Today in Denmark: A roundup of the news on Monday
Rental resources for newcomers to Denmark, a spate of home loan refinances, and EU's airplane mask mandate ending today are among the top news stories this Monday in Denmark.
New website helps newcomers navigate Danish rental rules
From painting white walls whiter to eye-watering deposits, the rules to Danish renting are hard to grasp for many foreigners used to more humane practices in their home country.
Inspired by a TV2 documentary on how often South Americans are scammed by Danish landlords, Oliver Hancke set up a new website — RentalRules.dk — to offer plain language explanations of how to navigate renting in Denmark. Hancke emphasises he doesn't have a legal background and is instead compiling translated resources found elsewhere.
Currently, the RentalRules.dk is available in English, Spanish, and Italian, but Hancke is recruiting volunteers to translate into other languages.
READ ALSO: Deposits, complaints and registration: Five key things to know about renting in Denmark
Danish homeowners refinance loans as interest rates rise
As interest rates climb, some Danish homeowners spot an opportunity.
Finans Danmark, a financial sector interest organization, told newswire Ritzau that lenders made nearly 13,700 offers to restructure homeowners' mortgages in the month of April alone.
"This is because when interest rates rise, the price of the bonds behind the loans will fall and can therefore be redeemed at a lower rate than they were taken out at," Ritzau reports. "If you choose to convert your fixed-rate loan into a higher-rate one, you can cut your outstanding debt."
As of May 16, the interest rate on a fixed-rate loan is 3.5 percent, up dramatically from 1.5 percent at the end of 2021 and 0.5 percent at the start of 2021.
Who stands to benefit from restructuring their mortgage?
"Currently, it is especially homeowners with loans of 0.5, 1.0 and 1.5 percent where a conversation would be worth considering, as they can cut a good chunk off the residual debt," Brian Friis Helmer, private economist at Arbejdernes Landsbank, told Ritzau.
EU airplane mask mandate ends today — but many countries keep theirs
The European Union's requirement for travelers to wear masks in airports and on airplanes expires today. However, depending on where you're flying, local rules may still apply.
Budget airline Ryanair published the following list of 15 EU countries where masks are still mandated for flights, including many popular summer holiday destinations: Italy, France, Spain, Portugal, Germany, Greece, the Netherlands, Austria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Malta, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxemburg.
Denmark dropped its requirement for masks in airports and airplanes in March. Even when it's not required by law, passengers are of course still free to mask for their own health or out of consideration for those who may be at higher risk.
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New website helps newcomers navigate Danish rental rules
From painting white walls whiter to eye-watering deposits, the rules to Danish renting are hard to grasp for many foreigners used to more humane practices in their home country.
Inspired by a TV2 documentary on how often South Americans are scammed by Danish landlords, Oliver Hancke set up a new website — RentalRules.dk — to offer plain language explanations of how to navigate renting in Denmark. Hancke emphasises he doesn't have a legal background and is instead compiling translated resources found elsewhere.
Currently, the RentalRules.dk is available in English, Spanish, and Italian, but Hancke is recruiting volunteers to translate into other languages.
READ ALSO: Deposits, complaints and registration: Five key things to know about renting in Denmark
Danish homeowners refinance loans as interest rates rise
As interest rates climb, some Danish homeowners spot an opportunity.
Finans Danmark, a financial sector interest organization, told newswire Ritzau that lenders made nearly 13,700 offers to restructure homeowners' mortgages in the month of April alone.
"This is because when interest rates rise, the price of the bonds behind the loans will fall and can therefore be redeemed at a lower rate than they were taken out at," Ritzau reports. "If you choose to convert your fixed-rate loan into a higher-rate one, you can cut your outstanding debt."
As of May 16, the interest rate on a fixed-rate loan is 3.5 percent, up dramatically from 1.5 percent at the end of 2021 and 0.5 percent at the start of 2021.
Who stands to benefit from restructuring their mortgage?
"Currently, it is especially homeowners with loans of 0.5, 1.0 and 1.5 percent where a conversation would be worth considering, as they can cut a good chunk off the residual debt," Brian Friis Helmer, private economist at Arbejdernes Landsbank, told Ritzau.
EU airplane mask mandate ends today — but many countries keep theirs
The European Union's requirement for travelers to wear masks in airports and on airplanes expires today. However, depending on where you're flying, local rules may still apply.
Budget airline Ryanair published the following list of 15 EU countries where masks are still mandated for flights, including many popular summer holiday destinations: Italy, France, Spain, Portugal, Germany, Greece, the Netherlands, Austria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Malta, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxemburg.
Denmark dropped its requirement for masks in airports and airplanes in March. Even when it's not required by law, passengers are of course still free to mask for their own health or out of consideration for those who may be at higher risk.
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