SKELLEFTEÅ, Sweden – A significant shift in the rental housing market has occurred in Skellefteå, with several hundred apartments now standing vacant among the city's largest landlords following the reported bankruptcy of battery manufacturer Northvolt. According to SVT Västerbotten, the population of Skellefteå has decreased by approximately 3,000 people, transforming what was once a housing shortage into a surplus.
Major rental companies including Heimstaden, Sveafastigheter, and Skebo are now employing different strategies to attract tenants. Heimstaden's regional rental manager Emma Hallström stated, "You have to try to stand out now." Sveafastigheter is offering short-term discounts, primarily for newly constructed apartments with higher rents, according to acting communications manager Karin Nilsson Malmén.
However, Skebo, the largest landlord in the municipality which reportedly has the most vacant rental apartments, has no plans to offer discounts. "We would rather increase attractiveness than work with discounts," said Anna Ersson, marketing manager at Skebo. The competition among landlords reflects the broader economic impact on the region following Northvolt's financial troubles.