§ 7-4. You can sublet your whole home if you are temporarily away
If you go away temporarily because of work, education, military service or illness, you can sublet (framleie) your whole home (bolig) for up to two years. You need approval from the landlord (utleier) — but the landlord can only refuse with a legitimate reason (saklig grunn).
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)
A tenant of a home may sublet with approval from the landlord for up to two years in the event of temporary absence due to work, education, military service, illness or other weighty reasons. Approval may only be refused if circumstances relating to the subtenant give legitimate reason for it or the rented premises will clearly become overcrowded.
What does this mean?
Life sometimes takes us somewhere else for a while — a work assignment in another city, a year at a university abroad, military service, or long-term illness. It would be a shame to have to give up a good flat you have rented for years.
§ 7-4 gives you the right to keep your tenancy agreement (leieavtale) and sublet the home while you are away — for up to two years.
The conditions:
Your absence must have a specific reason — work, education, military service, illness, or "other weighty reasons". What counts as weighty? Going on a trip around the world for a year is probably not enough. Having a seriously ill parent you need to live with temporarily may be.
You need approval from the landlord. But the landlord can only refuse if:
- Circumstances relating to the subtenant give a legitimate reason — that is, something specific and negative about the person in question
- The home will clearly become overcrowded — which is rarely relevant when the whole home is sublet to one person
Maximum two years. If your absence lasts longer, you no longer have a right to sublet under this provision. You must then either end the tenancy agreement or negotiate a solution with the landlord.
Examples
Ingrid gets a job in Bergen for 18 months. She rents a flat in Oslo and wants to keep it. She asks the landlord for permission to sublet to a colleague. The landlord can only refuse if the colleague gives a legitimate reason to do so. He does not, and Ingrid sublets lawfully for 18 months.
Petter is going on an exchange to Japan for three years. He applies to sublet under § 7-4. The landlord can refuse — the absence is longer than two years, and the provision does not cover that. Petter must either find another solution with the landlord or give notice on the flat.
Common mistakes
- Subletting without asking. Approval is always required — § 7-4 only gives you a strong argument for getting a yes, not a right to bypass the landlord.
- Forgetting the two-year limit. If you plan to be away longer, clarify it with the landlord early.
- Applying too late. Apply well before your absence begins, so that you have approval in place.
What should you do?
If you are going away temporarily: Apply to the landlord in writing, explain the reason and the duration, and state who you want to sublet to. Document everything. Remember § 7-6 — if the landlord does not respond within one month, it counts as approval.
Frequently asked questions
Can I sublet on Airbnb while I am away?
- § 7-2Subletting requires consent
- § 7-6Approval through lack of response
- § 7-7The subtenant's position when the tenancy ends
- § 7-3Subletting part of the home
- Can the municipality refuse to let me sublet the municipal home while I am away?
- Ill and have to move: can I get out of the fixed-term tenancy agreement (tidsbestemt leieavtale)?
- Does the landlord have to approve a subtenant who has payment default records?
- How to ask your landlord for permission to sublet