sameiet

Sameiet is a term used in Norwegian property law to describe a form of co-ownership of real estate where two or more persons jointly own a property or parts of it. Ownership in a sameie is typically represented by shares (andeler) in the sameiet, or by exclusive ownership of separate sections in an Eierseksjonssameie (sectional ownership). The property is managed as a legal entity with its own vedtekter (by-laws), a styre (board), and a generalforsamling (general meeting) that acts as the supreme decision-making body. The common parts of the property are owned collectively by the sameiet, while individual owners have exclusive use rights to their own dwelling or section in proportion to their andel or as defined by the eierseksjon.

The property is registered in the public land and property registers, and ownership and rights to common parts are noted in the Grundboken. Owners contribute to the financial needs of the sameiet through felleskostnader (common expenses), which cover maintenance, insurance, utilities, and sometimes debt service (fellesgjeld) incurred to finance the property.

Two main forms are commonly associated with sameier in Norway. Eierseksjonssameie involves division into self-contained units with shared ownership of common areas. Borettslag and andelsboligforening are housing cooperative models where residents own shares in a company that owns the building and have the right to inhabit specific dwellings; governance follows cooperative rules and decisions are made at the general meeting.

In practice, sameiet balances private use with shared responsibility for the building and grounds, and disputes are resolved through internal procedures or by legal channels.