Just over 100 people gathered at lunchtime at Väderlekstorget in southern Biskopsgården to demonstrate against a proposed rent increase of 10%.
- It is a very juicy increase that creates a lot of concern.
Normally it's a few percent, says Petra Valèn, one of the residents in the area.
The rent increase would mean that a 3rd apartment of 64 square meters which today costs SEK 7,800/month would cost SEK 8,580 a month instead.
- Such a rent increase would mean that many people in the area would have to move, says Joel Duncan, who is involved in the local tenant association Mistralen.
New economic reality
According to the landlord housing company Willhem, the background to the rent increase is the completely changed economic situation that the entire housing industry is facing.
And nothing is decided yet.
- The rent increase has not been decided yet.
What we are doing is demanding 10 percent in the negotiations currently underway, says Mikael Granath, CEO Willhem.
- I understand that there are increasing costs for Willhem, but they still make a profit, so we are talking about the fact that they could go with less profit, not that they should go backwards, says Joel Duncan.
- It's about the coming year and it looks different is what we have behind us.
And if the development we see now continues, we will have to raise the rent next year as well, says Mikael Granath, CEO Willhem.
Closed common areas
Another proposal that upsets the residents is that the landlord also wants to close the area's common rooms.
- That would be tragic.
When there is talk of segregation and gang crime, more areas are needed where people can gather to create security in the area.
Biskopsgården needs more meeting rooms, not fewer, says Joel Duncan.
- I have no detailed knowledge of this.
It is part of the negotiation and nothing has been decided yet, says Mikael Granath, CEO Willhem.