Rent negotiations for 2026 in Stockholm county have concluded with an average increase of 3.5%, according to the tenant association Hyresgästföreningen's annual compilation. However, neither party involved in the negotiations appears fully satisfied with the outcome.
The negotiations, which began in 2025, determined the rent levels for the coming year. Veronica Eriksson, negotiation manager for Hyresgästföreningen in the Stockholm region, stated that while the increase is significantly lower than in recent years, rents remain too high for many tenants. 'The increase is much lower this year than in recent years. At the same time, we see that rents are far too high and many tenants are having a really tough time,' Eriksson said.
The increase is much lower this year than in recent years. At the same time, we see that rents are far too high and many tenants are having a really tough time
From the property owners' perspective, the industry organization Fastighetsägarna considers the increase too small. Nathalie Brard, negotiation manager at Fastighetsägarna, criticized a recent report from Hyresgästföreningen that she claims is being used as leverage in negotiations to lower rents. 'It is an unsustainable situation over time to own and manage rental properties if costs have increased so significantly much more than rents do,' Brard argued.
Historical data shows that annual rent per square meter in Stockholm county has increased by 30 percent since the years before the pandemic, according to statistics from Statistics Sweden (SCB). Meanwhile, property companies' costs have increased sharply, according to Fastighetsägarna.
It is an unsustainable situation over time to own and manage rental properties if costs have increased so significantly much more than rents do