The most common way to rent in this country is to rent a privately owned house.

Information on housing rental arrangements can be found on the following websites:

• Ísland.is
• Húsnæðis- og mannvirkjastofnun
• Multicultural Information Centre
• Renting Helpline

Lease agreements specify the rights and obligations of tenants and landlords. Without a contract, they are not protected by the law.

Information about lease agreements can be found at Ísland.is.

The website leigjendur.is offers useful information about renting in three languages: English – Polish – Icelandic.

In order to find a rental apartment, it is best to follow rental lists on websites and social media, such as Facebook.

Examples of rental agencies:

• Ásbrú
• Bland.is
• Heimstaden
• Igloo
• Leigueignir mbl.is 
• Leigulistinn.is 

Yes, it depends on the circumstances and income of each tenant whether they will receive support, and how much.

Housing benefits, more information on Húsnæði og manvirkjastofnun (HMS) website.

Special municipal housing support is available, depending on which municipality you live in and where you apply:

• Reykjanesbær
• Suðurnesjabær
• Vogar

Those who have a limited budget or who lack housing because of other reasons can apply for social assistance housing or other assistance from their local community.

Those who have housing problems can get advice about their rights and resources from the municipalities' welfare/social services, to help them look for housing.

Those who have an urgent housing problem and cannot provide housing for themselves due to social or financial reasons may have the option of being allocated a social rental apartment.

General information about social rental apartments can be found on Ísland.is.

Information about arrangements in Suðurnes can be found on the website of each municipality:

• Reykjanesbær
• Suðurnesjabær
• Vogar

Real estate transactions usually go through real estate agents. Several real estate agencies are in business in Suðurnes.

Several websites have listings of real estate for sale.

There are two main real estate websites:

• Vísir.is
• Mbl.is

You can also search for properties for sale at Fasteignaleitin.is.

You can calculate the payment guarantee and loan options on the banks' websites.

Mortgages can be taken out from banks or pension funds.

 You can also explore loan options on Aurbjörg website 

All homeowners pay real estate taxes and fire insurance is also mandatory.

More information at Ísland.is

Building plot rental agreements in Iceland are usually concluded between a municipality and a private party for a certain period of time and against payment.

Most plots are rented out using this arrangement.

Building a house is a complicated task. In its simplest form, the process of applying for a building permit can be divided into several steps: preparation, application, construction plan approved, building permit issued, inspections and the building is ready for use.

A building permit must be applied for when building, rebuilding, building, or changing a house. Construction may not begin until a permit is obtained.

More information about buildings and changes to housing on Ísland.is.

Plots for new buildings are allocated by the municipalities, each of which sets its own rules for plot allocation.

More information is available on the websites of the municipalities:

• Reykjanesbær
• Suðurnesjabær
• Vogar

A building permit is applied for at the municipality.

More information on the procedure for applying for building permits can be found on the websites of the municipalities:

• Reykjanesbær
• Suðurnesjabær
• Vogar

All house owners must pay property tax, and certain insurance policies are mandatory.

Property tax is divided into five different categories of taxes, each of which is a certain ratio of the value of the property: property tax, ground rent, sewage charge, water charge, and waste disposal fees.

More information about property tax and property insurance can be found on Ísland.is

Various rights and obligations come with owning or living in an apartment building or other type of neighborhood with others.

You have to keep in mind to open windows and ventilate in apartments in Iceland. If this is not done, moisture damage can occur in the house.

You also have to keep in mind that you have a suitable temperature in the residential building. Extreme cold and extreme heat are bad for housing.

Residents must take good care of the common space and grounds, as well as around the common equipment of the building, and be especially careful in their behavior not to cause discomfort or disturbance to others in the building, such as with noise or odors.

In apartment buildings, there must always be a house association. Each housing association makes rules for the use of the common property and rules of behavior.

In Suðurnes, HS Veitur distributes hot and cold water and electricity to users.

HS veitur is a distributor that transports and distributes electricity, but everyone has a choice as to where they buy electricity.

HS Veitur is the only provider of hot and cold water in Suðurnes.

Customer phone numbers are important to HS Veitur, as messages are sent by phone when there is construction in the neighborhood or faults occur.

It is important to report changes in ownership of real estate during relocation. Information about switching users is on the HS Veitur website.

Electricity sales are on a free market, so residents can choose where they buy the electricity. There are a total of 9 electricity sellers in the country.

People must choose an electricity supplier as soon as possible after moving or building a house. 

It is done by registering on the websites of the electricity sales companies or by calling or e-mailing the chosen company.

In Suðurnes, there is one operating company that sells electricity to residential buildings: HS Orka.

Other companies are located outside of Suðurnes, information about electricity sellers can be found on the HS Veitur website.

Those who have not purchased electricity before must always conclude an electricity sales contract, also those who have not been in business with a particular company for more than 90 days.

Distributors (such as HS Veitur) are not allowed to deliver electricity to customers who have not entered into a sales contract with an electricity retailer. Customers have 30 days to choose and make a contract, if a contract has not been made before that time, the electricity in the house is shut off.

When it comes to reporting a user change, in most cases it is enough to provide the name and National ID number of the new payer and phone number.

Cold water for residential use is not sold by a meter.

The registered owner of the property pays water charges.

The water charge is calculated as a square meter fee for the building and a flat rate is paid in addition to the square meter fee for the building.

Information on the tariff of HS Veitur can be found on their website.

HS Veitur has smart meters in all properties and sends out monthly energy bills for hot water and electricity. With the smart meters, you can measure the actual consumption each month.

Information on the tariff of electricity sellers can be found on Aurbjörg website and on the websites of the electricity sales companies.

In some cases, heat and electricity are included in the rental price. If not, tenants are responsible for paying the utilities themselves. Bills are generally sent monthly and are based on estimated energy consumption.

When moving to a new apartment, always make sure to read the electricity and temperature meters on the same day and record the status with the energy supply company. That way, you only pay for what you use.