A young Danish couple won a million-kroner court case after discovering severe construction defects in their dream home. But despite their legal victory, they have yet to receive any of the money they were awarded.
From dream home to demolition
When Snezana and Mikkel Kring Janjic bought what was advertised as a fully renovated villa in Ballerup, they thought they were making the safest possible choice for their growing family. The property, sold by a company called VPJ Ejendomme, looked perfect from the outside. It was supposed to be a ready-to-move-in home that would save them from years of dusty renovation work.
Instead, it became a nightmare. Large parts of the house turned out to have no concrete foundation. The roof beams above the kitchen were held in place by just a few plasterboards. Heavy glass panels were kept in place only with sealing compound. Inside the walls, wires were melted together, and there was no proper moisture protection in the bathroom. Soon after moving in, the couple realized the structure was unsafe and beyond repair.
Because of the damage, the family had no choice but to demolish the entire house. Today a new foundation stands where the old one was, financed through loans, savings, and funds from their change-of-ownership insurance.
Complex ownership and shady company ties
The couple learned that the home’s renovation had been managed by Kristian Berner, the brother-in-law of the now-deceased owner of VPJ Ejendomme, Stephan Martinussen. Berner had served as site manager under Martinussen’s construction firm, Plus Byg ApS, which has since gone bankrupt like several of his past ventures.
The Janjic family took legal action and won their case twice, first in the city court and later in the high court. Both rulings granted them over one million kroner in compensation. Still, they never received payment. Before the final verdict, the company’s key properties were sold to Berner’s new firm, Kristian Berner Byg A/S. When VPJ Ejendomme later went bankrupt, no assets remained to cover the judgment. Despite that, Berner continues to run renovation projects under his new company name.
Legal victory without payout
The family had done everything by the book. They had even hired a construction expert and a buyer’s advisor before signing the contract. Both specialists found no issues at the time. Yet only three months after moving in, it became clear that the house had millions of kroner in hidden defects.
For families buying a house in Denmark, this story highlights how limited the buyer protections can be. Even careful buyers can end up losing everything if a seller goes bankrupt or hides major construction flaws.
Financial struggle and ongoing warnings
While the lawsuits unfolded, Snezana and Mikkel devoted years to warning others about the builder responsible for their home’s disaster. They recorded and posted video diaries of the demolition on social media, created informational flyers, and even handed them out near construction sites linked to Berner’s company. Their goal, they said, was to prevent other families from ending up in the same situation.
However, those warnings sparked new legal trouble. Berner has filed a police report accusing them of harassment and extortion, and he requested a restraining order against them. The couple denies the claims, saying they acted within their legal rights and even contacted police beforehand to confirm they were not breaking any laws. According to them, their only intention has been to share images of their own property and alert the public to what happened.
Rebuilding from scratch
After years of litigation and financial loss, the Janjic family decided to start over. Their old house is completely gone, replaced by the early stages of a new home they hope to move into by spring. Financing comes partly from their insurance payout, their own savings, and loans—essentially rebuilding the dream they once thought they had purchased.
Their case has become a vivid cautionary tale about Denmark’s real estate system and the crucial role of reliable building oversight and change-of-ownership insurance for anyone planning to buy property.
Sources and References
The Danish Dream: Buying a House in Denmark: Everything You Need to Know
The Danish Dream: Best Change of Ownership Insurance in Denmark for Foreigners
TV2: Ung familie vandt millionerstatning efter ekstremt byggesjusk – men får ikke en krone
