I move out by July first. Do I have to pay rent for July?

Gutt, 20

Hello, I am currently living in a flat and have been living here for the last 2 years. The owner gave me 3 months notice that I have to leave the flat before 30th of July. Usually I pay rent 7th of each month. The reason why they need to me vacate the flat is due to their children growing up. I found another flat which needs me to move in 1st of July, so I won’t be living in the current flat for the rest of the month. The owner wants me to pay half rent for July even though i will already live in the other place. He don’t need to find any other tenants since his children are the ones that will move in. Is it usual that it’s like this in Norway?

Svar

Spørsmålet og svaret er mer enn ett år gammelt. Endringer i lovverk og regelverk kan ha skjedd etter den tid. Se spørsmål og svar som ligner for nyere spørsmål.

Hello.

If the termination period runs throughout the month of July, you have to pay rent for the entirety of July, unless someone else (including the landlord or their children) starts using the property some time during July. Your duty to pay ends when someone else uses the property.

Having to pay only half the rent for July seems like a pretty good compromice, given the circumstances, but if you are certain that the children will start living in the apartment from the first of July, you can refuse to pay rent for July. This will undoubtedly aggrevate the landlord, so you should consider whether such a conflict, and possible legal aftermath, where you have to prove that the children started using the apartment from the first of July, is worth it.

Med vennlig hilsen Leieboerforeningen i samarbeid med Ung.no.

Besvart: 3.6.2022