Requirements & recommendations

Requirements

Important information for property owners

The following information is of utmost importance. Please read these paragraphs carefully, as you are obliged to abide by these requirements, if you want to rent out your property to any employees working on the fixed Fehmarnbelt Link project.

Collective agreements and social clauses

In connection with the construction of the Fehmarnbelt link, certain "social clauses" have been adopted. These are part of the agreement between Femern A/S and the consortia on the one hand, and the trade union movement (3F, BAT- the cartel and others) as well as The Confederation of Danish Industry (DI) on the other hand.

The social clauses apply to all suppliers to the Fehmarnbelt project - from the contractor consortia to their primary subcontractors and throughout the supply chain to the outermost link - including the accommodation for employees working on the Fehmarnbelt project.

The purpose of the social clauses is to ensure that all employees working on the Fehmarnbelt project are accommodated under modern housing conditions. The clauses are to be perceived as minimum standards.

Housing for the employees must meet the following minimum requirements that refer to the social clauses:

1. If you rent out your property to several employees, each tenant has to be accommodated in their own bedroom and own bathroom.
2. The bedrooms must have a minimum size of 8.6 m2.
3. Each bedroom must be furnished; beds must be at least 90 x 200 cm and include a mattress, a duvet and a pillow.
4. Toilets and bathrooms may not be shared.
5. The property in general should be in good condition. Surfaces must be intact and easy to clean in order to maintain a good level of hygiene.
6. The indoor climate of the property must be good and well ventilated.
7. Smoke alarms are required in all rooms.
8. There must be a minimum of 4m2 per resident in common areas.
9. It must be ensured that the indoor noise level with closed windows and doors never exceeds the following limits: Apartments : 30 dB(A) Other living quarters : 40 dB(A).
10. The indoor temperature can be maintained between 20 to 27 degrees all year without opening the windows.
11. All apartments are fitted with either electronic card locks or key locks.

Please refer to the following inventory list, to ensure that your accommodation offers the minimum required furniture and appliances.

Requirements for employee accommodation:

Additionally, the Danish Working Environment Authority has issued the following rules mandatory, in order to minimize the spread of the corona virus in workers’ accommodation.Housing Requirements regarding minimizing the spread of COVID-19

1. The occupants must have access to toilet and bathing facilities as well as dining and kitchen facilities.
2. The occupants must be able to maintain a distance of at least one meter between them at all times.
3. There must be minimum 4m2 per resident in common areas.
4. The maximum number of persons allowed in a room must be clearly indicated, visible cleaning instructions, hygiene rules and distancing lines must also be marked clearly.
5. The residents must have access to a washbasin with soap and hand sanitizer, especially in common residential areas.
6. The layout of the residence must ensure a high level of hygiene with the opportunity for frequent, effective cleaning and good personal hygiene.
7. Occupants should have access to personal storage space for their personal effects.
8. Each occupant must have their own bed.

Residential conditions plan requirement

Based on the above-mentioned housing requirements, the employer of your future tenant is required to prepare a residential conditions plan. The plan must be available in writing and must contain information demonstrating how they aim to prevent the transmission of the COVID19 virus among the occupants in the property you are letting.

Therefore, it is important for you as a property owner to make sure that the employer of your future tenant has all the following information, in order to create this “residential conditions plan” required by the Danish Working Environment Authority. The information needed is as follows:

1. Employer’s contact details
2. Residence address
3. Size of the residence
4. Number of occupants in the residence
5. A description of how the employer has taken the prevention of the spread of the COVID19 virus among occupants in the residence into account, including instructions provided by the employer to their employees concerning frequent, effective cleaning and hygiene (see “Requirements for employee accommodation” above).

If it is brought to our attention that an accommodation does not live up to the requirements stated in the social clauses, Femern Belt Development reserves the right to withdraw the property in question from the Femern Housing Portal.

Feel free to download and use the COMPLIANCE – HOUSING FACILITIES & COVID19 document as an overview of all listed requirements for your communication with your future tenant and their employer.

If you have any questions regarding the stated requirements, do not hesitate to contact Femern Belt Development.

Recommendations for property owners

At Femern Belt Development, we are in regular contact with the consortia and the many companies that need accommodation for their employees. For this reason, we have prepared the following recommendations for property owners, so that you have a better chance of renting out your property.

1. The most important point is that your home complies with the accommodation guidelines set out in the "social clauses" section. Read them carefully! Contractors are subject to chain liability. If they accommodate their employees in conditions that do not live up to the social clauses, they can be sanctioned.
2. Be sure to draw up a clear rental contract in accordance with the recommendations set out in the document from ADVODAN linked (DK). If you are in doubt about how to enter into a rental agreement for shorter or longer periods, we recommend that you contact ADVODAN in Maribo for further advice.
3. A high standard in terms of both interior design, comfort and hygiene is of utmost importance for the consortia and subcontractors:
   • Make sure that you present your rental accommodation well. The higher the quality of furniture and equipment and the nicer the decoration, the greater the chance to find a tenant.
   • Make sure that all surfaces are intact so that they are easy to keep clean. This is especially important during COVID19.
   • Make sure that the sheets, pillows and bedding are of a good quality and can be washed at 60oC. Avoid synthetic quilts.
   • Make sure that all kitchen utensils (pots, pans, crockery, etc.) are of a proper quality and are easy to clean. A dishwasher is advised!
   • Make sure bathrooms are in good condition, without cracks in surfaces. 
4. If relevant and possible, a table, chairs and a barbecue for outdoor use is a great plus.
5. Ensure a regular and high standard of cleaning.
6. Make sure that you present the building as well as the outdoor areas neat and well maintained.
7. Make sure you are always available for contact by your tenants, and be prepared that much of the communication will take place in English.
8. When setting the prices of your rental home, you must be aware of the special rules that apply to housing in the municipalities of Lolland and Guldborgsund. To determine the price of your rental home according to the Housing Regulation Act, read this note from ADVODAN
9. We recommend that property owners set a realistic and reasonable price for both day-to-day, weekly, and monthly rent.
10. Remember that you are an ambassador for living on Lolland-Falster.

Be aware that these requirements & recommendations can be subject to change. Please keep yourself up to date regularly.