§ 1-4. Do you need a written tenancy agreement?
A verbal tenancy agreement (leieavtale) is lawful and valid. But either party can demand to have the agreement in writing at any time. You do not need to wait — you can ask for it today.
Machine-translated from Norwegian. The Norwegian text is the one that applies. Read the original in Norwegian.Norsk English العربية Polski Українська
The text of the law (unofficial translation)
An agreement on the lease of rented premises (husrom) may be made in writing or verbally. If the agreement is verbal, it shall be set down in writing if one of the parties demands it.
What does this mean?
Many people believe that a tenancy agreement is not valid without a signature on paper. That is not true. If you and the landlord (utleier) have agreed that you will rent a flat, the agreement is binding — even if you never signed anything.
The practical problem with verbal agreements is proof. What was actually agreed? What rent (husleie)? What rules apply to redecorating? Who pays for what? Without anything in writing, it is hard to prove what you actually agreed on.
The law solves this simply: Either party can demand to have the agreement written down — and the other party is then obliged to help do so. You can demand it, the landlord can demand it, and neither of you can say no.
What should a written tenancy agreement include?
- Who is renting and who is renting out
- The address of the home (bolig)
- The rent amount and the due date
- Deposit (depositum) (amount and account number)
- Start date and any end date
- What is included (parking, storage room, electricity, internet)
- Any special terms
Example
Tom made a verbal agreement with his landlord to rent a room for NOK 6,500 a month. After three months, the landlord starts claiming that they agreed on NOK 7,500. Tom remembers it differently. If they had had a written agreement, this would have been settled. Tom can now demand that the agreement be written down — and that the rent be set at what he believes is correct, possibly with help from the Rent Disputes Tribunal (Husleietvistutvalget).
Common mistakes
- Believing that without a written agreement you are not protected by the Tenancy Act. Wrong — the law applies regardless.
- Believing that the landlord can refuse to give a written agreement. No — either party can demand it, and the other is obliged to help.
- Waiting too long to ask for a written agreement. The longer you wait, the harder it is to remember what was actually agreed.
What should you do?
Do you have a verbal tenancy agreement? Ask the landlord to put it in writing. It is your right. If the landlord is difficult, you can write down what you believe you have agreed on and send it to the landlord — ask for confirmation or corrections. That way you have at least documented what you understood the agreement to be.