Your landlord may raise the rent, but not however they want. In Skellefteå, the same rent increase rules apply as in the rest of Sweden. Here we explain who may raise the rent, how the notice must look, how long you have to object, and what the rent tribunal does if you do not agree.

Rent increase in Skellefteå — what the law says

Your landlord, for example a housing company in Skellefteå, may raise the rent for a rental apartment. But the increase must follow the Swedish Land Code (1970:994), chapter 12 on rent. The landlord cannot decide on an increase on their own initiative and start charging it immediately. There are specific rules for how an increase is notified and how long must pass before the new rent takes effect.

If the rent is agreed in the lease, it can be changed if you and the landlord agree on a new rent. If you do not agree, the landlord may request an increase in the way the law prescribes.

How a rent increase must be notified

A landlord who wants to raise the rent must send you a written notice. The notice must contain:

the amount of the increase in kronor,
what the new total rent will be,
the day from which the new rent is to apply,
that you are obliged to pay the higher rent unless you object,
a date that is the last day for you to object — and that date may be no earlier than two months after the notice reached you,
the landlord's address,
information that the rent tribunal can examine whether the requested rent is reasonable, and
what you need to do for such an examination to take place.

The higher rent may not take effect before the last day for objection has passed.

How to object to a rent increase in Skellefteå

If you do not want to accept the new rent, you must notify the landlord in writing that you object to the increase. This must be done no later than the date stated in the notice, and that date may, as said, be no earlier than two months after you received the notice.

If you object in time, the landlord has no right to raise the rent on their own initiative. Instead, the landlord must apply to the rent tribunal for a decision allowing the increase. The rent tribunal then examines whether the requested rent is reasonable in relation to similar homes.

The rent tribunal examines whether the rent is reasonable

When a rent increase is examined by the rent tribunal, the rent is compared with what is charged for similar apartments in the same area. In Skellefteå, this means setting the rent in relation to other rental apartments in the municipality, with consideration to location, size, condition and standard.

The rent tribunal's decision is binding on both you and the landlord. If the tribunal decides that the requested increase is not reasonable, the landlord may not raise the rent to the extent requested.

What happens if you do not respond at all

If the landlord's notice contains all the information required by law, and you do not notify that you object within the stated time, you are considered to have accepted the higher rent. Then the new rent may be charged from the date stated in the notice. That is why it is important to open and respond to letters from your landlord, even if they look uninteresting.

Rent increase in Skellefteå — what applies here?

There is no fixed limit on how much the rent may be raised. What matters is whether the new rent is reasonable compared with similar homes. Rent levels can differ between different parts of Skellefteå and between different landlords, for example between municipal and private companies.

If you are unsure whether a rent increase is reasonable, you can contact the Swedish Union of Tenants (Hyresgästföreningen). They can help you assess the rent and, if needed, assist you in a case before the rent tribunal.

More to keep in mind

If you live in a student apartment in Skellefteå, the rent may be set differently than in an ordinary rental apartment, for example if the apartment is let via a student housing foundation. Always check what applies in your own lease.

If you have a first-hand lease, you have stronger protection of tenure than if you sublet. This means that the landlord cannot terminate your lease or raise the rent on arbitrary grounds without following the law.

A rent increase may also affect any housing allowance from the Swedish Social Insurance Agency. If your rent changes, you should notify the Swedish Social Insurance Agency so that the allowance is calculated correctly.

Keep all letters and emails from the landlord about the rent. If there is later a dispute before the rent tribunal, it is your written documents that decide what has been said and agreed.

Checklist when you receive a rent increase letter

Read the letter carefully and check that it contains all the information required by law.
Mark the last date for objecting in your calendar.
Decide whether you want to accept the new rent or object to it.
Respond in writing to the landlord in time if you object.
Contact the Swedish Union of Tenants if you want help with the assessment or with pursuing the matter before the rent tribunal.

Frequently asked questions about rent increase

May my landlord raise the rent at any time? No. The increase must be notified in writing, and the new rent may not take effect before the objection period provided by law has passed, at least two months.

What happens if I ignore the letter? If the notice is correctly drafted and you do not object in time, you are considered to have accepted the higher rent.

Who decides whether the rent is reasonable? The rent tribunal examines the reasonableness if you object and the landlord wants to proceed with the increase.

Can the Swedish Union of Tenants help me? Yes, as a member you can receive advice and help with rental matters, for example before a hearing at the rent tribunal.

Sources: Swedish Land Code (1970:994), chapter 12, sections 54–55 (https://www.riksdagen.se/sv/dokument-och-lagar/dokument/svensk-forfattningssamling/jordabalk-1970994_sfs-1970-994/); Swedish Union of Tenants (https://www.hyresgastforeningen.se/).

Rent increase in Skellefteå: how it works and what you can do