Habitability Standards
Written in plain language for general understanding. This is educational content, not legal advice. Based on Icelandic Acts of the Althingi, statutory instruments, and official guidance.
Icelandic National Law
What is this right?
Landlords have a legal duty to maintain rental property in habitable condition:
- The landlord must maintain the premises in "rentable condition" at all times.
- Landlord responsibilities: All major repairs, windows, appliances, locks, electrical systems, plumbing, painting and floor coverings at suitable intervals.
- At handover: The property must have clean windowpanes, working locks and electrical switches, functional sanitary/heating/kitchen appliances, working water and drainage, a smoke detector, and a fire extinguisher.
- Tenant responsibilities: Minor maintenance (light bulbs, drain clearing), keeping premises clean, and reporting needed repairs promptly.
Tenant remedies if landlord fails:
- Notify the landlord in writing. If the landlord fails to act within 4 weeks, you may carry out repairs and deduct costs from rent.
- If defects are substantial and the landlord fails to remedy within 8 weeks, you may rescind the lease (Article 60).
- You are entitled to a proportional rent reduction during periods when maintenance issues affect usability.
When does it apply?
- Your rental property has maintenance issues, defects, or unsafe conditions.
- You have 4 weeks from handover to report defects in initial condition (in writing) and 14 days to report later-discovered faults.
What should you do?
- Report problems in writing to your landlord immediately — keep copies.
- Allow the landlord 4 weeks to respond before exercising self-repair and deduction rights.
- If the property is seriously deficient, contact the Housing and Construction Authority (HMS) or the Housing Complaints Committee.
What should you NOT do?
- Don't withhold rent entirely — use the repair-and-deduct mechanism or seek a proportional reduction instead.
- Don't make major repairs without written notice to the landlord first — you must give them the opportunity to fix it.
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