Negotiations are now underway on the rent for next year in the whole of Northwest Skåne. On one side: the Tenants' Association. On the other side: Municipal and private property owners.

In Helsingborg, the municipal Helsingborgshem – with 12,000 apartments – has reported a need of 8.8 percent. That would correspond to around SEK 500 more per month for an apartment with SEK 7,000 in rent.

The Tenants' Association has responded: 4 percent.

Can't agree

And so far, the negotiations have not gone so well – the parties have not been able to agree.

"We are prepared to negotiate, but 4 percent is too low," says Tor Berger, head of negotiations at Helsingborgshem.

The Tenants' Association, on the other hand, believes that it is a justified offer.

"We've had two tough years. The situation is not easier this year for the tenants and whatever rent adjustment we agree on, this will also hit very hard, says Sofie Lindberg, negotiator for the Tenants' Association of Helsingborg.

Helsingborgshem: "Extreme cost situation"

The parties are due to meet again next week.

"The ambition is still to find a solution. But we have an extreme cost situation. 8.8 per cent barely covers our interest costs, and there are more cost increases on top of that," says Tor Berger.

The tenants' association does not share Helsingborgshem's view of the need.

"Tenants are very much facing a cost increase that should weigh just as heavily. A rent increase is permanent, while higher interest rates and so on are something that can be changed," says Sofie Lindberg.

If the parties cannot agree, the negotiations will be handed over to the Rental Market Committee, which will then have the final say.

"We should not hide the fact that we as parties are a bit apart. But we are optimistic that we will come to an agreement," says Sofie Lindberg.

This year, Helsingborgshem's rents were increased by 4.8 percent.

Javascript is disabled

Javascript must be enabled to play video

Learn more about browser support

Photo: Erik Ragnar Danielsson