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It was on February 5 that the 72-year-old woman found this letter in the mailbox of her house in the old town of Fredrikstad:
«We have recorded that you still have Christmas decorations on your porch. Today’s date is February 5. The deadline for removing the Christmas decorations has passed.».
CHRISTMAS LOVE: Rolf Stordahl in his Santa Claus costume. Photo: Private
The letter was from the housing association.
«House rules state: “Before the end of the first weekend after the thirteenth day of Christmas, all Christmas decorations that are visible from the outside must be removed. (The thirteenth day is always January 6.) Therefore, we ask that you remove the Christmas decorations immediately,He said.
In Fredrikstad, Stordahl is known for his love of Christmas.
– I call myself a Christmas fool. I’m interested in Christmas and Santa Claus in every way, but my Christmas things and candles aren’t a bother to anyone, she tells TV 2.
He’s so happy at Christmas that he fills his 67-square-meter apartment with 1,200 elves annually.
CHRISTMAS FOR ALL THE MONEY: This was Rolf Stordahl’s apartment before the first letter from the housing association arrived. Photo: Private
New letter thrown in the mailbox
After the letter from the housing association was poured into Stordahl’s mailbox, he removed much of the decorations from his balcony.
– I removed some garlands and side lights, a lush Christmas tree and two seven-branched candelabra that were on opposite sides of the balcony. I also took Santa off on a sleigh. All that was left then was a light loop with 300 lights, he says.
Y:
– The light loop is not Christmas light, it is winter light! My closest neighbors think it’s nice, so I don’t understand what the problem is.
LIGHTS UP: This is what Rolf Stordahl’s balcony now looks like. Photo: Private
Threatened with OBOS
The housing association board, on the other hand, thinks lights are a big problem.
On February 11, a new letter arrived from the Presteløkka 1 housing association, and this time they threatened to put OBOS on the case.
«We see that you have removed some of the Christmas decorations and we are happy about that. But there is still something. Therefore, we ask that you remove the rest as well. If it doesn’t, we must ask OBOS Fredrikstad for help. This entails extra expenses for the housing association and we would prefer to avoid it.. »
Rolf Stordahl says he reacted strongly to both letters.
– The world is in a time of darkness, now during the pandemic. You heard that people use light therapy so they don’t get depressed in the winter, and I want to spread hope and joy. Light is medicine and I am willing to do alt by the magic of light. Those who sit and complain become so small and narrow. They should look into the dark and not into my lights, he says.
COMMUNICATION MANAGER: Åge Pettersen at OBOS. Photo: Ilja C. Hendel
May have to pay
TV 2 has been in contact with OBOS, which generally responds that they have no authority over housing associations.
– The neighbors are the owners of the homes and property and they have elected a board to monitor the operation, maintenance, budgets, accounts and the statutes and rules of the house that the neighbors have democratically adopted at the board general, responds OBOS communications manager Åge Pettersen.
I’ve never heard of anything similar
National Homeowners Association attorney Annita Magnussen says the same.
INVITE TO DIALOGUE: National Homeowners Association Attorney Annita Magnussen. Photo: National Homeowners Association
– No, OBOS has no authority over residents. The balcony is a common area, and the housing associations decide on the façade, but I have never heard of a single housing association that has its own Christmas decoration rules and requires residents to remove the decorations, he tells TV two.
She says that as long as the resident does not install things that are a nuisance to the neighbors, such as colored Christmas lights, flashers, or latches of something stuck in the facade, the housing association can do nothing.
– It is not uncommon to have Christmas decorations both in January and perhaps in February, so here the housing association should be more generous and try to have a good dialogue. My advice to this resident is to bring it up at the next general meeting, he says.
Doomed to lose
It is the secretary of the board of the housing association, Kjell Hasselgård, who has written the letters to Stordahl.
– We have a good dialogue with the resident. That’s what I want to say about this case, Hasselgård tells TV 2.
To Fredrikstad Blad, he says that the housing association has proceeded with the greatest possible care.
– The board is doomed to lose in public opinion. The little man with his message about the light stands against the huge ugly board of the housing association. But we have proceeded as carefully as possible, he says.
Stordahl says he understands well if a housing association reacts to disturbing lights and decorations.
– I understand it would have been a nuisance, if I had flickering Christmas lights that made noise or were a nuisance. These are beautiful, warm lights that you don’t see unless you step off the block and stand in a field, he says.
It started two years ago
President Øystein Edvardsen says the problem is not new and the board also received complaints about Christmas decorations two years ago.
According to Stordahl, he and his spectacular Christmas decorations are the reason the housing association established the Christmas decorating rules.
– Despite requests from the board that residents remove the Christmas decorations, much of them were hanging. Therefore, the board decided to take the matter to the general meeting that year, and the residents voted, and the decision was that the Christmas decorations that are visible to others should be removed on the first Sunday after the thirteenth day of Christmas, it says the president of the board.
Bent Høie on the back
STANDS ON: Rolf Stordahl takes a selfie on the balcony that gives the housing association a headache. Photo: Private
Rolf Stordahl has no plans to remove his sails and says he will have them there until Sankthans on June 24.
– I have Health Minister Bent Høie with me, who said that during the pandemic we should light the Christmas candles early and let them light in the dark. Who should I listen to more of? A housing association board or the Minister of Health asks.
The lights should not go out until Rolf is absolutely certain that the time for darkness is over.
– The lights stay there until I have to lower the awning because it is very hot and bright outside. No one can kick a man out just because he has porch lights, he says.
