Q & A
On this page you will find answers to frequently asked questions about Danmarkbolig.dk. If we do not have the right answer for you please feel free to contact us at: + 45 33 76 20 00
How do I sign up for an apartment?
You should contact the public housing organization directly - you can find contact information for all housing organizations here on Danmarkbolig.dk. The price for signing up is different from housing organization to housing organization, and you have to pay the housing organization directly. If you want to change your information later, including contact information, or in relation to the housing you are signed up for, contact the housing organization directly.
Why is there a long wait for my home?
There is a waiting list for much of the public housing in Denmark, but it's worth it for you to be signed up anyway, as your housing needs may change in the future, and you just may need a new home at that time. You also have the opportunity to get ahead in the queue, if you meet the requirements for flexible rental. The requirements vary from municipality to municipality, but may include that you have one or more children, you have solid and lasting work at least 25-30 hours a week, that you are a student or you are elderly or disabled and want a home that is more appropriate.
There are many reasons why the waiting list for housing can be long. One of them is the high cost of home ownership, which means that fewer people are moving from public housing. In addition, fewer people live together per household than before in Denmark, which also increases demand.
The length of the waiting list also depends on where your desired residence is located in the country. Larger cities will always have long waiting lists for available apartments compared to the countryside.
When you search for a home on Danmarkbolig.dk, you can use the filters to search for homes where there is a greater chance of getting a home quickly.
What is public housing?
Public housing is for everyone. It is not reserved for some special groups. Public housing is committed to providing accommodation for people with special needs. That is why you will find homes that are particularly suitable for families, young people, the elderly and the disabled. The homes are located all over the country and they are raised as either multi-storey buildings or dense, low-rise buildings in rows or single houses.
Public housing for families are built and rented out by public housing organizations. They are non-profit organizations, and they do not earn anything from renting out the homes. The rent of housing is thus determined solely to cover the costs of the operation of the units with the addition of provisions for maintenance. Public housing is divided into divisions. There are currently about 750 public housing organizations where the homes are divided into 7,400 sections.
Public housing works by rules and regulations adopted in parliament. In the law it is determined that it is the residents of public housing, that determinate through rules of resident democracy. That is why you as a tenant of an apartment, have influence that extends from your own apartment to the area you live in and up to the management of the housing.
How do I get public family housing?
If you want public family housing, you can search for it on the site and sign up. You should be aware that in certain areas of the country there is a very long waiting list. You should also examine if there is an agreement on flexible rental in the municipality you want to live in. This may improve your chances of getting a home.
When you search for a home on Danmarkbolig.dk, you can use the filters to search for homes where there is a greater chance of getting a home quickly. Once you have found a particular apartment, you can see how many people have moved to that specifik housing area in the last year - so that you can better assess whether there is a good chance of getting a home there.
Can sign up for my child?
Yes. You can sign up for housing for your child from its 15th birthday. Remember to pay the administrative fee so you don't get removed from the waiting list. It is your responsibility to pay, announce when you move etc.
Where can I find the rules?
You can find the rules on hiring of family homes in public housing law Chapter 4 and rental order Chapter 2. Read more about the rules of the Order (in Danish).
How to rent an apartment?
If you want to rent public housing, you need to sign up for the waiting list. Family public housing is rented out in accordance to seniority on the waiting list. Public housing, however, has an obligation towards people with special housing needs. Some people therefore have priority access to the waiting list, this includes:
- Seniors and people with disabilities have priority to certain apartments suitable for elderly and the disabled
- Families with children have priority to larger apartments
- People already living in public housing have priority to apartments in the housing organization to which they belong rather than external candidates; this is called the right of advancement.
In addition, local authorities have the rigt to dispose of one in every four vacant public family or youth housing. This is to solve local municipal public housing problems, and can by agreement with the housing organizations increase the percentage up to all public housing in the municipality.
What is flexible rental?
In 2000, the rules governing the letting of public family housing were made more flexible. These rules stipulate that the local council and the public housing organization decide together if rental must follow specific criteria. This may be to give preference to commuters who work in the municipality; to families who urgently need a rental home after a divorce; or for young students. The agreement may include a maximum of 90 percent of the homes. The remaining 10 percent can be rented out through the the waiting list rules. In order to agree on flexible rental it is a prerequisite that there is no discrimination on the basis of e.g. ethnic origin. You can read more about flexible rental rules in the Guide on flexible rental rules (in Danish).
What is a sign-up collaboration?
In some towns and municipalities housing organizations have joined together to make a joint waiting list. On a joint waiting list you can sign up for more apartments at a time. These are called sign-up collaborations.
What is combined rental?
In residential areas with high unemployment, the municipalities has, since the summer of 2005, had the option to refuse to accept welfare recipients on the waiting list for public housing. The municipality is in turn obliged to provide other suitable housing in the municipality as long as the welfare recipient is on a waiting list at the time of the decision to apply the rules. The aim is to strengthen the admission of resourceful citizens to disadvantaged areas. You can read more about the scheme in the Guide on combined rental (in Danish). You can also view lists of areas that can be used for combined rental (in Danish).
What is a municipal usher?
The local council in your municipality has the opportunity to decide that a number of public housing in the municipality must be made available to solve urgent social housing problems.
If you apply your municipality for a municipal usher, your municipality will follow a specific assessment of whether your housing needs are so urgent that you can be provided with available accommodation. The usher may also take into account the composition of residents in the area assigned. Unless exceptional circumstances apply, the decision can not be appealed to any other administrative authority. You can find the rules on municipal ushering in the Act on Public Housing etc., § 59 and § 60 (in Danish).