Housing types in Denmark: freehold, owner-occupied flat and cooperative
What you actually own, who decides and how the price is set in each Danish housing type.
Applies to: Denmark. Reviewed 2026-09-25.
Key takeaways
- An ejerlejlighed is a property you own and can finance with a mortgage-credit loan.
- An andelsbolig is a share in a cooperative with a regulated maximum price and the cooperative's own debt.
- Holiday homes often cannot be lived in all year.
Comparison
| Type | You own | Financing | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Freehold house | House and plot | Mortgage credit + bank | Free market |
| Owner-occupied flat | The flat and a share of common parts | Mortgage credit + bank | Free market |
| Cooperative share | A share in the cooperative and the right to live there | Cooperative loan from a bank | At most the statutory maximum |
| Holiday home | House and plot | Mortgage credit + bank | Free, but use is restricted |
The price of a share in a housing cooperative may not exceed a maximum calculated under the Act, based on the cooperative's valuation and finances.
If you do not live in Denmark
Anyone not resident in Denmark who has not previously lived here for at least five years in total needs permission from the Civil Affairs Agency to buy real property. EU and EEA citizens who live or work in Denmark can generally buy a year-round home. Holiday homes are subject to particularly strict rules.
Questions to ask
- How was the share value calculated and when did it last change?
Red flags
- The cooperative has large loans with interest-rate swaps or variable rates and no buffer.
Sources
- Act on housing cooperatives (Retsinformation)
- Acquiring real property in Denmark (Civilstyrelsen)