– The small holes you see there, I used air rifle bullets there. It is unnecessary to shoot with an air rifle in a rental apartment. Kamilla Berknes says so. She and her roommate have rented out for several years, to several tenants, but they have never experienced anything like this. January 12 was the first time they saw their flat after the previous tenant had been evicted by the bailiff. – What were they thinking? – “Damn it,” she replies and laughs dejectedly. Kamilla Berknes and roommate Christian Grytten say they have now learned their lesson. Photo: Annabelle Kårvåg Sørensen / news Furniture with knife holes It was after the chairman of the cooperative got in touch that they became concerned. The tenant had not paid rent either, and then they took action. – The first thing that met us was a half-eight sofa, holes in the ceiling, the furniture was here with many knife holes in it, the kitchen looked terrible, there were syringes in the bathroom, it was dirty… It was disgusting, says Berknes. – But at the same time, it’s sad for us, but it’s also sad that someone has bid like this. I couldn’t live like that. She and her roommate imagine that they will have to shell out nearly NOK 70,000 to fix the flat. – We have torn up the floor now. All the furniture was thrown away because it was ruined. The worktop in the kitchen was destroyed. What is left is what we think we can save. And the money they have to spend, it is not certain that they will get back. – It is important to have rental insurance Anders Leisner, lawyer at the House Owners’ National Association, says the money can be lost. – If you are subjected to a proper demolition, it is not easy to get something back from a tenant who may not initially have that much money. Then it can quickly be a lost amount. He therefore recommends that people who are renting out take a proper deposit or guarantee. – But then you can also take out rental insurance, which costs about one thousand Swedish kroner a year. It will cover any damages beyond the deposit, up to a fairly large sum. – If they had had rental insurance, they would have been much better off, says the lawyer. Because if you do not have rental insurance on the rental home, then nothing is covered by the insurance. Then you have to take the loss yourself, explains Leisner. They have salvaged what they could of the kitchen furnishings, so they will avoid buying everything new. Photo: Annabelle Kårvåg Sørensen / news And that’s something the cohabiting couple will get. – Rental insurance, we’ll arrange that for next time, says Berknes and looks at the roommate. – We have to take slightly greater precautions, yes. We have to bear that cost, he replies. – Now we have learned, notes Berknes. Here are the most important tips the lawyer has for future landlords: Have a written agreement where you decide how long this tenancy will last. If you rent out a flat, the minimum term for a tenancy is three years, with certain exceptions. It is important to have a conscious relationship with how long you want the tenancy to last. It is important to have good security, a deposit or guarantee, which protects you against loss. It is important to take out rental insurance, so that you are insured against major losses, which are not covered by the deposit. It is important to familiarize yourself with the rules beforehand. This is a market you become a player in. It is important to know the rules that apply to that market. A course in the tenancy law before starting is absolutely recommended.
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Kamilla (29) experienced every landlord’s nightmare: – Now we have learned
