condition of the apartment, but maintain a protective regulation against excessive rents.
– This increases security for both the tenant and the tenant. The landlord must not be able to terminate a fixed-term contract early and the notice period must be three months for both parties, says Andreas Carlson.
For condominiums, it is suggested that the previous subletting should be significantly less significant in the case of a new rental. Nowadays, repeated rentals can reduce the possibility of obtaining approval, but according to the proposal this should only be important if the rentals are of a significant size.
– The housing law association shouldn’t be able to say no just because the apartment has already been rented out, says Andreas Carlson.
The housing rights that represent Homeowners associations are crucial. The organisation’s head of social policy, Kenny Fredman, believes the proposals represent a change in the way housing is viewed.
– Permission to rent two houses opens the door to speculation. There is a risk that houses will be bought to be used for purposes other than living, he says.
According to Kenny Fredman, the changes also mean that the state will intervene and control the internal affairs of the associations.
– From a bourgeois perspective, especially among Christian Democrats, we often talk about subsidiarity, which means that decisions should be made at the lowest possible level. Here the state does the opposite and intervenes and decides what should apply within the homeowners’ associations. The housing law is based on a cooperative idea in which the residents decide together how the house should function, says Kenny Fredman.
He also warns against it practical consequences if more apartments are sublet.
– When many people rent, there are fewer people involved in board work and management. There is a risk that the associations will be worn out and the way of living will fundamentally change, says Kenny Fredman.
At the same time, the government wants to change the rules for block rent, used for corporate housing and shared apartments, where each tenant rents a room and shares common areas. Today it is difficult to charge for shared spaces, which the government says has slowed the development of such housing.
There is no forecast as to how many apartments will be added as a result of the change in the law. Instead, the government emphasizes that the measures are intended to enable faster production of housing without new construction.
Facts.It is changed in the private rental law
● Private individuals must be able to rent up to two apartments instead of one. Freedom of contract regarding rent and the condition of the apartment is increasing, but protective regulations must prevent unreasonable rents.
● The rules for subletting condominiums will be relaxed. A previous letting should not in itself be a reason for the housing association to say no, unless it was a large letting.
● The rules for flat rate rent are changing. With block rental, several apartments or rooms are rented to one actor, who in turn rents them out, for example as a commercial apartment or shared apartment. With the new rules, common areas must also be included in the rent.
● The change in the law is scheduled to come into force on July 1, 2026.
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