§ 3-3. How to pay your rent
The landlord (utleier) can say that the rent (husleie) must be paid into an account, not in cash — but it cannot cost you anything extra. You always have the right to pay through a Norwegian bank, and you are not obliged to send money abroad.
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)
The landlord may give instructions on the method of transferring the rent if this does not cause additional expense or significant inconvenience for the tenant (leier). The tenant nevertheless always has the right to pay rent through a financial institution that is entitled to offer such a service in Norway. The tenant is not obliged to transfer rent abroad.
If the tenant pays through a financial institution, payment shall, in relation to the rules on due dates, be deemed to have taken place when a. the amount has been received by a financial institution in Norway, or b. a payment order has been received by a financial institution in Norway, provided that there are sufficient funds to cover the order.
What does this mean?
The landlord largely decides how you pay — for example, that the rent must go to a specific account. That is fine, as long as it does not cost you anything extra and does not cause you significant inconvenience.
But there are some things the landlord cannot demand:
He cannot demand that you use an expensive transfer method. He cannot demand that you send money to a foreign account. You always have the right to pay through an ordinary Norwegian bank — Vipps, online banking, direct debit (avtalegiro). That is more than good enough.
When have you paid on time? This is important: The payment counts as made — in relation to the due date — on the day your bank receives the payment order and you have sufficient funds. Not the day the money arrives in the landlord's account. If you send a transfer from Nordea to Handelsbanken on Friday evening with sufficient funds — you are on time, even if Handelsbanken does not receive the money until Monday.
Example
Sara always pays the rent through her online bank to the landlord's account. The landlord suddenly demands that she use a particular payment service that charges a fee. That is not allowed — Sara can keep paying through ordinary online banking, completely free of charge.
Common mistakes
- Thinking that payment happens when the landlord receives the money. No — it counts from when you have sent the payment order through your bank with sufficient funds. It is your bank that sets the time.
- Sending money to a foreign account without knowing that you can refuse. You are not obliged to do this.
What should you do?
Use direct debit (avtalegiro) or a standing transfer from your online bank. That way the payment is always documented and always on time.
- § 3-2Due date for the rent
- § 3-5Deposit (depositum)
- § 3-8Paying disputed rent into a blocked account (deponering)