NB. This version of the tenancy agreement is a direct translation of the Norwegian version.

If you are an international student, please find the correct version of the tenancy agreement here.

The content of this tenancy agreement is valid from 1 May 2022.

2. Tenant's acceptance of the agreement

1. The tenancy agreement has to be accepted and returned to the owner within 3 days. 

2. lf the tenant fails to meet the acceptance deadline the owner is entitled to let the premises to others.

3. The tenancy agreement is legally binding when it has been returned to the owner with a valid signature.

4. First rental payment must be made before the tenant receives the keys to the rented object or put it to use.

3. Conditions for tenancy

1. This tenancy agreement shall meet the tenant's accommodation requirements during the period of the agreement.

2. It is a condition for the tenancy that the tenant is a student at the University of South-East Norway (USN), the Norwegian Police University College, Folkeuniversitetet avd. Sandefjord, Fagskolen Viken (Tinius Olsen)and Fagskolen Vestfold og Telemark. The tenant agrees to notify the owner immediately if this condition is no longer met.
   
   If the tenant is not a registered student or has confirmed student status at the above mentioned educational institutions, and does not pay a semester fee to SSN, a monthly fee of NOK 1,000 will be added for the entire rental period. When requesting a confirmed right to study, the student must submit this within the given deadlines.

4. Duration of the tenancy

1. The tenancy agreement period is specified in Pt. 1 of the tenancy agreement.

2. The tenant is obliged to sign a received offer for a new contract or give notice that he/she will vacate the premises with a three (3) months’ notice before the current contract expires

3. During the contract period, the tenancy can be terminated by the tenant with a notice period of 3 - three - months from the last day of the month.

4. The termination of the rental agreement must be registered on My Page. The tenant’s new address must be given in the notice of termination.

5. If the tenant dies, both the estate agency and the owner have the right to terminate the contract within legal deadlines (cf. Section 9-10 of the Norwegian Residential Tenancy Act).

5. Rent

1. The tenant agrees to pay rent according to current rental cost. An unreceived invoice for rent does not imply exemption from having to pay.

2. The rent is due no later than the 1st of each month and is paid in advance. lf the due date falls on a Saturday, Sunday, a public holiday or on 1 May, the due date is deferred to the first succeeding workday. The tenant is obligated to pay rent for the duration of the tenancy period as stipulated in Pt. 1 of the tenancy agreement, even if the tenant moves in at a later date than the commencement date.

3. In case of late payment, a reminder fee will be charged and any expenses involved in debt collection proceedings will be charged to the tenant.

4. The tenant agrees to pay rent from the commencement date of the tenancy agreement. lf the handover takes place before the commencement date (cf. Pt. 1 of the tenancy agreement), the tenant shall pay rent from the date of the handover. In the case of termination of the contract by either the tenant or the owner, the tenant is obligated to pay until the end of the period of notice even if the tenant has vacated the accommodation at an earlier date.

6. Handing over

1. The tenancy agreement terminates if the rented object is damaged due to fire or other accident, irrespective of whether this occurs before or after the tenant has taken over the object.

2. The rented object will be handed over when the first month’s rent has been paid and the contract is signed by the tenant in accordance with Pt. 3 of the tenancy agreement.

3. Keys to the rented object can be picked up at 1 PM on the commencement date. lf the commencement date falls on a Saturday, Sunday, public holiday, or on 1 May or 17 May; the tenant must move in on the next ordinary working day from 1 PM. Does not apply to tenants who can lock themselves in via My page.

4. Unless otherwise agreed, the accommodation must be handed over no later than 14 days after the agreed commencement date of the tenancy. Details concerning the handover are stated in Pt. 1 of the tenancy agreement. The owner can terminate the contract and assign the accommodation to another prospective tenant if applicable regulations concerning handover are not followed. In such case, the tenant will be charged for financial loss caused to the owner, up to a maximum of 2 months’ rent. If a new tenant is assigned the same accommodation during the notice period for termination, the previous tenant’s financial liability expires as of the date the new tenant takes over the tenancy agreement.

5. In the case of delayed handover by the owner, the tenant may refer to the terms of the contract (cf. Section 2-9 of the Norwegian Residential Tenancy Act), or claim compensation for his/her costs (cf. Section 2-12).If the delay is substantial, the tenant may terminate the agreement (cf. the Norwegian Residential Tenancy Act. §2-12).

7. Change of accommodation/Internal transfer

1. The tenant may apply for a change of accommodation/ internal transfer. All financial obligations from previous tenancy agreements must be settled before any move can take place. Rent will be charged for both rooms/apartments during the period that both rooms/apartments are at the tenant’s disposal, i.e. one must anticipate at least seven days’ double rent. If the tenant performs vandalism or inflict damage onto the property, the house owner has the right to cancel the rental agreement with immediate effect.

2. In the event of major redecorating, rehabilitation or sale of the housing during the agreement period, the tenant may have to move to a different accommodation. The owner shall give written notice of such transfer with a minimum of three (3) months’ notice.

3. The SSN Housing department may order the tenant to move to another suitable accommodation if there are reasonable grounds for this, i.e. sale of housing, fire, damage to the property etc. 

8. The state of the rented object at handover

1. The accommodation assigned to the tenant shall be clean and in generally good condition (cf. Section 2-2 of the Norwegian Residential Tenancy Act). Tenants sharing common areas are responsible for keeping the common areas clean at all times. The owner does not guarantee the state of the common areas such as kitchens, bathrooms, hallways and staircases when the tenant moves in.

2. Any complaints concerning deficiencies must be submitted to the SSN Housing department within a reasonable time after receiving the keys to the rented object. Tenants reporting deficiencies give the owner, or a party authorized by the owner, the right to access the accommodation until the damage is rectified. Otherwise, the tenant loses his/her right to have the damage covered by the owner.

3. Complaints must be submitted in writing on My Page, specifying what needs to be rectified. In case of deficiencies or defects, the tenant may demand repairs, a reduction in rent or compensation (cf. the Norwegian Residential Tenancy Act, Section 2). Compensation for consequential damage cannot be claimed. In case of significant breach of contract, the tenant may cancel the contract.

9. The owner’s obligations during the tenancy

1. All exterior and interior maintenance of the rented object and the property is the owner’s responsibility. The owner must ensure that the accommodation is maintained in the same condition as it was at the time of handover; normal wear and tear is expected.

2. The owner has a duty and an obligation to inspect common areas such as kitchens, bathrooms, hallways and staircases to make sure these areas are properly cleaned. The owner may have these areas cleaned if the tenants responsible for cleaning have failed to meet their obligation to do so. The tenants will be charged for the cost of this labour.

3. The owner or party authorized by the owner will ensure that peace and order prevail on the premises.

4. According to Pt. 8 of the tenancy agreement, if defects or deficiencies occur during the rental period, the owner must correct the deficiencies claimed by the tenant (cf. Section 5-7 of the Norwegian Residential Tenancy). lf a tenant makes a claim to have a defect corrected, he/she simultaneously agrees that the owner may inspect and repair the defect as soon as possible, normally on weekdays between 08.00 and 16.00. The owner shall show consideration for the needs of the tenant when inspecting the damage.

10. The tenant's obligations and liability during the tenancy – alterations to the rented object

1. The tenant agrees to treat the accommodation and the property as a whole with due care.

2. The tenants has joint responsibility for cleaning the common areas such as kitchens, bathrooms, hallways and staircases once a week. It is also expected that daily cleaning is done after use of common areas, such as common kitchens, common rooms etc. The owner may have these areas cleaned if the tenants responsible for cleaning the areas have failed to meet their obligation to do so. The tenants will be charged for the cost of this labour (Pt. 9-2 of the tenancy agreement).

3. The tenant shall never act in any way that may cause other tenants to feel threatened. The tenant shall show due consideration towards other residents by respecting their right to sleep and work undisturbed. lf a tenant fails to comply with these regulations the owner can terminate the tenancy agreement accordingly (cf. Pt. 14-2 of the tenancy agreement).

4. The tenant shall comply with current house regulations at all times. The tenant is obliged to familiarise himself/herself with the building's fire instructions and comply with these. In case of failure to shut off false alarms, the responsible tenant will be charged for the costs from the local fire department.

5. The tenant is obliged to attend mandatory residents' meetings, fire drills and the like, and read all information from SSN throughout your tenancy period.

6. The rented object must be used for living purposes only. 

7. When circumstances dictate a need for inspection, maintenance work, repairs or refurbishment, the tenant must accept that the owner or a party authorised by the owner are to be granted access to the premises. In such cases, the tenant shall be informed a reasonable time beforehand. The house regulations will provide further details in this respect.

8. Should the tenant detect any damage that must be repaired immediately and without delay, including reports of pests, the tenant is obliged to report this to the owner immediately (cf. Section 5-5 of the Norwegian Residential Tenancy Act). The tenant is obliged to do whatever is necessary to prevent financial loss for the owner resulting from such damage.  Provided the tenant is not responsible for the damage, the tenant may claim compensation for justifiable expenses incurred in addition to the labour performed. The tenant shall report any other damage to the SSN Housing department within a reasonable period.

9. Should the tenant fail to report damage as mentioned above, the tenant loses the right to any compensation and will be held liable for any financial incurred by the owner.

10. The tenant shall not remove appliances, furniture or fittings from the rented object without the owner's permission. Nor shall the tenant undertake any painting or redecorating, add any electrical appliances or change the door locks. Moreover, antennas or satellite dishes may not be installed without prior approval of the owner.

11. The tenant is obliged to keep the rented object properly heated during the rental period.

12. All connected electronic equipment must have EU-standard certification (labelled CE or N). lf the tenant uses extension cords for electrical equipment, note that maximum capacity is 800w. All connected electrical equipment is the tenant's own responsibility. The tenant is responsible for any damages caused by the use of personal electrical equipment.

13. It is not allowed to charge electric scooters etc. inside the housing unit. Electric scooters etc. must be parked/stored in a bicycle shed. 

14. The renter is responsible for keeping a safe living environment. Storing and use of dangerous items, such as guns, gun replicas, air rifles and BB guns, are therefore not permitted.

11. The tenants’ liability

1. The tenant must offset any damage to the property, whether caused by the tenant or by members of the household, a sub-tenant or any other person to whom the tenant has granted access to the premises or any other part of the owner's property.

2. The tenant is not liable for damage and deficiencies caused by ordinary wear and tear.

12. Sub-letting/household members

1. Sub-letting or accommodation of other household members is not allowed unless a written application has been submitted and the owner has signed a written acceptance of this. Approval can be denied when circumstances pertaining to the purpose of housing or the person concerned warrant denial.

2. It is not permitted to have others living in your unit for a duration longer than the visitor guidelines in the housing regulations states.

3. Sub-letting during periods of temporary absence of the tenant cannot be denied if the sub-letter is granted permission to use the accommodation during the tenant’s absence and the tenant is permitted to return and use the accommodation after the absence. The tenant is obligated to make the sub-letter aware of the rules pertaining to rental and agrees to be responsible to the tenant that the rules will be complied with.

4. The tenant is still responsible for paying rent  on time and for paying for any additional owner-provided services throughout the subletting period. The tenant is also responsible for any damages to the owner’s housing unit, furnishings and other property, in accordance with Pt. 10 of  the tenancy agreement. The tenant may not demand higher rent from the sub-letter than the currently applicable rent set for the accommodation.

13. Pets

1. Pets are not allowed.

2. Should the tenant have a valid reason for keeping a pet, the tenant must submit an application stating this reason. The owner judges whether the conditions for keeping pets are fulfilled, including an examination of the consequences of keeping pets on the property.

3. Under no circumstances is keeping pets allowed if it causes any inconvenience to the owner or other tenants. The tenant shall not keep any pets before receiving a written permit from the owner. The permit may be withdrawn should inconveniences as mentioned above occur.

14. Tenant’s breach of contract - eviction

1. lf rent or other supplements are not paid within fourteen(14) days after notice has been presented, the tenant must accept eviction without any legal action according to Section 13-2 (third sub-section, litra a) of the Norwegian Enforcement Act. If the tenant fails to vacate the premises when the tenancy period expires, eviction may take place without legal action according to Section 13-2 (third sub-section, litra b) of the Enforcement Act.

2. Possession / use of illegal drugs both in your housing unit and on the property can lead to foreclosure (eviction), and the lease can be terminated if it results in an essential breach of the tenancy agreement on the part of the tenant. See the Norwegian Residential Tenancy Act, §9-9.

3. If the tenant commits any breach of the tenancy agreement, the agreement may be cancelled according to Norwegian Residential Tenancy Act §9-9.The following reckons as essential breach of the tenancy agreement:

a. The tenant fails to pay rent or to meet other demands in the tenancy agreement.
b. The tenant, despite written notice from the owner, fail to minister his/her duty of maintenance or continues to act in a manner that causes serious loss or inconvenience to the owner or other tenants.
c. The tenant wholly or partly allows others to use the rented object without having the right to do so, and fails to rectify the situation despite written notice from owner. 
d. The tenant without having the right to do so uses the accommodation in a different manner or for other purposes than agreed, and fails to rectify the situation despite written notice from the owner.
e. The tenant is in other way in default of his/her commitments to any extent that invokes termination of the tenancy agreement. 

In the event the tenant does not voluntarily vacate the premises despite any of the above circumstances, the tenant may be forcibly evicted under the provisions of Section 13-2, third paragraph, letter d) of the Norwegian Enforcement Act. 

If the tenant performs vandalism or inflict damage onto the property, the house owner has the right to cancel the rental agreement with immediate effect.

 A tenant who moves out after eviction or demand on the part of the owner because of default is obligated to pay rent for the remaining period of the agreement period, with optional deduction of revenue that the owner receives from a new tenancy. The tenant is also responsible for all costs entailed by eviction, legal proceedings and cleaning/clearance of the property. 

15. The owner’s breach of contract

1. A tenant who, according to Pt. 2 of the tenancy agreement, has accepted the tenancy agreement from SSN, and on commencement date has not yet received a permanent or temporary accommodation from the owner, is entitled to submit his/her claim to the owner for similar alternative, comparable accommodation.

2. The owner is obliged to rectify deficiencies or defects specified by the tenant within 3 days after moving in, ref. Pt.8-2, without undue delay.

3. lf the deficiency is caused by ongoing maintenance work, or if there is some other valid reason for the deficiency, SSN may repair the defect on a temporary basis even though this may result in a poorer but acceptable solution for the tenant.

4. Does SSN fail to meet the tenant's request for improvements, or if the defect cannot be rectified or repaired as mentioned above, the tenant is entitled to terminate the agreement unless the defect is deemed to be minor.

5. For any period during which the accommodation suffers from defects that cannot be considered minor, and a claim has been sent to SSN housing department, the tenant may claim a proportionate rent reduction or compensation. lf the tenant's demand for a rent reduction or compensation fails to be approved, the tenant may appeal to the owner. The appeal should be addressed to the SSN Housing office, no later than six (6) days after the tenant has received the refusal.

16. Moving out

1. When the tenancy period expires, the tenant shall hand over the rented object to the owner with all fixtures and extra storage in the same conditions as they were is when the tenant moved in (with due allowance made for ordinary wear and tear or any defects the owner is responsible to repair).

2. The accommodation must be thoroughly cleaned in accordance with the check-out routine and cleaning instructions before the key is returned.

3. If check-out is rejected, a fee for non-washing will be triggered. See the current price list for further information.

4. On the day the agreement is terminated, the tenant shall leave the premises and hand in the key to the owner before 10:00 am. lf the date for moving out falls on a Saturday, Sunday or a public holiday, the tenant must deliver the keys in our dropbox located at campus. The rented object will be inspected by the owner or a party authorized by the owner in accordance with check out appointment. lf the keys are not handed in at the agreed time, the tenant will be charged rent until the time use of the rented object is deemed to have ended.

5. When handing over a key before the end of the contract, and it has been delivered in a manner that is considered by SSN as a termination of the tenancy, the key is considered handed in and the owner is free to enter or use the space.

6. When terminating the contract the tenant must report any defects or damages to the owner. This must be reported at the same time as the termination is registered. Should any defects or damages occur after this point they must be reported as soon as possible to the owner. The caretaker or a party authorized by the owner will inspect the rented object 5–8 weeks before the moving-out date. The tenant will receive the date and time for inspection by e-mail or SMS at least 2 days before the inspection.

7. Deficiencies/defects that the tenant has not corrected can be repaired at the tenant’s expense. The owner shall notify the tenant of any claim of this kind in writing and within at least one (1) month after the moving-out date.

8. The tenant is liable pursuant to Section 5-8 of the Norwegian Tenancy Act if, after the tenant has moved out, such damages/deficiencies are due to any of the following:
   a. damages/deficiencies the tenant failed to report when he/she moved in or did not report later, as stipulated in Pt. 8-2
   b. the tenant cannot document that he/she is not liable pursuant to Pt. 11-1
   c. the deficiencies are not due to normal wear and tear
   

9. When the tenant vacates the premises, he/she has a duty to remove all personal property. lf items assumed to be the property of the tenant or a member of the tenant’s household are found on the premises after the tenant has moved out, SSN shall retain such items at the tenant's expense. However, items deemed to be rubbish may nevertheless be thrown away immediately. If custodial responsibility requires work on the part of the owner, the latter may claim reasonable compensation. See the Norwegian Residential Tenancy Act. Section 10-4.

10. In units where electricity is not included, the tenant is obliged to maintain their current subscription and pay electricity until the end date of the tenancy agreement. SSN notifies the network owner (Skagerak) to terminate current subscription and reports the final metre reading.

17. Legal venue

1. The parties accept the property's jurisdictions as legal venue in any disputes arising from the tenancy.

18. In relation to the Residential Tenancy Act

1. This agreement covers the letting of residential premises to people with a temporary special need for accommodation, cf.  the Norwegian Residential Tenancy Act §. 11-2.

2. The provisions of Section 11-2 of the Norwegian Residential Tenancy Act accords lesser rights to the tenant than if she/he was renting any other type of accommodation. If no further agreement is made, the Norwegian Residential Tenancy Act of 26.03.1999 no. 17 will apply for the tenancy.

The tenant and the owner are familiar with and accept all the provisions set out in this agreement including attachments. The tenant must read information on our website regarding the house rules, general information and the guidelines for paying the rent. The tenant will receive a signed copy of the tenancy agreement. 

19. Condition of the cancellation act

You have the right to refuse this agreement within 14 days after acceptance without giving any reason. A standardized form of the Cancellation Act including conditions, deadlines and ways to approach the Cancellation Act are attached to this agreement.    The tenant consents that the service has started by accession of the tenancy. By signing this agreement, the tenant recognizes that the Cancellation Act will be lost when his / her tenancy starts, ref. § 22 section c Cancellation Act.

20. Processing of personal data

Information about how we process personal data in connection with the tenancy is contained in SSNs privacy statement.

The tenant can also get the privacy statement in writing at SSNs office.