All companies set the framework for how municipalities should manage their municipal housing companies. The latest was hammered out ten years ago and since then the size of the allowed and unauthorized transfers to the municipality has varied. According to the latest report from the National Board of Housing, Building and Planning, it was record high.

Norrköping is one of the municipalities that took out the most illicit millions, as the housing company transferred profits that came in through a group company.

Tenant: Double taxation

Anita Landegren, who is a tenant in the municipal housing company and a member of the Tenants' Association, thinks that the municipality takes too much money out of the company. She sees it as a double taxation.

- I think Hyresbostäder is used as an ATM by the municipality. When you lack money in the municipality then it is available to pick up at Hyresbostäder. I feel like I do not want to be involved and pay more. I pay taxes too, she says.

The chairman of the municipal board, Lars Stjernkvist, does not think that they charge too much for what the housing company needs. This at the same time as the company states in its latest business plan that the need for maintenance is still great. The municipality itself also states that there is a shortage of apartments at an affordable price. 

- With the profits that our company has made, we should be able to use more of them to keep the rent level back, because it is a problem that it is so expensive to live and so expensive to enter the housing market, says Lars Stjernkvist. 

No sanctions

According to the new Allbolagen, there are rules for how the municipalities may withdraw profits, but no sanctions if a municipality violates the law. 

- The idea is that the municipal housing companies will stand strong even when it becomes financially more difficult years, says Minister of Housing Per Bolund (MP).  

“Be good with investigation” 

The Minister for Housing thinks it would be good if the National Board of Housing, Building and Planning analyzes how the law works now, when it is ten years old. 

- If it turns out that there will be larger withdrawals that do not comply with the legislation, we will have to think about whether it works as it does today and if in such cases sanctions are needed, but we are not there today.

He believes that there are still few municipalities in the number that cross the border for what is legal.