More Danish holiday-home owners rent out properties to cover costs

More Danish holiday-home owners are renting out their properties to cover costs as household budgets come under pressure, DR reports.

Hanne Mikkelsen has rented out her summer house in Vemmingbund, near Sønderborg, for most of the time since spring. She says the rental income helps cover the costs of the property and its loan.

Statistics Denmark figures show the number of rented holiday homes has risen by nearly 9,000 since 2022. Rental companies Novasol and DanCenter have also reported an increase. Novasol says it has seen a marked rise over the past five years, particularly during peak periods in the summer and autumn holidays.

Pernille Kofod Lydolph of the Holiday Home Rental Association says more owners tend to consider renting when household finances are tight. Henrik Halkier, a professor of tourism and regional development at Aalborg University, says the timing is likely linked to rising prices and interest rates, which make holiday-home loans more expensive.

Southern Denmark stands out as a popular area for rentals, according to the association. Novasol says 300 private holiday-home owners in Southern Jutland have started renting out their homes this year, citing demand from visitors from Denmark, Germany and elsewhere.

Mikkelsen has set aside the dates when she wants to use her house herself. Two weeks of the summer holiday, during the Gråsten Ringriding event, are not available for rent.