Finding a place to live

Last updated: 3/5-2023

There are many different ways of finding a place to live. Below is information about what you can do.

The Swedish Educational Broadcasting Company (Svenska Utbildningsradion, UR) have produced a film with tips for people looking for a home. This film is only available in Swedish.

Housing companies and housing agencies

All of Sweden's municipalities have local housing companies, and many municipalities have housing agencies. You should register as someone looking for housing with various housing companies and agencies. They usually have a website where you can register.

Many housing companies and housing agencies have what is known as a housing queue. The longer you have been in a housing queue, the better your chances of getting a flat. The rules for housing queues may vary between different housing companies.

How to search for housing proactively

Even if you are registered with housing companies and authorities, it is a good idea to be looking actively for flats in other locations. There are several companies that list vacant flats on the internet, for both leases (when a flat's owner is renting it out) and sublets (when a flat's tenant is renting it out). They also have ads from people who are looking for lodgers, and for houses to rent. It is also a good idea to check daily newspapers for ads for flats and rooms to rent.

There are many small housing companies that don't have a registration procedure, but that list vacant flats on their websites. It is always a good idea to contact these smaller housing companies personally to show that you are interested.

If you are looking for a flat in a specific building, you can also find out who the landlord is by checking the notification board in the building's entrance hall. Landlords are obliged to specify there who the building's administrator is and where they can be reached.

Another possibility is to post notices in shops, libraries, entrance halls or other places that have notice boards.

Tenant-owned flats and houses

If you are interested in buying a tenant-owned flat or a house, you can employ the services of local property agents. There are also many companies and internet services with ads for tenant-owned flats, houses and land plots for sale all over Sweden. Ads are also published in newspapers.

The municipalities' websites usually have information about properties for sale.