Fortunately, most rentals in Norway are straightforward and without stress. However, not everything goes to plan, meaning that you could potentially find yourself at odds with your landlord. 

Therefore, it’s worth knowing your rights and what you can do when things go awry.

Sometimes the best way to resolve any potential problems is to do your best to prevent the possibility of any issues occurring in the first place.

There are several things you can do to reduce any potential issues happening. Firstly, reading up on the law a little bit will give you a clear idea of what is and isn’t allowed. The Tenancy Act covers rental law in Norway is available to read in English.

If you don’t have the time to brush up on Norwegian law, then you can read about the basic duties and obligations that tenants and landlords are typically bound to here.

Furthermore, using a good contract can help avoid any potential issues. You should always use a contract when renting in Norway. You can find the template of a standard contract here. However, you may wish to have a contract in place that is much more specific to your situation and the property you are renting.

And finally, using a third-party deposit holding account can protect you from a landlord unfairly withholding the deposit if there is a dispute.

There are also steps you can take to prepare yourself for if things go wrong too.

These include taking pictures of the property before and after you move in, making an inventory list and keeping a record of all correspondence with your landlord. Keeping receipts and invoices for any purchases or services, such as end of tenancy clean, is also a good idea. 

READ MORE: How much can the landlord ask for as a deposit in Norway?

Unfortunately, unforeseen problems can still arise, even if you do things by the book and to the letter. 

If there are any issues with the property you are renting, you should notify your landlord of them as early as possible to try and find a quick resolution. Most landlords will do their best to rectify these issues as they don’t want to have unhappy tenants or let their property fall into disrepair.

If the problem escalates and doesn’t look like it can be resolved amicably, then you can refer any potential issues to the Rent Disputes Committee.

The Rent Disputes Committee is a government agency that can resolve conflicts through both mediations and enforceable rulings. The committee deals with all manners of issues from evictions, late payment of rent, withholding of deposits and more.

The committee’s resolution team are lawyers that specialise in rental law. Both tenants and landlords can use the service. 

Cases handled by the committee normally take around 12 weeks to be processed. 

This isn’t the only avenue for resolving issues when renting a property, and as an alternative, you can also take the issue to a small claims court. Before taking a rental dispute to a small claims court, your issue must be heard by a conciliation board or forliksråd. These are found in every municipality in Norway.

The ruling made by the conciliation board can then be brought before the local small claims court. You can read about the process of proceeding in a small claims court in English here. You can choose to represent yourself or hire a lawyer for your claim.