Questions and answers (FAQ)

Here are some questions we get, or should get, often.

Someone has acute illness, what do I do? Call 1-1-3 for an ambulance.
There is a fire, what do I do? Call 1-1-0 for the fire department. Read fire instructions here.
Someone is breaking in, what do I do? Call 1-1-2 for the police.
Water is flowing out in, or into my flat, what do I do? There are valves in the basement! Run down, look at the map in the end of the stairs and close the correct water mains valve. (This will soon change, when all flats will have their own mains valves).
My child is stuck in the elevator, what do i do? You call the emergency number on the sticker near the elevator door.
My neighbors are partying to loudly and late, what do I do? Contact the chairman of the board of the cooperative if it is in a flat belonging to the cooperative. Otherwise the police on 02800 (the non-emergency number) if it is not in our cooperative and later than 2300 hours. +47 02800 if you have a foreign phone service.

What does Transfer of Use mean in this context? Building cooperatives are based on the idea that part holders should actually live in the flat they own in the cooperative. Any other use is considered a “transfer of use”-case. This also applies if close family lives in the flat, but not the part holder.
How long can I transfer the use of my apartment? Our statues says maximum three years, but there are several exceptions. Contact USBL for further information.
I just bought a flat here, can I rent it out? Nope. You (or your closest family) need to stay in the apartment for one full year before applying for transfer of use.
Can my children live in my apartment without me living there? Family members in direct line up and down (parents, children) does have right to acquire transfer of use according to the statues.
Do I have to apply for Transfer of Use when family members are going to stay in my apartment? Yes.
Why are these rules so strict? See the answer to the first question in this section.
How do I apply for Transfer of Use? Contact USBL.

Can I barbecue on my balcony or porch? Yes, but coal or wood barbecues are prohibited. Gas or electricity is the only option. Be aware that gas containers should never be stored inside the buildings or in the garage. Even if they are “empty”.
Can I call members of the board at any time? No, you should think about how you would experience that yourself. Exceptions are in real emergencies, of course. An outer door that won’t lock is not an emergency!

Does it matter what kind of ventilator I install in my kitchen? Yes, it must be a fan-less ventilator adapted for common ventilation systems (i.e. with a damper).

How do I fasten stuff to my concrete walls? For lighter objects like smaller paintings, you can use concrete spike hooks that you can buy in any hardware store (i.e. Jernia at Storo). Heavier objects should be held/fastened with screws drilled into the wall.
How do I drill in the concrete wall? Use a proper rotary hammer, not a drill with percussion. Don’t bother the neighbors with minutes of noise when a few seconds is enough.
How deep can I drill into the concrete walls? The walls are 20cm thick and there are places where sewer pipes are integrated into the wall. Drill too deep, and you risk sewer water in your kitchen cabinet. This is no joke. It has happened.
How do I fasten stuff to my dry-walls? For lighter objects, there are dry wall hooks that can be pinned with a hammer. For heavier objects, use dry wall anchors (there are several kinds)