Finding accommodation

If you wish to apply for International Accomodation Office (IAO), you must contact the secretary/contact person in the department you will be working for at Aalborg University (AAU).

Please contact the secretary/contact person as early as possible in order to allow us to find the best solution for you. For more information on the services offered at IAO.

However, please note that it is not always possible to meet your requests and wishes concerning accommodation. Moreover, due to the limited number of rooms and apartments available, we cannot guarantee availability.

Therefore, we strongly advise you to search for accommodation on your own. There is no central register for rental accommodation in Denmark; however, the Internet is a good place to start. Though only available in Danish, accommodation search portals such as www.boligportal.dk and www.findbolig.nu are easy to navigate and they can provide a quick insight into the cost and availability of accommodation in Denmark.

For a list of useful Danish vocabulary to help your search, please see useful vocabulary below.

If you prefer not to bring your own furniture to Denmark, there are many ways of finding affordable furniture once you are here. Second hand shops supporting a wide variety of charities are plentiful; if you are on a budget, this is a good place to start. Search the Internet for “Genbrugsbutik” (second hand store) followed by the city of your choice (Aalborg, Copenhagen/København or Esbjerg) and you will be presented with a long list of shops. The larger ones will usually have more furniture.

• Genbrugsbutikker (second hand stores) Aalborg (map with locations)
• Genbrugsbutikker (second hand stores) Esbjerg (map with locations)
• Genbrugsbutikker (second hand stores) Copenhagen (map with locations)

Facebook is another great place to search for second hand furniture. Most areas/cities have sales groups, where private people sell (or even sometimes give away) furniture and other items they do not need anymore. You can find the groups on Facebook by searching “Køb og Salg” (buying and selling) followed by the city of your choice (Aalborg, Copenhagen/København or Esbjerg).

Denmark also has a vast selection of stores offering furniture ranging from JYSK, Bilka and IKEA at the cheaper end of the scale to ILVA, BOLIA and a large number of local upmarket stores at the high end. Stores such as JYSK, IKEA and Bilka are also great places for finding kitchen utensils, towels, bedding and many other useful items for your new home.   

Please note that if you paid a deposit when renting your accommodation, you are entitled to a reimbursement of the deposit – i.e. with a deduction of any possible expenses required to bring the apartment/room back to the same condition as you received it in.

If your utility consumption is metered, you must read your meters before you move out and inform your providers (the utility companies). Otherwise, you risk paying for more than you have consumed and you will be held responsible for the consumption until the next resident registers as a consumer.

Any surplus of utilities will also be reimbursed (e.g. if you have paid a set monthly water or electricity contribution that proves to have been higher than your actual consumption).

Remember to deregister from the address. This is done by filling in a change of address form (or a leaving form if you are leaving the country) and submitting it to your municipality of residence.

Electricity in Denmark is 230 Volts and the electrical frequency is 50 Hertz. If you bring an electrical appliance to Denmark that does not accept 230 Volts at 50 Hertz, you will need a voltage converter.

These two types of plugs are most common in Denmark:

• Plug C: Popularly known as the Euro plug. It is a two-pin unearthed plug
• Plug K: Has two round pins and a spade grounding pin.

When you find an appropriate accommodation and you are ready to commit, we advise you to take a number of steps before you sign the rental contract:

• Verify the address/room with Boligejer.dk (webpage of the Danish Business Authority) to be assured that the address is legally registered as rental accommodation. Please be aware that you cannot apply for a CPR number before you have found a place to live and actually live at the address (for further information on the Danish CPR number please see "a CPR number is important for your life in Denmark" under About Denmark.
• Always see the apartment/room before you commit, or have someone check it out for you if you are unable to view it yourself.
• Never forward a deposit or any advance rent before you have a signed contract in your possession. If you do not have a signed contract, it is very difficult to get your money back if something goes wrong.
• Read the terms of the rental contract carefully and make sure they describe clearly, what you have agreed to. Most landlords use the Danish standard rental contract, which is only available in Danish language. However, an unofficial translation is available here. Also, it is always a good idea to have a Danish speaker look through the rental contract before you sign.
• Read §11 of the rental contract thoroughly. This section will either reduce your rights or increase your responsibility, as it can potentially supersede other statements previously declared in the rental contract. This means that anything that deviates from the standard rules will be stated in this section.
• Make a note of the rent and what it consists of (is heating, water, electricity, internet etc. included?).

In Denmark, rent is regulated by the Tenant Consolidation Act. The rent for an accommodation is determined by a number of factors, such as location (city centre/suburb), type (apartment/house/single room), standard (old/new/renovated), as well as other aspects.

For this reason, some areas may prove very expensive. Consider extending your search to more affordable suburban areas. Denmark has good public transport and excellent bicycle lanes and it is generally easy to commute. Also, please note that facilities might differ from what you are used to in your home country and you may have to reassess your expectations and priorities.  

You may be required to pay up to three months deposit and three months advance payment of rent, which is within the terms of the law. Please be aware that the deposit and advance payment must be paid in order to secure the rental contract and that you need to have this amount at your disposal up front.

Furthermore, please note that in Denmark a 2-bedroom apartment means one bedroom and one living room. This means that if you need accommodation with two separate bedrooms, you must search for a 3-bedroom apartment.  

• Go through the apartment/room with your landlord and document any defects (e.g. take pictures). You risk having to pay repairs from your deposit when you move out, if you cannot prove that the defect was there when you moved in.
• Sign up for meter service if possible and applicable. In many places water, heating and electricity consumption is metered and it is important that you have the current reading registered with the utility companies, when you move into your new accommodation. This way you ensure that you only pay for your own consumption.
• Familiarise yourself with the rules and options for disposing of your rubbish. In Denmark, waste is recycled if possible and depending on the area and municipality you live in, there may be very specific regulations that you are required to follow. Special bins and/or containers are provided for paper, plastic, glass and metal waste. Also, please note that you pay a deposit on many bottles and cans (e.g. for soft drinks and beers) and that you get this deposit refunded when you return the bottles to the shops. For more general information on recycling in Denmark please go to the webpage of the Danish Recycling System.
• Study the move-in and move-out conditions carefully. In most cases, you are required to return the accommodation in the same condition as you receive it. Remember that you are responsible for keeping the accommodation in an acceptable condition.
• Always remember to pay your rent and any utilities on time. If you do not, it could be a reason for eviction.
• Check whether you are entitled to housing benefits (Boligstøtte). You can apply online at www.borger.dk using your Nem ID. Alternatively, you can ask for an application form for housing benefit at the Citizen Service Centre. For more information please call Udbetaling Danmark (the authority dealing with housing benefits) at +45 7012 8063.