So this is what happened i suddenly received a quest to check with the jarl in riften after i became thane in Markart. I go to the chick (that happens in the middle of the night in her private chambers after i broke in, if that matters) and she says: I wanna make you a thane but u need to be a permanent resident here so talk to the steward and buy a house. I go and buy the house, fully furnish it and sleep in it. Than i get again the quest return to the jarl. But when i go back there is no talk option to becoming a thane.

I ideas on how to fix that other than just start a new game? i'm open to ANY other ideas. Thanks!

I have this bug as well, there is no option to become a Thane, only the basic speak options... I wonder if there is a solution..

so both of you became thane in markarth first? i havent done much in there but i did start doing little task in riften so i could get honeyside... try them around normal 8am to 8pm time? i think that might do it.

No, i'm only Thane in Whiterun so far, not in Markarth.

The Riften bug must be standalone. I can try anytime, but the Jarl just doesn't have a converstion option about me becoming a Thane or the new house or anything, just the basic ones.

I've tried it at all sorts of times in the day as well, while she holds court and while she sleeps.

have you tried talking to her son/care takers? i just do little things for them. her son ask you to pick up his sword right across the water from belimar? or who ever. just talk to everyone and she should open up to talking options sooner or later.

Same thing happened to me in Riften. On my last character, at about level 27, my quests started to bug out and random things stopped working. I couldn't complete the Riften Thane line by speaking to the Jarl, and I couldn't use the alchemy, enchanting or armor improving tables. I just re-rolled and hoped it doesn't happen on this character.

you have to help around the town and do 5 small quests for residence
thats all i can think of as i am almost thane in solitude as well as in markath and whiterun

dang. that svcks. i just started talking to the riften jarl last night. im level 44 and at the end of the thieves guild line. just havent finished it. i think i have started almost ever guild and havent finished any of them. its to much fun exploring everything.

I see there is a bit of confusion about the trane quests here so i'll try to clear up what i've figured out.

There 2 types of thane quests:
1. For the smaller cities with jarl.
2. For the bigger cities with jarl.
Differences between the 2 are small for the small ones the requirement is:
3 tasks to help the folks. example: Winterhold.
For the bigger cities are required 5 tasks + buying a home in the city. Example: Markarth.

In my case I had complete all requirements for the thane appointment in Riften and the option simple does not show it self.

My last hope at this moment is that it will open up after i finish up with the thieves guild since i've barely started those quests and they seem a major part of that city .

I also completed all those tasks and my journay only says that "Talk to the Jarl of Riften" but she doesn't have that option to speak about....

Exactly man, that is my problem as well.

By the way is this forum followed up by game designers, could we expect some kind of idea for a solution from one of them?

Yes, exactly my problem. The quest journal says to talk to the Jarl of Riften and the quest marker is on the Jarl, but when I speak to her, there is no option about the promised title.

It seems to me that some towns hold over the title or house options till after certain quests are completed; IE I cant buy a house in Markath till I do the Forsworn conspiracy. So I would assume that until you do a certain thieves guild quest you wont get thane in Riften.

Well i only have the last quest left from the Thieves Guild.
I'll report back then after i finished it.

No, that's not it. I am the Thieves Guild master and have returned it to its former glory. Also, I have completed a lot of quest in Riften for the townsfolk.

Have you done the "Skooma" quest as well.... because I think it is a requirement for becoming a thane in Riften...

Yes.

I bought my house before i did Forsworn conspiracy, so while i do believe some quests are tied up, those particular ones doesnt seem to be.

I suspect there is some sort of hidden reputation in Skyrim, like we had in Oblivion, and the avability of some quests like the Thane ones is tied to the level of rep you have.
Why do i say that ? Because after the course of several gameplay i noticed some quests do not always show after completing a particular pre-requisite quest but just pop up at what seems random time.
Either that or quest system is completly bugged, which may also be the case since i have several quests on stand by for item to get in inventory or NPC to kill lying dead on the ground not triggering journal :brokencomputer:

This is a bug, and is caused by you purchasing house upgrades before you finish the become a Thane quest.

I had the exact same problem, but loaded an early save prior to purchasing the house and did this:

1. Purchase the House (NO UPGRADES)
2. Talk to the Jarl, become Thane.
3. Purchase house upgrades.

Thanks for the tip man, I can fix it like that at this point though so i'll pose another question here.

Can i somehow use the console to reset the quest or finish it?

It is worthing noting that these tasks can be as pathetic as giving a farmer cabbages or potatoes

You have to do several quests for the people in Riften, including the skooma quest. Just do a few more and then go back and talk to her.

Heh this is actually believable... But i purchased those a loong time ago... there is no way i would go back that much and i don't even have my saves....
I would also be glad to get a console command to finish this...