Minister proposes higher fines as Ebeltoft tackles empty homes

Fines for repeatedly violating residence requirements in permanent homes could rise from 20,000 kroner to 100,000 kroner, DR reports. The proposal is intended to address empty homes in popular coastal and rural municipalities.

Dark windows, empty streets in winter and a shortage of families with children for local schools are common in areas where permanent homes stand empty for much of the year.

Children, Elderly Affairs and Housing Minister Jacob Mark of the Socialist People’s Party is sending the proposal out for consultation. He said buying up homes while ignoring residence requirements artificially pushes up prices and makes it harder for families with children to move to the area.

Ebeltoft, a town in Syddjurs Municipality, has faced problems with permanent homes being left unused by their owners for long periods and instead used for letting.

Syddjurs Mayor Michael Stegger of the Social Democrats welcomed the prospect of higher fines. He said the measure could reduce the financial incentive to let out homes if the fine became larger than the rental income.

However, Stegger said higher fines would not be enough. He wants municipalities to have more ways to act against people who breach the rules, including stronger forms of monitoring and supervision.

Municipalities can currently check water and electricity consumption monthly when they suspect that a home covered by the residence requirement is being used only part-time. Several mayors, including those from island municipalities, want checks to be possible weekly instead.

Mark rejected that proposal, saying people also have a right to privacy. He said the government was nevertheless willing to strengthen municipalities’ ability to intervene.

He said the government also plans a broader scheme to make it easier to buy homes and obtain loans. The aim is to support local schools and improve public transport, he said.

Syddjurs Municipal Council has allocated 650,000 kroner in 2026 and 325,000 kroner a year thereafter to check whether homes in central Ebeltoft are permanently occupied. So far, the municipality has sent letters to 54 homeowners without a registered address in the municipality.