Students found out from The Norwegian Universities and Colleges Admission Service whether they were accepted by their first choice university last month.

This will mean, among other things, they will need to start looking for a place to live while they study. 

According to a survey conducted by the Norwegian Consumer Council, two-thirds of students studying in Norway will rent a house without physically seeing it in person. 

This proportion is likely to be higher amongst foreign students due to Norway’s strict Covid-19 border rules, making research trips to Norway to scout out student accommodation practically impossible. 

Pia Høst, director of consumer rights and guidance at the Norwegian Consumer Council, believes that students are particularly vulnerable to being scammed by rogue landlords. 

“They don’t have much experience in the housing market. The market is very hot at the moment, and students have a very short time to find a place to live. All three factors together mean you can get a bad apartment or even be cheated,” Høst explained in the survey’s findings.

Examples of issues student house hunters will run into include the property not looking like the pictures, being in poor condition with issues like mould, being potentially dangerous, or maybe the home not even existing. 

Luckily, the Norwegian Consumer Council has published its top tips for those looking for a student house. 

READ ALSO: Why do Norwegians fall out with their neighbours? 

If possible, try to see the property before you pay 

This may not be possible for many international students, but as an alternative, perhaps see if you can book a virtual tour before you stump up for a deposit, or if its a shared house ask some of the students already living there about the property. 

Use a contract 

This one is a must because it protects your right as a consumer. A copy of a standard contract in Norway can be found here if your landlord is inexperienced or one isn’t provided. 

Check what is included in the rent

Make sure to check what is included in the rent before signing the contract. Not every property will come with furniture or bills included in the price. This will save you any nasty shocks by checking what exactly you are getting for your money. This is important as the cost of energy bills in Norway during the winter can be sky high. 

If you’re struggling to find a place you can advertise yourself to landlords 

In Norway, you can use services such as Hybel, where you can not only look to rent property, but you can advertise yourself as a prospective tenant. 

You can create a tenant profile where you can list your budget, requirements and about yourself. This will help landlords find you and if you list yourself as a student you may attract landlords experienced in dealing with student accommodation. 

Your university may be able to help 

Even if you are deciding against student halls and instead want to explore the private renting sector it may be worth asking the international department at your university as they may have a list of local landlords or housing options. 

Posting a housing advert can be pricey in Norway so not every property available to rent is listed with estate agents or on sites like finn.no

Outline who’s responsible for what

Another important one when looking over the rental agreement is knowing who will be responsible for what.

For example, if the tenant is responsible for accidental damage, they may need to fork out in the event of an accident.

Additionally, check whether the landlord is responsible for maintaining the house’s condition. In that case, it will mean they will have to pay for repairs if they are problems with the heating or electricity, for example. 

Check the notice period

Before signing on the dotted line, it’s essential to know what the notice period is to terminate your tenancy is. Some rental contracts in Norway will be for more than one year, but only one year will be mandatory.

If you wish to end the contract early, you will need to give reasonable notice. Otherwise, you may be liable to pay for the remaining time on your contract. 

The notice period in Norway is typically three months and must be given in writing. A tenant can terminate the lease without providing a reason, a landlord will have to however.

Request a deposit account 

There are many deposit services whereby tenants can put their deposits into holding accounts for the duration of their tenancy.

This system helps to ensure that the process of recovering the deposit is both fair and straightforward. 

In Norway, you will typically be asked to put down between six weeks and three months rent as a security deposit.  

Document damage to the house and take inventory when moving in and out of the property

When moving in, document any damage to the house, take inventory and let the landlord know if anything is missing or there’s any damage. This is so that you don’t have to pay for any damage to the property you have not done but the landlord may have missed. 

Keep the home in good condition 

This one is common sense. You’ll need to keep the house clean and avoid damage to ensure you aren’t charged for cleaning or repairs once your tenancy ends. 

If you are moving into a house share, don’t sign on behalf of the whole household

When moving into a house share, make sure that the contract is divided between everyone in the property, rather than having one person responsible. 

This is because you do not want to pay for damage other people have done to their rooms or be responsible for paying a share of a person’s rent if they drop out. 

Know your rights and complain if the landlord doesn’t perform their duties

It’s important to complain and let the landlord know if there is an issue. In addition to this, it’s just as important to follow the case up and complain to the Rent Disputes Tribunal or National Mediation Service to resolve the problem.

Useful Vocab 

Kollektiv– Flat/house share 

Kollektivet- The hosue share 

Husleie– Rent 

Eindom– Property 

Studentbolig– Student housing 

Samordna Opptak– The Norwegian Universities and Colleges Admission Service