Flexible housing

The purpose of the flexible housing scheme is to increase growth in rural areas, counteract depopulation and decay of housing. The flexible housing scheme gives the municipalities the opportunity to allow a year-round home to be used as a holiday home, with a subsequent right to resume use as a year-round home.

As a home owner, you can apply to the municipality to use your year-round home for so-called flexible housing. This means that the home is equated with a holiday home.
If a local plan lays out the area for year-round residence, the municipality cannot grant permission for flexible housing.

Agricultural properties are covered by the residence requirement and therefore cannot obtain flex housing status.

Who and how is permission granted for flex housing?

The municipality only grants personal permits for flexible housing. This means that a flexible housing permit expires upon a change of ownership.

A flexible housing permit is granted to homes that are actually to be used as a holiday home and is granted based on a specific assessment of e.g. the local environment, so that consideration is given to whether a flex housing will be able to support an area or affect it negatively.

Permission is granted if there is no local plan in the area and if it is assessed that the property will be difficult to sell as a year-round residence.

Where can a flexible housing permit be granted?

There is basically the possibility of a flexible housing permit in the open country in general as well as in local towns and villages (see picture), unless a local plan for the area describes otherwise.

When buying and selling, account is taken of the property's length of stay. In the main cities and regional towns, a stay of at least 6 months is required.

Can I rent out my flexible accommodation?

The Summer House Act's rules on letting apply to letting flexible housing. This means that flexible housing may be rented out on the condition that the owners of the holiday home themselves use the holiday home and that the letting does not take on a more professional (commercial) character.

How do I apply for a flexible housing permit?

Applications for flexible housing are sent to byg-bolig@sonderborg.dk

Remember to justify why you are applying for a flexible housing permit for the property in question.