Have no place to live

YOU MAY HAVE RIGHT TO THIS

Updated 14. December 2023

We will find you temporary accommodation in an emergency if you cannot manage this yourself. This could be situations where you have lost your home in a fire, in connection with the breakdown of a relationship, or similar situations.

We can also help you to find permanent housing.

Don't you have a place to stay tonight?

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If you have nowhere to sleep and stay for the next 24 hours, we can find you a temporary accommodation.

This could be situations where you have lost your home in a fire, in connection with the breakdown of a relationship, or similar situations.

Temporary (emergency) accommodation

Do you need help finding permanent housing?

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We can provide advice and guidance to help you find permanent housing.

Are you unable to find suitable housing due to financial, social, health or other reasons? The NAV office can help you find permanent housing.

Among other things, we can help you

find flats for rent
schedule viewings and possibly attend viewings
write an application for municipal housing
help ensure a satisfactory living situation
establish contact with municipal health and care services
find other permanent accommodation

We can also provide financial advice and debt counselling, as well as information about financial assistance and relevant loan and support schemes.

Find your NAV-office

When you are looking for a place to live, we recommend considering which type of home is suitable for you, any children you may have and other people in your household.

If you want to rent in the open rental market, you can find most available lets online or in newspapers. Go to finn.no to find many available lets.

You can find information about the laws and regulations that apply to rented property and lease agreements at dep.husleie.no (in Norwegian).

Budget

If you are renting, we recommend making a monthly budget to get an overview of your income and our expenses. This will tell you how much you can afford to pay in rent.

Do not sign a lease agreement before you have established that you will be able to fulfil your obligations under the agreement. If you need financial assistance from NAV to cover your rent or deposit, you need to clear this with your NAV-office before signing.

Deposit (deposit guarantee)

Most lessors want a deposit as security, in case something is destroyed in the flat or if the rent is not paid. The deposit is normally an amount equivalent to 3 months’ rent.

You may apply for assistance in covering this security deposit when you sign a lease if you do not have the means to cover it yourself. Use the form for financial assistance to apply for assistance with covering the deposit.

The parties in a lease agreement is the leasor and you. NAV is not a party to the lease agreement, even if NAV has provided assistance with the deposit.

Your NAV office can help you apply for municipal housing.

Who is eligible?

The municipalities all have different criteria for applicants, go to your municipality’s website for more information. If you meet the criteria and are granted priority, you will be offered municipal housing.

How to apply

Apply as soon as possible – it may take time before you are assigned housing and can move in.

You must apply in writing. Go to your municipality’s website to find the application form.

Do you need help with paying for a place to live?

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If you need help with paying for housing, you can apply for financial assistance. These expenses may include rent, deposit, electricity, heating, municipal charges, etc.

Financial assistance

You may also be eligible for a housing allowance from the Norwegian State Housing Bank (Husbanken) to cover housing costs.

Most lessors want a deposit as security, in case something is destroyed in the flat or if the rent is not paid. A deposit is normally an amount equivalent to 3 months’ rent.

If you are unable to cover the deposit on your own when you sign a lease agreement, you can apply to NAV for assistance with the deposit.

We normally provide this type of assistance in the form of a deposit guarantee, but we may also offer financial assistance in the form of a deposit to an escrow account.