Rising inflation, high food prices and electricity costs mean that more and more tenants find it difficult to pay the rent. Interest in changing apartments has increased significantly, according to both the Renters’ Association and the site Elägenheitsbyte.se.
– We see that almost twice as many people state the economy as a reason for wanting to switch now, compared to previous years. So it’s quite clear that the economy is a big factor in Swedish households right now, says Elägenhetsbytes CEO Tobias Jonnarth.
– There will be demands for sharp rent increases. In addition, people have less purchasing power and cannot afford to pay their rent, says the Tenants Association’s federal lawyer Roger Höög.
Trend break after the pandemic
As a tenant, you have the right to exchange your apartment with another tenant, as long as you have so-called valid reasons. It’s in the tenancy law. The site Elägenhetsbyte.se is one of the platforms where tenants can find someone to exchange with. They have seen a record high demand for the loot. The number of users has increased by 30 percent in the last three months, compared to the same period the year before. This increase comes from already record high levels. During the corona pandemic, interest in changing tenancies also increased.
– When the pandemic came, people wanted to live bigger. They wanted an apartment with one or two extra rooms. Today, you need to do exactly the opposite. You need to find smaller apartments with cheaper rent, says Tobias Jonnarth.
A way to bypass the housing queue
By changing apartments, you can bypass the housing queues, a good option for those who have few queue days. To be able to change apartments, you have to find someone to change with. It’s a problem for Tommy Herdenberg. His partner passed away two years ago and since then he has been trying to find someone who wants to exchange apartments with him. In the latest rent increase, his rent went up 400 kroner, while food is getting more and more expensive. His new partner has to lend him money every month in order for him to afford it.
Follow Tommy home and hear more about his situation in the clip above.