Expat Community > Denmark

spanguole
Joined 2014
Posts: 1

HELP needed! Landlord accuses me and my girlfriend of damaging apartment floor and sent me an estimation of repair to email.

10 years ago

Apologies for this long text, a key part would be after the dash below, if you don't have time.
I didn't expect life to be easy here, but this is starting to get really ugly.
Back in August we came to Copenhagen to study and were desperate to find a place to live (as everyone else). After living at friends' and hostels for two weeks we finally found a room in two room apartment 10km from the center of CPH. We each signed a tenancy agreement and were really happy to finally settle somewhere.
The room was spacious, fully carpeted. The owner was living there with his boyfriend just before we moved in. It was partially furnished, they just took their double bed and left a sofa.
Shortly I went to kommune to register my new address, but they said it's impossible because I didn't have residence permit, and even if I did, there are already many people registered there and landlord should come over to explain. Before leaving I was asked what size the apartment is and the woman at the desk suspiciously looked at the papers. So landlord went there, and told us later the problem will be solved in a month. So I thought by the time my permit arrives, I could register, no rush.
When in the Borgerservice, I ask how I could receive my mail with the permit, they tell me to write c/o in the form with a person who's on the post box (landlord). They didn't tell this to my girlfriend before, and when I asked how she could receive the mail, they say 'just put your name on the mailbox and it should be fine'. So we do and wait for her permits.
Several days later I come back late from a conference. Gf is almost crying, it appears landlord's boyfriend had come over and told her we have to move out within a month because someone from some office noticed 5 names (3 + 2 ours) on the postbox and contacted landlords about having too many people registered on the apartment. It appears even without us there were more people registered than allowed.
I have a short trip back home for a couple of days after that. After I come back, my gf is crying. Landlord's boyfriend called, told her we have to move out asap, also threatened her 'we can do this the easy way or the hard way'.
We find a temporary place in few days, get the deposit back, and move out as fast as we can from these people.
Couple of weeks later my residence permit arrives at that place and landlord invites me over. I come over. The carpet is gone, and there are two boards on two places of the floor. Below those boards were two big cracks in wooden floor about 1.5 meter apart. I immediately thought "so that's what the squeaking and swinging was about in that place". We noticed it after we moved in, but just wrote it off since we thought it's just an old floor under the carpet and they should've known this from before. But guess who he is blaming for it? I deny it, but he claims I'm lying and that it hasn't been there before we moved in, and "it's my apartment, I know how it was before". I don't have time, tell him to send me an email of what the handyman tells him and leave crushed.
Few weeks pass and I get an email with an estimation of 5000+DKK for changing of 3 broken wooden boards. I write him back with a detailed explanation why it couldn't had been us, how we didn't move or buy any furniture, how we didn't even have any guests or parties in that month, nor we did anything else that could possibly break it down. And also that I'm not willing to blindly pay anything before I consult with my lawyer.
Sigh..
Advice? Next step?

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SJB Global is a top-rated financial advisory firm specializing in expat financial advice worldwide, offering retirement planning & tax-efficient solutions with a regressive fee model.
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SJB Global

SJB Global is a top-rated financial advisory firm specializing in expat financial advice worldwide, offering retirement planning & tax-efficient solutions with a regressive fee model.
Learn More

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SJB Global is a top-rated financial advisory firm specializing in expat financial advice worldwide, offering retirement planning & tax-efficient solutions with a regressive fee model.
Learn More

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HELP needed! Landlord accuses me and my girlfriend of damaging apartment floor and sent me an estimation of repair to email.

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