Since 1914, the Swedish Academy has been renting over 2,000 square meters in Börshuset in Stockholm without paying any rent.
Instead, it stands for the city's taxpayers.
The real estate office has now been commissioned to begin negotiations on the lease agreement with the Swedish Academy.
- We will not subsidize tenants in this way, this is the most favorable agreement that anyone has with the city of Stockholm, says Dennis Wedin (M), housing and real estate council in Stockholm, to TT.
7.5 million kroner
According to the real estate office's calculations, the municipality pays SEK 6 million per year to cover the rent.
In addition, the city is responsible for the operation and maintenance of the premises, which cost an average of one and a half million kronor annually, says Dennis Wedin.
- From a taxpayer's perspective, I can definitely think that it is reasonable for them to start paying market rent.
Then I respect that this will be a matter of negotiation and that the parties reasonably have different points of departure.
Steps in the right direction
The issue has been raised before, including by the Social Democrats in the real estate committee who in April last year announced that they wanted to terminate the lease.
According to Dennis Wedin, the negotiation is a step in the right direction, even for the long-running Academy.
- I note the steps for modernization that the Swedish Academy is taking right now, and this could be part of it.
I hope that this will be a quick negotiation, he says.