Each year, representatives of municipal and private property owners and the Tenants Association meet to negotiate the rent for next year.

In 2019, the average rent was increased by 1.9 per cent, which was a doubling of the increase in 2018.

Want the rent to develop as other income

In this year's negotiations, property owners want to see an increase of 3.5 per cent in order to be able to, among other things, do the necessary maintenance, says the property owner's rental market manager Nathalie Brard.

- Since the rent is the landlord's only income, we believe that it must be developed at the same rate as other income in the community. If it doesn't, then the will to invest in building new rents will decrease, she says.

But the prevailing housing shortage with few empty apartments, as well as low interest rates for the property owners, makes such a big increase unreasonable, according to Tenant Association negotiator Erik Elmgren.

"Irresponsible to the tenant"

- Property owners receive compensation for increased tariffs and increased maintenance. With that reality, requesting SEK 250 more a month for a three-room apartment is incomprehensible. It is also irresponsible to the tenant, everyone must be able to afford to live, says Elmgren.

The result of the negotiations varies depending on the different conditions of the municipalities, while it takes different time for the municipal representatives to agree, Erik Elmgren says.

How high the average increase will be for 2020 is set at the beginning of next year.