Find housing on your own - Copenhagen

OUR ASSISTANCE, SERVICE and advice

The International accommodation Office at the Copenhagen campus readily provides guidance on how to search for accommodation in Copenhagen.

The housing situation in the capital is one of the most severe ones in Europe, and the task of securing affordable accommodation should not be underestimated. As Aalborg University Copenhagen unfortunately cannot offer any housing guarantee along with your place of study, we recommend starting your search as early as possible, preferably at least three months prior to your study start.

The best way to prepare for your search for accommodation is by reading the short accommodation guide from the International House Copenhagen: "Fact Sheet Accommodation" (.Pdf)

We also recommend reading our advice below and to visit two main websites providing crucial information for newcomers:

https://international.kk.dk/checklist-newcomers

https://lifeindenmark.borger.dk/Coming-to-Denmark/Housin g

Since Danish law requires that you apply for a Civil Registration number (CPR number) if you stay more than three months, it is crucial that you are allowed to registre the CPR number at your accommodation adress in Denmark. Please take care to ask the landlord in writing before signing any contracts or transferring a deposit.
Read more about the CPR number here
Important rule of thumb to avoid scams: Never transfer money to a non-Danish account - if the landlord owes or sublets property in Denmark they have a Danish bank account.

You have the possibility to book a personal appointment by writing to us on mail if you have a more specific question not addressed at our website. Please note that the IAO AAU CPH can only guide you with your search for accommodation but cannot provide legal assistance concerning rental contracts (non AAU), CPR registration issues, translations, disputes between tenants – private property owners, or matters alike.

Learn more about

Price range

Because housing is in great demand, prices have gone up in Copenhagen as in most other major international cities. Most private rooms start from DKK 4.000 and go up to DKK 8.000 per month -depending on the location, size, facilities, etc.

When inquiring about a room, remember to ask if all costs (electricity, heating, internet, and water) are included in the monthly rent.

Apartments and houses are naturally more expensive, but vary in price. Hence, a whole house 6 kilometers from campus could cost approximately the same as a 1-room apartment close to campus.

Be aware that the private market sees cases of fraud and swindles. You should never transfer a deposit to a foreign account (non-Danish) as this is a typical requirement from housing-scammers.

Location of the AAU CPH campus

Campus is located south west of Copenhagen app. 4 kilometers from the city centre. You can easily bicycle to and from campus from all over Copenhagen.

The campus address is:
Aalborg University Copenhagen
A. C. Meyers Vænge 15
2450 København SV

It is sometimes easier to find accommodation outside Copenhagen – it is also very often less expensive. Look for accommodation close to S-train stations. The nearest S-train station to AAU CPH is ‘Sydhavn’ and it is served by line A and E.

Use Rejseplanen to find your best route with public transportation.

How to search

There are a lot of sites where you can search for private accommodation. Some are free of charge and some are only available against payment. Many sites are unfortunately in Danish.

AAU CPH cannot recommend any as such, but International House Copenhagen has a list of sites in their housing section that can be a good starting point. Find the website here about student housing and in general this site might prove useful.

It is said that your network is everything and this is also true regarding finding accommodation. Be active in search sites and on social media - and as soon as you arrive get to know people around you, both Danish and international, they might have connections that can help you find accommodation. Many also use our Facebook group.

Hostels and other short term solutions

Hostels in Copenhagen are normally in a good condition. Bed and breakfast arrangements and similar are also available on a large scale in the greater Copenhagen area – search for these online.

Remember to ask if they offer a discount for students and if they offer a reduced price if you stay for a longer period of time.

Be aware that such stays normally do not allow you to register the address as your CPR address.

AAU CPH does not cover any costs in connection with temporary accommodation that you may find yourself. Neither are we able to offer emergency housing nor accommodate you at campus itself.

Subrenting an accommodation

Subrenting an accommodation can be a fine solution for a start. It is the sole responsibility of the person who is subrenting his or her place to obtain permission from the owner to make such an arrangement.

Some private landlords try to rent out in spite of not having permission to make a subrent of their own rented accommodation. We recommend you to address this issue in a polite manner when meeting the landlord.

Renting a private room

Often private people rent out a room in their own accommodation. Please consider if you are able to live closely together with others. You often have to share both kitchen and bathroom facilities and some hosts have very specific expectations regarding privacy and tidiness.

On the other hand it can be a great opportunity to get to know the Danish culture through the life style and habits of a Danish family, which can prove helpful to you in the long run.

Long term solutions

Most are looking for long term solutions, but it might prove difficult to find the best and most optimal long term solution prior to your arrival. If you are looking for a 1 room apartment or a room and you arrive in the Fall be aware that many will be looking after the same.

Be flexible and take something temporary while looking for a more permanent solution. But also considering your willingness to travel some distance, as your chances will increase.

Student halls for students

Student halls offer rooms in a student environment, which may be an attractive way to meet both Danish and other international students and build a network in Copenhagen.

There are also smaller apartments available for students and they are designated for both couples and singles. The price is normally higher for apartments as they have a private kitchen, whereas a room in a student residence hall normally only provides you with a shared kitchen.

As the supply of student housing in Copenhagen is much lower than the demand, the waiting lists can be long, especially for the most popular halls and locations in the centre of Copenhagen. It is not unusual to receive an offer after 8-12 months on their waiting lists depending on how wide you made the search for accommodation.

To increase your chances to get a room during your stay, you are advised to apply in the surrounding areas of Copenhagen and to meet the conditions for "flexible rental" (fleksibel udlejning - read more here: https://international.kk.dk/artikel/find-your-home-copenhagen "Housing associations (flexible renting)" and here (direct link to KKIK's point system)

Application

A few student halls operate with a direct and personal application, but most student halls are administered through the two main central offices - the CIU and the KKIK. Here you can apply for rooms and apartments by signing up to a waiting list. It is free of charge, and can be done before you arrive in Denmark which is also highly recommended due to the long waiting lists.

See more at:

KKIK (please create a profile, click on the tab "create profile")
CIU (please register, click on the tab "register new user")

Some also look at the city of Roskilde – a city app. 35 kilometres away with good train connections to Copenhagen and Sydhavn. The waiting list for this area is often shorter than the CIU waiting list in Copenhagen. If you wish to include Roskilde in your search please include the postal code 4000 in your search at the CIU website.

Other student halls

You can also register at private housing organizations for students. Accommodation prices start from DKK 5.300 pr. month and can get even more expensive (depending on how much privacy you wish for), but they might have available rooms ready and/or shorter waiting lists. The deposit is usually 3 months and you will probably have to pay 1 months' rent in advance too.
Here are some links to private housing companies where you can read more about the options and register on their waiting list:

https://www.housing4students.org/

https://danskfinancia.dk/lejemaal/kollegievaerelser/index.html

https://basecampstudent.com/locations/danmark/kobenhavn/

Local housing societies

There are several local housing societies, try to search for ‘boligselskab’.

The IAO CPH strongly advises you to sign up for a room or an apartment at several Danish housing associations as early as possible, especially if you plan to study for more than a year. One of the main non profit housing organizations, KAB, has a website in english explaining what a Danish non profit housing organization is, and how you can register for student housing: https://www.kab-bolig.dk/english/waiting-list

You can also read the fact sheet from the International House Copenhagen to get an insight in the Danish housing societies and to find links to their websites:

https://international.kk.dk/artikel/where-do-i-find-accommodation

Buying accommodation

As a EU citizen you can buy and own your own accommodation in Denmark. Our office does possess the expertise to guide you with this but International House Copenhagen has some more information on it here.

You can also contact a lawyer specialized in this field, the service of guidance from such a contact cost a fee.

Good advice before signing a contract with a private landlord

AAU CPH cannot guarantee when providing you with these guidelines that you will not encounter any problems. And if you despite all you precautions have been scammed, make sure to gather as much documentation as possible for what has happened. Save all mail correspondence and all bank transfers and write the details down before you forget them.

CONSIDERING the price

If you think the price is high, take into consideration the location, size and facilities of the accommodation. You can use www.dba.dk or www.tjekdinleje.dk to check out the price level. Also ask the landlord about the area and any special facilities that might have increased the price.

Some will be eligible for a housing benefit – a financial aid that will help cover the cost of your rent. - it is good to find out in advance if you are eliglible and how to apply for such a benefit.

Sometimes it is also possible to apply for a loan to cover the deposit payment

Be realistic and do not sign for an accommodation that is far above your budget - even though very tempting in a distressed situation. You might consider though finding a roommate if possible and allowed by the landlord to lower your own rent – feel free to advertise at our Facebook group.

If you think the price is too low - the offer is almost to good to be true - then this is often the case and you you should be on the guard.

Appointment with a private landlord

In Denmark time is relatively important and punctuality is highly esteemed. If you are late for an appointment for viewing or signing this will often automatically disqualify you as an applicant.

Danes also prefer that you come prepared for the meeting - so make sure to have everything with you for them to make the decision right away if possible.

The documents that might be handy in this connection are a proof of enrolment or employment at AAU CPH and an ID with a picture like a passport. Sometimes the landlord will also ask for your bank to document or guarentee that you are able to meet the financial requirements for the first payment - it could be the sum for the deposit guarenteed by the bank to ensure the landlord that you are ready to sign and are serious about the matter.

The viewing

You might feel tempted to accept anything, but we advice you to think twice as you will probably live there for some time.

We recommend that you try to be as objective as possible, without being overly critical. Any sign of damages from water and misuse by the former tenant we advice you to address.

If the accommodation is furnished it could be a good idea to test the sofa and ask about the landlord’s expectations to the upkeep and renewal of these items. Any inventory and furniture and its condition should preferrably be listed in the contract.

Basement rooms

Rooms in private houses situated in a basement are normally for various reasons not approved as places for sleeping or living in. It could be a trap in case of fire or the indoor climate is poor and could cause the tenant to develop health problems. Often these rooms are rented out very cheap.

CPR ADDRESS OR NOT

The landlord might give you a contract, but then tell you not to register your CPR at their address. We strongly recommend to avoid such arrangements as you need to have your registration legalized with the authoirites. Read more about the CPR number here.

The contract

There is a standard renting contract in Danish that has been approved by the authorities. Find a template for a standard contract here.

We recommend you to use the standard contract as this is viewed as valid by the Danish law in case of a dispute. However, we advice you to wait to sign it until someone flluent in Danish has gone through all the parts of it with you. You should ask for time to read through the contract before you sign it.

If the landlord is not willing to give you a contract we recommend you to find another landlord. If you get evicted without further notice, you do not have any rights if you cannot prove that you are a tenant. Furthermore, you cannot register with the authorities and obtain a CPR number.

Questions

If you feel unsure about the owner, you can go online and check who owns the place at www.boligejer.dk the site is primarily in Danish, but you can search on properties and find more information on house owners. The same owner or company (that offically ownes the building/apartment/house) should be mentioned in your rental contract by name.

If you have inquiries about rental contracts, you can always write an e-mail to "Lejerens Frie Retshjælp" at mail@lejerens-fr.dk - a voluntary association that is organized by law and business students - helping other tenants with primarily questions about rental contracts (https://www.lejerens-fr.dk/kontakt/). See also our chapter here: "legal advice".

Payment options

Bank transfers

Always make sure to obtain a legal and signed rental contract with your landlord before you transfer any money.

Bank transfers are always to be preferred when paying your landlord. We do not recommend renting from a landlord that only has a foreign bank account, as the Danish authorities cannot assist you in retrieving your payment in case something goes wrong between you.

We can advice you to try and arrange with your bank that they furnish you with a guarantee of your first payment. This document containing the date of the transfer will help you to hold on to your payment until you have actually received the key and are able to move in. In this manner you can control the whole process to ensure that you are not paying for something that was not according to your agreement. Danish banks are normally able to furnish a guarantee on your behalf as the tenant. If using a foreign bank remember to make sure that the guarantee is made in a language that the landlord will understand - we recommend English.

Consider opening up a Danish bank account for smoother future transactions to the landlord.

Cash

It is not recommendable to pay the landlord in cash. In case something goes wrong you will have no proof of the payment later on.

Payment Services

It cannot be recommended to use payment services as Western Union or the like as payments cannot be transferred back to you.

Unexpected FINANCIAL requestS from the landlord

Sometimes landlords ask a new tenant to pay money ‘under the table’. This is a bribe and must be avoided. People who are dishonest at the very beginning of such an agreement might later prove to be unreliable and unreasonable landlords too. A legal and signed contract is a natural part of your agreement and not something you should be charged extra for.

Likewise if the landlord asks for a higher monthly rent in order for you to register the address as you CPR address. This is also illegal and should not be done.

You should not transfer a deposit to a foreign account (non-Danish) as this is a typical requirement from housing-scammers.

Please find a list with legal counsel services in Denmark below ("Legal advice")

Legal advice

If you need legal aid with contracts or other issues regarding renting a home, you can contact Copenhagen Legal Aid.
Copenhagen Legal Aid provides free legal advice.

If you need other assistance there are places in Copenhagen where you can get advice free of charge. Some of the sites are only in Danish, but they speak English - contact them through email or phone:

Insurance

The university does not have an insurance that will cover you and your belongings while staying in Denmark. This likewise applies if you are renting one of our accommodations.

We recommend drawing as a minimum a so-called “indboforsikring”. This insurance covers your personal belongings inside your accommodation in case of burglary, but might also include things like a bicycle, which could get stolen from the street.  Many are also happy to secure having the funds for a new laptop in case it gets stolen. Make sure to ask the insurance company about the possibilities for coverage in public areas.

The university is not able to recommend any companies as such, but we advise you to search online for “forsikringsselskab” and call them – they all speak English. Some offer a student discount - hence make sure to ask as prices vary a lot already between the different companies.

Housing benefiT

The Danish term is "boligstøtte" and it is a monthly benefit free of charge to help cover your rent expenses as a tenant.

Please be aware that not all tenants with an international background will be eligible for a housing benefit, but we recommend that you investigate it yourself.

Find us on Facebook

Visit our Facebook group – maybe you will find your future home or a new flatmate.

Contact

Do you have questions concerning applications, prepaid deposit or questions regarding rent payments, rent increases and AAU contracts?

We are ready to help you.

Find contact information

International Accomodation Office Copenhagen

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