Download the lease in English or Danish
Both versions are the official PDF files from the Danish Ministry of Social Affairs and Housing, downloaded straight from the ministry's website. Use it as your template and as a clear written basis for a residential tenancy between landlord and tenant.
- Residential lease, form A, 10th editionThe official English version, including the guidance notes.
- Lejekontrakt, typeformular A, 10. udgaveThe authorised standard lease for private residential tenancies, in Danish.
The English version can be used from 1 February 2025, and every field must then be completed in English, according to EjendomDanmark, the Danish property owners' association. It is the practical choice when your tenant does not read Danish.
What is standard form A10?
Standard form A, 10th edition (in Danish “typeformular A, 10. udgave”, or simply A10) is the authorised standard lease for private residential tenancies. It covers flats, including mixed-use tenancies, and rooms in private rental properties. It is also used when tenants of social housing sublet all or part of their home.
The ministry published the 10th edition on 1 September 2022, after the new Danish Rent Act took effect on 1 July 2022 (Ministry of Social Affairs and Housing, in Danish).
The Rent Act sets rules for pre-printed leases. If you use a standard form for a flat or a room, it must be authorised, and if you use one that is not, any term that gives the tenant more obligations or fewer rights than the Act is invalid (section 14 of the Rent Act, in Danish). That makes A10 the safe starting point.
What the lease must cover
A lease is the legal foundation of the whole tenancy. It sets out the rent, deposit, utilities, maintenance, notice periods and the condition of the home at move-in and move-out. As a minimum, state these clearly:
- the tenant's contact details
- the rental period and, for a fixed-term lease, the reason for the fixed term
- rent, deposit and rent paid in advance
- how maintenance and responsibility are split between landlord and tenant
- notice terms and any special terms
Special terms belong in section 11
Any special agreements or departures from the general rules of the Rent Act must be written clearly in section 11 of the lease. The form's own guidance says agreed departures may not be written into the pre-printed text, for example by crossing it out, unless the text itself allows it. If a term is unclear or invalid, the rules of the Act generally apply (section 11(2) of the Rent Act).
Deposit and rent in advance
For a flat or a room rented out as a home, the deposit can be at most 3 months' rent (section 59), and you cannot ask for rent to be paid more than 3 months in advance (section 58(3)).
Fixed-term leases
A fixed-term lease generally needs a genuine reason, for example that you will live in or sell the home when the term ends. If the fixed term is not properly justified, it can be set aside, and the tenancy then continues with no end date. Write the reason clearly in the lease.
The condition of the home at move-in
The home must be handed over in good and proper condition. It must be clean, the windows must be intact, and every external door must have a working lock with keys (section 89). In practice, that also means water, heating and electricity work.
If you rent out more than one flat, you must hold a move-in inspection and give the tenant a move-in report (section 90). A tenant cannot be required to return the home in better condition than at move-in, so always document its condition with photos. Free inspection templates in English are on our rental tools page.
Avoid costly mistakes
Always use an up-to-date and legally correct lease, including when you rent out to family, friends or acquaintances. It should be filled in, read through and signed by both parties before the tenant moves in. If you already have a tenancy without a signed lease, put it in writing as soon as possible. A written agreement creates clarity and strengthens both parties.
Would you like help with the lease?
At BY Administration we advise on and draw up leases that reflect both the law and your needs as a landlord. With our long-term rental service the lease is part of the package: we select and screen the tenant, draw up the lease under the Rent Act, handle the deposit and carry out the move-in and move-out inspections, for 8.5% of the monthly rent including VAT.
Want to know what rent to ask before you fill in the lease? Try the rent calculator, or see what your home can earn. Questions? Book a meeting.
