Housing

Should you own or rent your home?

Most people who set up home for the first time begin by renting. For most of us, it is necessary to save money and have a steady income for some years before we can afford to buy a place to live. When buying a flat or a house, it is common take out a mortgage, i.e. a housing loan that is paid back with interest over a period of 15-20 years.

Renting
Renting a place to live in Oslo is expensive. For the time being (May 2003) the market is easing up a little, and there are quite a few flats for rent.

Accommodation for rent in Oslo is advertised in Aftenposten Aften every weekday. Go to the bottom of this page for website suggestions. You can also place an advertisement in the 'wanted' section in Aftenposten Aften and on several websites on the Internet.

When you write a contract of lease, make sure it is mutually terminable, which means that you and the landlord or owner have agreed on the length of notice before the contract can be terminated.
A standard contract for lease can look something like the one in a website called DinSide - clik here to see it.

When renting, you will usually have to pay a deposit in advance, normally a sum equalling 2 or 3 months rent. This money is meant as security and should remain untouched in an account shared by you and the landlord, until your lease has ended. If you don't owe rent or have caused damage to the dwelling, the money is yours.

Oslo also has municipal dwellings for rent, but they are few, and people with a low income or social or medical problems are given preference. For more information, click here.

There is a housing office (boligkontor) in every bydel in Oslo. Boligkontoret gives advice on housing, so it's a good idea to get in touch if you are looking for a place to live. Click here to find telephone numbers and addresses.

Ungbo
Young people between 17 and 23 can apply for housing through Ungbo. They offer bedsits in shared housing and individual flats. Ungbo has a waiting list, and most likely you will have to wait for some months before an offer comes your way. You can visit the Ungbo office in Maridalsveien 3, call them for an application form on tel. 23 47 51 00, or click here for their website.

Buying
Flats and houses for sale are advertised in newspapers, mainly in Aftenposten, and through estate agents and the Internet. It is quite expensive to buy property in Oslo, but prices differ between areas.

Here is Oslo kommune's own website with useful information if you want to buy a place to live. It is only in Norwegian.

Finance
If it is difficult to obtain a bank loan, you can apply for a municipal loan through the housing office in your bydel. Read about Startlån here. You must have a steady income to be able to manage down payments.

Housing allowance - bostøtte
Bostøtte is a financial benefit for households with low income. It can be obtained through the State Housing Bank (Husbanken) The requirements that regulate the eligibility can be found if you click on Housing allowances on Husbanken's website here. You can also contact the housing office (boligkontor) in your bydel.

Insurance
Insurance provides economic compensation for accidents such as theft, fire or other damage. Most types of insurance are issued by private insurance companies (forsikringsselskap). If you are a member of a labour organisation, you can join a collective insurance scheme.

Useful links
Husleieloven - the Act on rented housing (in Norwegian)
Leieboerforeningen - Tenants' Association (in Norwegian)
Dagbladet's Boligguide (in Norwegian)
Bazar - public information on housing
Unginfo - with more information and more links on rented accommodation
Law against discrimination in the housing sector
The Rent Disputes Tribunal (Husleietvistutvalget)
The State Housing Bank (Husbanken)
Oslo kommune, Housing and Estate office - Finding a Place to Live (pdf file)
www.finn.no - housing for rent and for sale (in Norwegian)
Utleiemegleren - rented accommodation (in Norwegian)
Hybel.no - rented accommodation, mainly bedsits or one-room flats (in Norwegian)

Last modified: 16/03/2005