Stronger together
Let's build strong tenants' associations, push for reforms to the tenancy law, lower rents and sufficient supply of housing.
The organization restored
The tenants' association was re-established in November 2021. A strong tenants' association is essential as a springboard for investors and the government.
International cooperation
The Tenants' Association is a member of the International Tenants' Association. The International Tenants Association is based in Brussels.
Join us
If you want to work with the association and take part in building the power of the tenants' association, drop us a line.
The time is now
Tenants must put their hands to the plow because only in this way will they achieve the necessary results. The ruling forces will not come to the rescue of the tenants.
Diverse projects
The tenants' association carries out diverse projects. We try to show initiative, to be solution-oriented and visible.
Register today
2013
Association established
45.000
Families on the rental market
44%
of tenants' disposable income goes to rent on average.
27%
Of tenants live with significantly burdensome housing costs
Top of the line
Poems from tenants
Send us poems for an upcoming poetry collection. The poem can be in your mother tongue. Submission deadline August 1, 2023 to the email address ljod@sli.is
Rent survey
The Tenants Association recently conducted a survey on the situation of tenants. Participation was good and the results decisive in many social aspects for the tenants.
Facts about the Icelandic rental market
The tenants' association has compiled the main facts about the Icelandic rental market with figures from national and foreign institutions.
Is the rental market waiting for your child?
A small number of parents can help their children buy an apartment. Tenants are getting older and the rental market is waiting for your kids.
Rental calculator
The rent calculator calculates the reference price for house rent. The basis is the purchase price of apartments according to the National Register, but that public institution manages notarized purchase contracts.
Furthermore, it is based on general credit terms on the financial market, cost figures of larger leasing companies due to default and operation, maintenance and public fees. It is expected that landlords will contribute equity to the purchase and that this will increase as the price of the apartment rises, but that the rent will support the operation and repayment of loans over a different period of time.
By entering criteria for the rental property you live in or if you are looking for housing, you can see if the amount stipulated in the rental agreement is Non-Profit Rent, Market Rent or Usury Rent.
Here you can learn more about the Rent calculator criteria.
The aim of the Tenants Association
The aim of the association is to improve the situation of tenants and to demand that the government fulfill its obligations in housing matters. Tenants are at a disadvantage in society with burdensome housing costs and a high level of insecurity. The tenants' association aims to become a large and serving interest group for tenants. It is in our hands to change the situation, Together we achieve success.
Tenant requirements
The rental market lowers the standard of living in Iceland and this must be dealt with. The tenants' association has presented demands in 10 points.
The main requirements are:
Tenant lobbying
Tenants' struggle for security and equality has no borders and is the same everywhere.
All over the world, tenants are organizing to secure and increase their rights.
Find out about the main struggles of tenants here.
The interest struggle of tenants in Iceland is over 100 years old.
Leijendafélag Reykjavík was founded in 1919, among the founders was Jónas Jónsson from Hrifla who held the chairmanship for a long time and it was the first interest association of tenants in Iceland.
In 1978, a group of people interested in justice and security in the rental market founded the Tenants' Association, which operated until 2009. Jón Frá Pálmholti was their chairman for the longest time.
The struggle of tenants in Iceland and the development of the tenancy law.
Know your rights
The Tenancy Act is under review, but it provides protection for tenants in certain situations.
It is important for tenants to know their rights when a dispute arises. Below you can learn about the main rights of tenants.
The Tenancy Act
Housing Tenancy Act 36/1994 applies to leases for the use of residential premises.
Important aspects of the law regarding tenants are:
1. Preferential rights of tenants and the right to refuse a contract increase. 51.-53. art.
2. That a rental relationship without a rental agreement is the equivalent of an open-ended contract. Article 10
3. The right to cancellation of rent due to disturbance or reduced use of the rented property. Articles 17 and 20
Housing Appeal Committee
The committee issues binding rulings in cases based on the House Tenancy Act regarding tenancy agreements made after the entry into force of the current law. However, the parties to older leases are allowed to agree that the current law applies to their contracts. You can search for previous rulings here. There is no appeal deadline with the appeals committee.
Tenant assistance
The Neyenda Association provides assistance to tenants. On its website, you can find answers to various common questions. On the website, you can also find additional information about housing issues. Tenant assistance has telephone hours on Tuesdays and Thursdays between 12:30 and 15:00.
The phone number is 545 1200
Tenants know their rights!
At the same time that the Tenants' Association will continue to fight for better legal protection for tenants, it is important for them to know their rights and apply them in every way. Summary of the main points of the House Rent Act
The interests of the tenants are very important
The struggle for the interests of tenants has made a difference to their well-being everywhere. In those countries where rights are guaranteed and where tenants enjoy security and equality, there are active tenant interest groups.
Find out about tenants' associations in other countries.
News on tenant issues
"people are being rented out" It is common for people to be evicted from housing due to price increases.
December 11, 2022. Vilborg Oddsdóttir, Már Wolfgang Mixa • RÚV
House rent as a percentage of property value is 60% percent higher in Iceland than on the mainland
17 May 2023 by Guðmundur Hrafn Arngrímsson • Samstöðin
The share of "individuals with one apartment" shrinks by half, property owners and legal entities are catching up
17 May 2023 by Guðmundur Hrafn Arngrímsson • Samstöðin
House rent has risen twice as much as the price level, ..which is surprisingly good!
March 29, 2023 by Guðmundur Hrafn Arngrímsson • Index
"In most parts of Europe there are restrictions on rental prices and or a strong social system"
13 May 2023 by Yngvi Ómar Sighvatsson • DV
27,000 people applied for housing benefits in 2021
29. Nov 2022 by Guðmundur Hrafn Arngrímsson • The center
Facts about the Icelandic rental market
The tenants' association has compiled the main facts about the Icelandic rental market.
The statistics are from national and foreign institutions.
01
House rent has risen 50% over the price level since 2011
02
40% more burden of rent minimum wage than in the other northern countries
03
69% of all housing has gone to investors since 2005
04
The fourth weakest regulatory framework in the rental market among OECD countries
Find out more facts about the Icelandic rental market.
You can access a copy of the report here
"The Night Before the Refraction Was Born"
Jón Kjartansson From Pálmholt was a pioneer in the fight for tenants' interests. He was a founding member of the tenant association that was founded in 1978 and its chairman for a total of 19 years. Jón was a poet and respected as such.
He wrote numerous articles on tenants' issues and explained their situation well
Palmholt
Tenants' Building Association
Pálmholt - Byggingafélag Leijenda was founded in May 2023 by the Leyjendassamgement. Is the company intended to develop real estate projects for the non-profit rental and option market.
The model is applied to the neighboring countries, where a large part of housing development takes place in the form of cooperatives and under the wing of non-profit rental companies that rent out housing at cost price.
The goal is to develop real estate projects that will be realized in associations or non-profit organizations that will own and operate the apartments, but in this way they will be prevented from ending up on the voluntary purchase or rental market.
With this arrangement, the apartments will be owned by the tenants or those who have the right to purchase. The rent will only and always reflect the actual cost of construction and operation.
Join us in creating a new future in the Icelandic housing market and register in the Tenants' Association.
Here you can learn about Pálmholt and about housing and building societies.
We have risen and are going to fight for our rights and interests. Tenants really have to fight for their lives. That's the situation. When people pay 2/3 of their salary in rent, they are fighting for their lives and that of their children.
Magga Stína.
"Tenants, the only thing that can change this terrible situation in the rental market is solidarity and action. The social, welfare and housing authorities have long since stamped themselves out and have proven to be useless in that context"
Gudmund Hrafn.
"For years, we have been heading towards one of the most serious housing crises in recent years. For years we have tried to put a brake on rent. For years, we have pointed out that the main driver of inflation is the lack of supply of housing. For years we have tried to get pension funds to invest in the development of the housing market.
Ragnar Thor.
The tenant
Life as a tenent
The tenant - life on the rental market is a show on Samstöðin about issues that affect tenants.
Watch the shows here
Join the discussion!
The community of tenants on social media is a lively forum for the exchange of opinions, information about incidents and the situation of tenants as well as ideas for improved welfare. Join the conversation and do your part to strengthen the voice of tenants.