The case summarized: Aurora Haug (21) rented out her apartment in Bodø while she was studying in Oslo, but was shocked by the condition of the apartment after the tenant had lived there for four months. The tenant did not pay the rent as agreed, and Haug received several complaints from neighbors about noise. The tenant also changed the lock on the door. The apartment was in a shocking state, with broken furniture, holes in the wall, and several of Haug’s belongings, including a washing machine and a TV, were gone. At the organization Huseierne, damages account for up to 20 percent of the caseload in rental cases. Haug reported the tenant for damage and embezzlement, but both reports were dropped by the police. Haug had both contents and rental insurance, but due to a lack of deposit and insurance conditions, she was not able to cover the damages. Haug is now warning other landlords to be careful with who they rent to, and to make sure they have adequate insurance. The summary is made by an AI service from OpenAI. The content is quality assured by news’s journalists before publication. When Aurora Haug went to high school in Bodø last year, she bought a small apartment. This autumn she moved to Oslo to study. She therefore decided to rent out the apartment, furnished as well. She regrets it bitterly. The apartment was advertised on Finn.no and in June Haug’s first tenant moved in. She says that at first the man appeared to be a nice guy, but that things changed over time. The rent did not go into the account as agreed, nor did she get in touch with the tenant. – The money never came, not even in June, July, August and September, she says. Haug is said to have also received several complaints from neighbors about the tenant. news has been in contact with a neighbor who heard a lot of noise from the apartment. The neighbor was also afraid of the tenant. It was Bodø Nu that mentioned the case first. Was assisted by the police Haug says that for several weeks she tried to end the tenancy, but without success. The man is said to have also changed the lock on the door. Aurora Haug bought the apartment when she went to upper secondary school in Bodø and chose to rent it out when she moved to Oslo to work and study. Photo: Privat On Wednesday last week, Haug received assistance from the police, the bailiff in Nordland and a locksmith to evict the tenant. For reasons of confidentiality, neither the police nor the bailiff can confirm or answer questions related to this case. But Liv-Anija Koivunen at the Public Prosecutor’s Office in Nordland informs news that Nordland police district this year is likely to receive over 180 demands from landlords that tenants should be evicted. These are dealt with by the Tax Collector in Nordland as civil law cases. According to Haug, the police showed up with shields, and allegedly said it was for their safety. And when Haug entered the apartment, she was shocked. – Nothing could have prepared me for what met us. I didn’t recognize my own apartment. The washing machine was gone. She says that there were beer cans, snuff and broken glass bottles on the floor. The shelves in the fridge were smashed and the washing machine was gone. The tenant has tried to sell the washing machine to Haug. news has been in contact with the person who was tried to sell Haug’s washing machine. Buyer: Can it be picked up tonight? KBuyer: Everything works as it should? LTenant: Yes, address is (…). Phone (…). Can you come before 20 KK? Buyer: No, I think that will be too short, unfortunately Tenant: When can you then? Tenant: When can you? LTenant: Are you a student and sponsor week starts today, can you afford beer KBuyer: You know, I think we are in charge of that machine. Sounds like you are selling a machine that belongs to the landlord. Tenant: It comes off my deposit, so why should it be a problem? The new 65-inch TV with accompanying TV table had been removed and there were several holes in the wall. – I was very stressed. All my stuff is gone. He has sold the dining table, the dining chairs and the mirror on the wall are gone. news has been in contact with the tenant in question. He believes that he was threatened to move out and later reported to the police. The landlord’s father, Kim Haug, denies having made threats. He says that he gave clear notice that they would come to inspect the apartment, and that the tenant would have to move if he did not pay rent as agreed. For reasons of privacy, the police cannot answer whether the person is known to the police from before. Reported twice At the organization Huseierne, damage forms part of the scope of the case in rent cases. – Maybe up to 20 per cent, says lawyer at Huseierne, Morten Fæste. But they don’t get so many cases about theft. Aurora Haug claims that the tenant allegedly vandalized and stole NOK 200,000, and reported the man to the police for both damage and embezzlement. Both reports were dropped by the police within a few days. In the letter from the police, they write that they do not have the capacity to investigate the case. Furthermore, the police write that there was no reasonable reason to investigate whether the damage to the apartment could be described as a criminal offence. The report regarding embezzlement was dismissed on the basis of the evidence. A table and two chairs are missing here. Photo: Marie Staberg / news Fæste says that even if the police drop the case, Haug can go to the Housing Rental Dispute Committee. – I understand that the police’s use of resources means that this type of case often has to be downgraded. However, this does not mean that the landlord cannot win with a claim for compensation against the tenant in the House Lease Dispute Committee. They handle cases completely regardless of whether the tenant can be held criminally liable. He says the landlord may have a good chance of winning here. – The landlord has a good chance of winning with compensation claims if the landlord can document that there are damages for which the tenant is responsible. The landlords’ five pieces of advice for landlords Morten Fæste, lawyer at Huseierne, has five pieces of advice for landlords: Require the tenant to provide a deposit of at least three months’ rent. Ask the tenant for references, and check references. In this way, you secure good tenants. Consider taking out rental insurance. This is not a must, but there are many good such insurances on the market. Document with photos what the home looks like before and after the rental. Write a good takeover protocol that shows what kind of contents come with the apartment. The landlords have a standard takeover protocol that the members can use. – I don’t feel believed Police prosecutor Gaute Rydmark at the Nordland police district says that they have chosen to drop the case without taking any further investigative steps. – Even if the landlord reports damage to a rental flat, in such cases it can be difficult to prove beyond any reasonable doubt that it is the tenant who has committed the damage. Rydmark emphasizes that an investigation will raise a number of questions, which may be difficult to answer. The reports are dropped, among other things, because the police do not have the capacity to investigate the case. Photo: Christer Aass – For example, about when the damage took place. Were others present in the apartment when the damage occurred? Could there have been other people present who could have committed the damage? What is the total damage value? Rydmark says that Haug can appeal to the public prosecutor in Nordland for a new assessment. The 21-year-old is not satisfied that the reports were dropped, and has appealed the refusal to the public prosecutor. – I don’t feel seen, believed or heard. I expect that to be the case when there is such a serious incident that has occurred. This is how Aurora Haug’s apartment looked before the tenant moved in. The washing machine is now gone. Photo: Private Didn’t have good enough insurance Haug had both contents and rental insurance, but hadn’t read the conditions well enough. For Haug’s rental insurance to be valid, the tenancy must have a minimum three-month deposit. Haug had only provided a two-month deposit. This is what Aurora’s apartment looked like after the tenant had lived there. Photo: Marie Staberg / news Her household insurance did not cover embezzlement either. – I can’t cover anything. I might get the bed covered since it’s there. Otherwise, the apartment is completely furnished. Now Haug wants to warn others. She encourages landlords to review their insurance policies and be particularly careful about who they rent to. – Landlords must be careful that you actually check references, credit checks and do all the background checks that you can do. I may not have been as good at that as I should have been. I got an apprenticeship there, she says. This is what Aurora’s apartment looked like after the tenant had lived there. Photo: Marie Staberg / news Published 28.09.2024, at 18.46
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Aurora (21) had the apartment demolished by the tenant – news Nordland
