A true story
Neighbour feud — and what it can cost!
A documented account of a dispute that began in 2017 turned into a legal nightmare, which ended in victory but is still in full swing.
Background
Three parties. One co-ownership. An unfortunate start.
I, Christer Johansen, own a residential section (apartment) in the co-ownership referred to in the text through my wholly owned company Norsin Invest AS. I have a good neighbor that also owns a residential section in the co-ownership. The third main character in the story is Hanne Sine Andresen, who owns the commercial section in the co-ownership through her company HS Eie AS.
The Conflict
From café nuisance to a removed access road
DWhat began as a disagreement over café operations gradually escalated into something far more serious. The atmosphere in the co-ownership became increasingly tense, and the residents sought legal assistance.
In the autumn of 2021 the conflict reached a new low: Hanne Sine Andresen removed the access road to the apartments. A police report was filed for vandalism, and a lengthy legal process began.
Autumn 2010
Torps Legesenter is converted into a co-ownership
The owner of the commercial property “Torps Legesenter” is dividing the property into a co-ownership, with two residential units that is to be sold, as well as a commercial unit that he will keep for himself.
Spring 2011
Buying a vacation apartment by Lake Mjøsa
I’m buying what is, for me, a vacation apartment by Lake Mjøsa. That same spring, I’ll have a nice neighbor in the apartment right above mine.
Autumn 2012
Death in the co-ownership
The owner of the co-ownership’s commercial unit passes away.
Spring 2013
First meeting with the heirs
We are holding our first co-owners’ meeting, which the heirs of the commercial section attends.
Summer 2014 - Autumn 2017
Three peaceful years in the co-ownership
Through her company,
HS Eie AS,
Hanne Sine Andresen takes over the commercial section within the co-ownership. The atmosphere within the co-ownership is positive during the first three years.
Spring 2018
Café operations on common areas
A new operator is taking over the running of the café. Outdoor furniture is being placed in the communal areas. This is causing unreasonable and unnecessary inconvenience to the residents of the two residential units in the co-ownership.
Summer 2018
The annual general meeting decides on measures
At the annual general meeting of the co-ownership, it was resolved that «Necessary measures must be implemented» to protect the residential units.
Winter 2019
The conflict is slowly beginning
On behalf of the commercial section, Hanne Sine Andresen rejects all proposals for measures to protect the residential sections from some of the disadvantages caused by the café operating in the communal areas.
Spring 2019 - Summer 2021
The conflict is escalating
The amicable atmosphere in the co-ownership has now completely broken down. Both parties have hired lawyers, and the lines have hardened. The residents of the two residential units are being subjected to systematic harassment.
Winter 2021
Parking signs are being covered
Hanne Sine Andresen covers the parking signs placed at the entrance to the two residential units with black plastic bags.
Summer 2021
Parking signs are being removed
Hanne Sine Andresen is forcibly removing the parking signs that have been placed at the entrance to the two residential units.
Summer 2021
Access is blocked by a chain
Hanne Sine Andresen is blocking access to the two residential units with a chain.
Summer 2021
Access is blocked by earth
Hanne Sine Andresen is blocking access to the two residential units with three loads full of earth.
Autumn 2021
Filed a police report regarding vandalism and harassment
On 5 August 2021, the owners of the two apartments in the co-ownership reported Hanne Sine Andresen and her then partner/friend for vandalism and harassment in connection with the removal and partial destruction of private signs, as well as the physical blocking of the access road to the two flats.
Autumn 2021
Notice regarding the closure of the reported matter
We have received notification from the police that the reported case is being closed, as it is deemed that there are no reasonable grounds to investigate whether a criminal offence has been committed, cf. Section 224(1) of the Criminal Procedure Act. This is, of course, primarily a matter of private law, but we nevertheless believe that damaging other people’s property is a criminal offence.
Section 351 of the Penal Code – Vandalism applies to anyone who ‘damages, destroys, renders useless or spoils an object which wholly or partially belongs to someone else.’
Autumn 2021
Access to the residential units is removed
Hanne Sine Andresen is forcibly removing the access road leading to the entrances of the two residential blocks in the housing association.
Autumn 2021 - Spring 2022
Settlement claim to Hedmarken Mediation Board
A settlement claim is submitted to the Hedmark Conciliation Board, and at a hearing in the Hedmarken Mediation Board, almost six months after the claim was submitted, the Mediation Board decides to refer the case.
Summer 2022 - Spring 2023
Summon to Østre Innlandet District Court
Hanne Sine Andresen and her company, HS Eie AS, were sued with a claim that access should be restored, that the signs should be put back up, and that all costs in the case should be covered by Hanne Sine Andresen personally. The District Court ruled entirely in our favour on all points in its judgment.
Summer 2023 - Autumn 2023
Appeal to Eidsivating Court of Appeal
Hanne Sine Andresen appeal the case to the Court of Appeal. The Court of Appeal unanimously decide not to grant leave to appeal.
Winter 2023 - Spring 2024
Appeal to the Supreme Court of Norway
Hanne Sine Andresen appeal the case to the Supreme Court. In its ruling, the Appeals Committee of the Supreme Court of Norway states: «The Appeals Committee unanimously finds it clear that the appeal cannot succeed», and thereby dismisses the appeal.
Spring 2024
Notice of possible legal action - Demand for cessation of unlawful statements
I received a letter from Hanne Sine Andresen's lawyer. The letter claimed, among other things, that in my blog (these pages - separate comment) a number of untrue allegations are made about Andresen, her business and the operation of the co-ownership. It is also claimed that statements are being made that constitute a criminal offense.
Spring 2024
Reminder - Demand for cessation of unlawful statements
I again received the same letter as above, this time sent by another lawyer. Hanne Sine Andresen is obviously a lady with a lot of resources and many lawyers. The demand is the same, I will again be threatened into silence!
Spring 2024
Tyre tracks across the lawn
Hanne Sine Andresen refuses to put the parking signs back up, and instead of restoring access to its previous state, she creates «two wheel tracks» across the lawn using so-called lawn reinforcement and claims that this constitutes a fully-fledged access road.
Summer 2024
Petition for enforcement
Through our lawyer, we submit a petition for enforcement to Østre Innlandet District Court, seeking authorisation to restore the access road ourselves, reimbursement of all legal costs, and an advance against the costs of restoration. Following a very brief process, our petition was upheld in full on all counts.
Autumn 2024
Access is being restored
We engage our own contractor to restore access and reinstall the parking signs.
Spring 2025 - Autumn 2025
Application to the municipality to establish an access road
Hanne Sine Andresen is applying to Hamar municipality for permission to establish the access road that has existed since at least 1980. As the access road contravenes a later zoning plan for the area, it is highly likely that Hamar Council will reject the application
Autumn 2025
Rejection by the municipality
As expected, Hamar Council rejects the application to construct an access road, citing the zoning plan for the area.
Autumn 2025
Parking signs are being removed again
Hanne Sine Andresen is now removing, for the second time, the parking signs that have been placed at the entrance to the two residential units. At the same time, she announces that the access road will be removed in spring 2026.
Spring 2026
Letter from a lawyer
Our lawyer sends a letter to Hanne Sine Andresen to inform her that both the actions she has already taken and those she has indicated she intends to take are unlawful and contrary to a final and binding judgment that has been upheld all the way to the Supreme Court of Norway. She is also informed of the legal consequences of attempting to remove the access road.
Spring 2026
A second petition for enforcement
Through our lawyer, we submit a petition for enforcement to Hedmarken og Østerdal District Court, seeking authorisation to re-erect the parking signs ourselves, reimbursement of all legal costs, and an advance against the costs of re-erecting the signs.
Spring 2026
Filed a second police report regarding vandalism
Vandalism remains a criminal offence under
Section 351 of the Penal Code – Vandalism, so I decided to file yet another police report against Hanne Sine Andresen for vandalism, as she unlawfully removed the parking signs again last autumn.
Status and reflection
Status of the case
The case proceeded to court. After a lengthy and costly legal process, we were ultimately victorious following proceedings in the District Court, the Court of Appeals, and the Norwegian Supreme Court's Appeals Committee. We were awarded damages for the majority of our financial losses, but we were required to sue Hanne Sine Andresen once more in the District Court and seek enforcement to compel the restoration of the access road to its original condition and the reinstatement of the parking signs in accordance with the now final judgment, as she continued to refuse to comply. It took exactly three years and three days from the removal of the access road until its eventual restoration.
However, since Hanne Sine Andresen is unwilling to give up - despite having appealed and lost in every court of law all the way up to the Supreme Court of Norway - the case is still ongoing. Hanne Sine Andresen has now devised a strategy to apply to the municipality of Hamar to construct the access road that has already been established, since the zoning plan for the area does not, in principle, permit access on that side of the property. Her problem is simply that the access road was already established long before the zoning plan for the area was adopted. A zoning plan does not have retroactive effect, and an established access road cannot normally be required to be removed on the basis of a subsequent zoning change. Despite this fact, Hanne Sine Andresen has applied to the municipality of Hamar to establish the access that is already in place, and when, as expected, her application was denied, she is using that denial as a sort of pretext to remove the parking signs again, and she has announced that the access road will be removed in the spring of 2026.
We have once again, through our attorney, filed a motion for enforcement with the Østre Innlandet District Court, requesting authorization to reinstall the parking signs at her expense, in accordance with the final judgment. We are also seeking reimbursement for all our legal costs.
In addition, our attorney has sent a letter to Hanne Sine Andresen informing her that her actions are unlawful, and requesting that she confirm in writing that she will not take any steps to remove, reduce, or otherwise impede access. She is also warned of the legal consequences of failing to comply.
In addition, quite apart from the civil aspect of the case, I have once again filed a police report against Hanne Sine Andresen again for vandalism, as she unlawfully removed the parking signs for a second time last autumn.
This website is updated regularly to reflect developments in the case.