Property laws in Denmark are very firm on the regulation of estate agents, meaning the vast majority of property transactions are conducted in the safest of hands with little or no other professional involvement needed.
Danish estate agents play a much larger part in the purchase and sale of properties than in other European countries. Most, if not all of the process of buying your property will be overseen by an estate agent.
The role of estate agents in Denmark
It is advisable to have financial support secured before looking for a property and obtaining a buyer’s certificate from your lender will allow you to make a quick offer once you have found your ideal property. Your estate agent can advise you about financing your purchase. You can generally borrow up to 80% of the value of the property from banks or mortgage institutions in Denmark.
As well as valuing the property for the seller, the estate agent must also calculate the cost of owning the property. Your estate agent should provide you with a brochure that includes key figures to help you decide whether or not it makes financial sense for you to purchase the property.
Estate agents should also produce a property report identifying any faults in the property and arrange insurance to cover any hidden defects. This report is not always necessary, but without it the seller of the property will be held responsible for any faults that the buyer was not made aware of for up to 20 years after the property was sold, so it is very common to have the report done. A property report is necessary if the buyer wishes to obtain a transfer deed.
Making an agreement and paying your deposit
The next step is for the seller’s estate agent to produce a purchase agreement, and it is at this stage that any transfer deed should be drawn up. The transfer deed is jointly paid for by both the buyer and the seller, and provides insurance for both parties.
Once an offer has been accepted and the purchase agreement has been signed, the buyer will place a deposit of 5% of the price of the property with their estate agent. The buyer has 6 days in which they are entitled to withdraw from the deal, though in doing so they may have to pay a compensation fee to the seller, usually 1% of the purchase price. You should consult your estate agent when agreeing a closing date for the sale of the property, as this is when the remaining balance should be paid to the seller.
Paperwork
Inevitably there is a lot of paperwork involved in purchasing property in Denmark. Therefore it is advisable to have a solicitor to guide you through this process. The documents you need are:
- Land certificate
- Operating permit
- BBR-owner information
- Property tax note
- Energy rating and energy plan
You will also need buildings and fire insurance on the property if you are taking out a mortgage. Your solicitor will have access to all of these documents and will forward them on to you.
Fees when buying property in Denmark
Anyone buying property in Denmark will have to pay the following costs:
- Half the fees for final contracts – calculated as 0.6% of the property value plus €175
- Lawyers’ fees – these depend on the value of the property and the amount of legal work involved
- Legal fees associated with the mortgage – 1.5% of the mortgage value plus €175
- Stamp duty and other costs – 0.6% to 1.5% of the property value
The seller normally pays around 6% of the property’s value towards estate agent’s fees.