The number of Danish pensioners, who live in their summer homes all year round, has reached a record high, according to figures from Danmarks Statistik and Nordea.
Some 21,444 holiday cottages in Denmark are now permanently inhabited by retirees, whilst the figure was just about 15,000 some ten years ago.
The volunteer organisation for the elderly, Ældre Sagen, predicts the trend will continue in the future as proposed changes to the Planning Act will make it easier for people to live in summer houses all year round.
Relaxed rules
Today, retirees have to own their summer home for at least 8 years before they can move in permanently, but the Danish Parliament plans to relax the rules so that they would only need to own the holiday cottage for a year before they are allowed permanent residence.
Nordea’s economist Lise Nytoft Bergmann told Politiken that holiday cottages are an economically attractive alternative for many older people because they cost less than regular houses.
