§ 8-6. What happens to your tenancy agreement when the landlord sells?
If the landlord (utleier) sells the property, the new owner takes over the rights and obligations in your tenancy agreement (leieavtale). You do not need to sign a new contract. But if you have reason to be concerned about the new owner, you can demand that the old owner remains liable as well.
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)
On a change of ownership (eierskifte), the landlord may transfer to the acquirer the rights and obligations under the tenancy agreement.
If the acquirer's circumstances give a legitimate reason (saklig grunn) for it, the tenant (leier) may demand that the transferor be liable together with the acquirer for the proper performance of the obligations under the agreement, unless adequate security is provided. The tenant's demand that the transferor be liable for performance must be made to the transferor within six months after the tenant became aware or should have become aware of the change of ownership.
What does this mean?
Property changes owners — that is normal and, as a starting point, does not affect you as a tenant. Your tenancy agreement goes with the property and is binding on the new owner on exactly the same terms.
You do not need to sign a new contract. You do not need to accept changed terms. The new owner inherits the existing tenancy agreement.
What if you are concerned about the new owner?
If the new owner's circumstances give a legitimate reason for concern — for example, that it is an unknown company with a bad reputation, or that there are grounds to believe they will not fulfil their obligations — you can demand that the old landlord remains liable as well. They are then both responsible to you.
The deadline is six months. You must make this demand to the old landlord within six months from when you became aware — or should have become aware — of the change of ownership. If you wait longer, you lose the right.
Do you remember that the tenants' representative (tillitsvalgt) must be notified immediately of a change of ownership (§ 6-3)? That is precisely so that the tenants have the opportunity to react in time.
Example
Tom learns that the property where he lives has been sold to a property company he does not know. He investigates and finds that the company is involved in a number of disputes with tenants in other buildings. Within six months, Tom makes a written demand to the old landlord that they be jointly and severally liable. The old landlord is then liable together with the new one if the tenancy agreement is breached.
Common mistakes
- Thinking that a change of ownership means a new contract. No — your tenancy agreement continues unchanged.
- Waiting too long to demand joint and several liability. The six-month deadline is absolute.
- Accepting changes to the terms that the new owner tries to introduce. The new owner is bound by the existing tenancy agreement.
What should you do?
If you learn of a change of ownership: Document when you found out. Look into the new owner. If there is reason for concern, send a written demand to the old landlord for joint and several liability — within six months. In any case: You do not need to sign a new contract, and your terms are unchanged.
- § 6-3Notifying the tenants' representative of a change of ownership
- § 9-5The landlord's right to give notice of termination
- § 8-5Carrying out a change of tenant