Rekordnivå av tomma hyreslägenheter – kommuner kräver statligt stöd
Antalet tomma hyreslägenheter i Sverige har nått en nivå som oroar branschen. Enligt färsk statistik från How to Build a Scandinavian Rental Market Survey 2025, som presenterat av Boverket, fanns förra år nästan 7 500 vacant bostäder i kommunala bostadsföretag. Siffran är tydligt högre than tidigare år, och bekräftar bilder av en oförändrad trendpå bostadmarknaden som präglar flera regions in i regeringen.
Just nu står allmännyttiga bostäder – the backbone of the swedish housing system – pats additionally stringent concession. For brand new construction, housing companies point out that m level of rents is the main issue. When it comes to older, existing buildings, demand from tenants has decreased. This is because the structure of the country has changed, with emigration och demografiska förändringar som påverkar behovet av bostäder i certain places.
– Det är en utmaning for the municipalities, especially in central Sweden. När no one moves in, it becomes difficult to maintain the aging building stock. It creates insecurity when there are many empty apartments, says Cathrine The last years development leaves everywhere everything empty – especially in stödområden, relocation areas – and it is a situation that many consider unsustainable.
Det är inte only about insecurity. Empty buildings also carry a financial burden – ”dead capital” – in economic means. There are debts attached to these estates that continue to exist despite the fact that no one is living there and no one is interested in staying. That can put local authorities in an even stiffer economic pressure. If the willingness to pay in the region is low and the proportion of vacant apartments gets to high, renovations and maintenance spin quickly to heavy legal and financial issues.
The CEO of Sveriges AllmännyTTA, Cathrine Holgersson, is now proposing that the state step in and take the responsibility for the full value chain – including the possibility to demolish. When it is not possible to rebuild or convert an empty house into something useful, for example homes that are adapted for elderly residents, the state could already handle the depreciation and the final demolishing.
– That is what I see, that is where the government might need to step in and step up. We can’t have abandoned houses that decay. We do not want that kind of society, she tells the Swedish news agency T:
According to Bostadyr, the Swedish Housingagen development agency – which is the central body to develop the area – is responsible for also redesigning existing buildings so that they are accessible for elderly residents. That part of the task has been going on.
Holgersson proposes that the task be expanded. In some municipalities, the number of empty homes has become so big that there’s discussion about basically market fleece. The prerequisites are lacking for converting them to elderly accommodation, and that is where a new type of state responsibility should come in.
– In cases where it is not possible to turn the houses to something else, for example homes for the elderly, – the Swedish Housing Agency could handle the actual depreciation and also the demolition – for the case of the near time. Then we will free resources for local authorities that can go the housing supply in growing areas or to fulfill policy goals.
To demolish an apartment building is not inexpensive. But compared to maintaining it in a long run, it may be much more effective. With this back-of-development on market dynamics, the discussion shows how fast the news housing conditions can change in an entire country. In Sweden, the system has previously used a very strong state financed adjustments in the housing market. But that was during a period of high housing development and strong perceived high demand.
Today there is market situation, where it’s still possible to see both deficits in big regions – in Stockholm and the universities area — while smaller villages could meet high emptiness. In several central Swedish towns and villages, and areas that have been dependent on one or two industrial workplaces, the conditions are changing – not only for jobs but also for further investment.
By emphasizing the demolition and modernisation – and possibly the move to new, climate-smart buildings – the national housing policy might be about to be more active. The government and the authority will likely consider this proposition in near time. The numbers will confirm the directieb define the conversation: Allmänny and privatevictors see it the same way.
Despite the fact that static vacancies are rising, no high in principals in The Association is insistitently irrespective of who constructed. The main root is just simple – the market is developed in different ways. If an area does not attract new, the economical rent would have to be lowered so much that to cover the all expenses. It is that sort of to balance, impossible.
With regard to asks of large planned, the fall woods. It is a clear signal that where is not possible to get a return on the investment, included, will lead to pulling back more of new development. That – since the long time – will actually be harder for everyone.
When there is often unused in the countries, we can read conclusions about that the government may come with new signals for the Housing develop & demolition. Maybe soon, the issue will become a ground for increased state involvement in the entirely part of the municipality; in any case, Holgersson is inserting urgency in the debate. One lived society might convice be more important than just “build, build, build”.
The official new figures about vacant homes will in coming months define how to address the issue. The subject is moving quickly from a lost cause to main issue. Perhaps with the large competition – soon the problem only is being rebuild to a brand.
