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Living in Copenhagen

Hay4you has been providing guests from all over the world with temporary homes in Copenhagen for more than 20 years. You may be staying with us for business, pleasure, educational or family reasons, so we try to accommodate your needs as best we can.

All our apartments are owned by Copenhageners, who choose to open up their homes in order to offer you a unique slice of the city. This page will help you settle in to and take care of your new home.

Home sweet home

Living in a new place often requires some adjustments. There are always new things to learn and figures out. Each country has its own special rules and idiosyncrasies.  

Registration: If you are planning to stay in Denmark for a longer period you may need to register at the International Borgerservice to receive the CPR card. You will need the CPR number to use public services and open a local bank account. As the apartments are privately owned registration is only possible at selected addresses. Please contact Hay4you for advice on registration. A DKK 2000 deposit will be required for registrations and returned when de-registration is confirmed on departure.

Post: As a rule you can receive private post at your address by using a c/o address.    

Keys: You will receive the keys to the apartment from Hay4you. More and more buildings operate with system keys that serve as front door, entrance and even postbox keys. Other buildings have older systems and occasionally you may find you need to learn a little trick to open your door.

Living like a local

iconsDanes are generally friendly and very proud of their homes. Some people find that they aren't as open as other cultures. So if you aren't greeted by the neighbours in the stairwell at first encounter, please don't take it to heart, they will warm to you. There are some general house rules that apply when living in the city that can be good to know.

Residents and visitors: The capacity for each apartment is stated contractually and can be found specified on the apartment profiles. Of course you can have visitors but please inform us of any longer term guests you may be having.

Noise: During weekdays it's considered polite to abstain from making loud noise after 8pm, so its a good idea to turn down the music a little and make sure to do laundry before this time. Weekends this limit extends to around midnight. If you are going to have a party or get together you can notify the neighbours by hanging a sign in the stairwell, its usually greatly appreciated.

Damages: Accidents happen even to the most nimble of us. If something minor breaks please replace it. Should a larger damage occur contact the Hay4you office - we really appreciate you helping us take care of the apartments. Should something be damaged or broken when you move in that was overlooked by our team please inform us. We are here to make things work.

Floors: In Denmark it custom to take off your shoes when at home. This shows consideration to the neighbours but also protects the bare, wooden floors of the apartment. Wooly socks or a pair of slippers should take care of any winter draughts. 

Kitchen tables: Wooden dining and kitchen tables are found in many Danish apartments, as wood creates a cozy atmosphere. The material is organic and therefore has a limited resistance to water before getting damaged. Remember to wipe the tables properly and please don't place washed dishes directly on the table, or kitchen towels. Do let us know if you're missing a dish rack or the table is in need of treatment.

iconsInternet: Is supposed to make our lives so much easier, and most of the time it does, but occasionally it stops working. If you have tried the codes provided to you and pushed the restart button you can try resetting the modem by pushing a pin into the small hole at the back of the modem and keeping it there until all lights have switched off (about 30 sec.). If this fails the next step is to contact the provider.

Trash: The Municipality of Copenhagen has recently joined the movement of sorting waste. You will find bins in your yard marked "plast" - plastics , "metal" - metals, "elektronik" - electronics, "papir & pap" - paper & cardboard and "affald" - other waste. Most bottles you buy in shops have added "pant" - a deposit you can retrieve by using the big bottle collectors in the supermarkets. Non-refundable bottles can be dispensed in the black UFO-like bottle containers dotted around town.

Water & lime: The water in Copenhagen is perfectly safe to drink but it has a high lime content. This can prove an irritation as bathroom tiles, kettles, irons and other household equipments regularly chalk up. De-chalk by using vinegar or products that have "afkalker" written on them.

Plumbing: Is most often well functioning but some older buildings can have issues and the drains can get clogged up. In the supermarkets you will find unclogger called "Afløbsrens" for about DKK 15 a bottle. Usually 1/2 bottle will do the trick. Pour it down the drain and let it work for at least 1/2 an hours before rinsing through with water. Do not use the water whilst the unblocker is working.

Airing out and Heat: Most apartments have central heating. This is regulated in the building and usually doesn't run between April - October. During colder months set the thermostats on mark 3 to provide a consistent heat. Remember to air out the apartment once a week to avoid mould - and to turn down the heating whilst doing so.

Having a maintenance issue you can't solve?
Please contact: service@hay4you.dk

Thank you!