§ 6-1. You and your neighbours can elect a tenants' representative
If there are five or more rented homes in your building, the tenants (leier) can vote in a tenants' representative (tillitsvalgt) who represents all of you in dealings with the landlord (utleier). The tenants' representative is elected for one year at a time.
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)
In buildings where the landlord has let more than four homes, the tenants of the homes may, at a meeting and by an ordinary majority of the votes cast, elect a tenants' representative to represent them in dealings with the landlord. The tenants' representative shall immediately notify the landlord of the arrangement adopted and of who has been elected.
The tenants' representative is elected for one year at a time. The office of tenants' representative does not end until a new tenants' representative has been elected, even if the term of office has expired.
Where special reasons exist, the tenants' representative has the right to step down before the term of office has expired.
A meeting may decide, by an ordinary majority of the votes cast, to remove the tenants' representative. The arrangement of joint representation may be abolished in the same way.
What does this mean?
If you live in a building with many rented homes, you are not alone. The law gives you the right to organise and elect one person to speak with the landlord on behalf of everyone.
Who can elect a tenants' representative? All buildings with five or more rented homes — not just flats, but all types of residential tenancies (leieforhold) in the same building.
How is the tenants' representative elected? The tenants call a meeting. An ordinary majority of those who vote decides the election. Subtenants do not have the right to vote — only the direct tenants do.
What happens after the election? The tenants' representative immediately notifies the landlord of who has been elected. From then on, the landlord is obliged to deal with the tenants' representative on behalf of the tenants.
The office lasts until the next election. Even if a year has passed, the tenants' representative continues until a new one is in place. There is no gap.
The tenants' representative can also step down before the term of office has expired if there are special reasons — for example, if the person is moving away.
Example
Marius lives in a building with eight flats. The tenants are unhappy with the maintenance (vedlikehold) and want a stronger position in dealings with the landlord. They call a meeting, and five out of eight vote for Marius as tenants' representative. Marius notifies the landlord and begins representing all the tenants in the building.
Common mistakes
- Thinking that the arrangement requires the landlord's approval. It does not — it is the tenants' right, not something the landlord can refuse.
- Forgetting to notify the landlord of the election in writing. It is an obligation — and it is from this point that the landlord's duty to inform the tenants' representative takes effect.
What should you do?
If there are problems in the building and there are many of you tenants: take the initiative to call a meeting. Find someone who is willing to be tenants' representative. Hold a proper election and notify the landlord the same day. You will be in a far stronger position in dialogue with the landlord as a united group with an official representative.
- § 6-2The duties of the tenants' representative
- § 6-3The landlord's duty to inform the tenants' representative