Airbnb in a Danish Apartment: What Your Owner Association Can (and Cannot) Do

Danish law (specifically the Boligreguleringslov and Planloven) grants property owners the right to rent out their residence short-term for up to 70 days per year. This is a statutory right — no association can take it away entirely.

However, owner associations can impose additional conditions through their bylaws (vedtægter). These conditions might include: requiring written notification before each rental period, capping the number of guests, requiring proof of insurance, or setting quiet-hour rules.

The legal hierarchy is: national law > municipal regulations > association bylaws. If your bylaws attempt to impose a blanket ban on short-term rental that contradicts the 70-day rule, the ban is likely unenforceable. But the grey area is wide enough that legal disputes do occur — read more about the legal framework at LegalDesk's guide to ejerforening rules.

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In an ejerforening, you own your flat outright. The association manages shared spaces and can set rules about behaviour, noise, and use of common areas — but cannot fundamentally restrict your property rights.

Most ejerforeninger have updated their bylaws post-2019 (when the 70-day rule was introduced) to acknowledge short-term rental. Some have added specific conditions: a notification requirement, a cap matching the legal 70-day maximum, or a clause requiring the owner to be contactable during rental periods.

If your ejerforening's bylaws still contain a pre-2019 blanket ban on 'udlejning til feriemål' or similar language, it is worth raising the issue at the next general assembly. A motion to update the bylaws in line with current legislation usually passes — most owners see the financial upside.

Cooperative housing (andelsboliger) operates differently. You do not own your flat — you own a share in the association, which grants you a right of use (brugsret). This means the association has significantly more power to restrict how you use 'your' home.

Many andelsboligforeninger have strict rules against subletting or short-term rental. Because you are technically a tenant of the cooperative rather than a property owner, the 70-day rule applies differently — some legal scholars argue it does not apply to andelsboliger at all.

In practice: if your andelsboligforening's vedtægter prohibit short-term rental, you are unlikely to win a legal challenge. The safer approach is to seek explicit permission from the board or propose a bylaw amendment at the general assembly. Read more about cooperative housing rules at Boligejer.dk.

Your vedtægter (bylaws) are the document that governs daily life in your association. Look for sections about: 'Udlejning' (rental), 'Brug af lejligheden' (use of the flat), 'Fremleje' (subletting), or 'Korttidsudlejning' (short-term rental).

Key phrases that indicate permission: 'Korttidsudlejning er tilladt i henhold til gældende lovgivning' (short-term rental is permitted under current legislation). Key phrases that indicate restriction: 'Erhvervsmæssig udlejning er ikke tilladt' (commercial rental is not permitted) or 'Udlejning kræver bestyrelsens forudgående godkendelse' (rental requires prior board approval).

If your vedtægter are silent on short-term rental, the default position is that the law applies — meaning you may rent out for up to 70 days. But silence can also lead to disputes, so proactively clarifying with the board is always advisable.

Approach your board proactively and professionally. Present short-term rental as a responsible activity: you will ensure guest behaviour meets house rules, noise will be managed, and you will carry appropriate insurance.

Offer concrete commitments: 'I will notify the board of each rental period,' 'I will provide my contact details to neighbours during stays,' 'I will use a professional co-host who manages guest behaviour.' These assurances address the board's real concerns: noise, wear on common areas, and stranger access.

If the board is hesitant, propose a trial period — 6 months with a review. This lowers the perceived risk. Most associations that trial short-term rental end up adopting it permanently once they see it works without issues. Working with a professional co-host like Doorstep adds credibility to your proposal and demonstrates that management will be handled responsibly.

If your ejerforening votes to restrict short-term rental below the legal maximum, you have limited options. You can: accept the decision, push for a new vote at the next general assembly, or — in extreme cases — challenge the decision legally on the grounds that it contradicts statutory rights.

Legal challenges are expensive and relationship-damaging. In most cases, patient diplomacy achieves more. Build a coalition of like-minded owners, demonstrate that short-term rental works well in other buildings, and address concerns one by one.

For andelsboliger where the board says no: respect the decision. The cooperative model is built on collective agreement, and going against the board's explicit prohibition risks your membership rights — up to and including forced sale of your share.