Danish property reports – in English

Buying a house in Denmark as a foreigner

When you buy a house in Denmark, the seller usually provides two reports from the Danish home inspection scheme (Huseftersynsordningen): a condition report and an electrical installation report. They are written in Danish, and they are an important part of the sales material. If the reports are in place, the seller can offer you a change-of-ownership insurance (ejerskifteforsikring), and the seller pays half of it.

The condition report (tilstandsrapport)

A building expert authorised by the Danish Safety Technology Authority inspects the house visually and records the damage and signs of damage that can be seen. Each finding is rated with a colour: critical damage (red), serious damage (yellow), less serious damage (grey) and possible damage (black), where the expert recommends further investigation. The report may be at most six months old when the house is put up for sale. It does not cover hidden parts of the building, the electrical installation or whether building work is legal.

The electrical installation report (elinstallationsrapport)

An authorised electrician inspects the fixed electrical installation. Findings are grouped as risk of fire, risk of electric shock, illegal installations, and items that should be investigated further. The report is valid for one year.

How the buying process usually works

• You make an offer, usually through or with help from the seller's estate agent (ejendomsmægler).
• The purchase agreement is often signed with a condition that your lawyer approves it (advokatforbehold). This gives you a few working days to have the documents and reports reviewed.
• You have a statutory right to withdraw from the purchase within six working days, against a fee of 1% of the price.
• The buyer pays for a registration fee for the deed and, if relevant, for the mortgage.

Rules for foreigners buying property in Denmark depend on your residence and citizenship. Ask a Danish lawyer before you sign.

Use the translation as a starting point

This tool reads the report in your browser and shows each finding in Danish next to a machine translation. That makes the report easier to understand, but technical building terms can be translated imprecisely. The Danish report is the one that counts – ask a Danish building expert or your lawyer if a finding matters for your decision.

Co-op flats (andelsboliger)

A co-op flat is not owned outright. You buy a share in a housing co-operative, and the price includes the value of improvements the seller has made. The co-op valuation report lists these improvements and how much they are worth after depreciation. This tool can translate those reports too.

Frequently asked questions