FAQ
In the following section, you will find information about the frequently asked questions.
If you have any further questions please contact the administration: kansliet@studenthus.nu
The purpouse of the following section is to give an overview of the laws and should only be used as a guidance, since it doesn’t give the full picture.
Rent and contracts
How your rent is decided
The rent for you how live at Studentstaden AB, Heimstaden AB, Majklockan AB or Stiftelsen Ultuna Studentbostäder is negotiated by HUS.
The guidance for what is a reasonable rent is decided by comparing rents with similar housing owned by the state, in Uppsala that is Uppsalahem AB. This is because they don’t have unreasonable revenue pressure. If the negotiations don’t lead to an agreement, Hyresnämnden may decide on a cap for how high the rents may be.
If you think that your rent is unreasonable you may have it reviewed at Hyresnämnden.
Extortionate rent
Swedish law states that a rent is considered reasonable if it ”isn’t considerably higher than the rent of similar accommodation”. Hyreslagen (the law that regulates renting accommodation) gives you the right to live for a reasonable rent. This law must not and cannot be negotiated away in favour of the landlord. Even if you have a written contract agreeing upon a certain rent the tenant may have this lowered if it turns out it is unreasonable.
Hyresnämnden may decide to retroactively lower rents. The tenant will then get his or her money back for the period which they have payed too much. In Uppsala, you shall turn to Hyresnämnden in Västerås with your issue.
The demand that you study
Most student accommodation companies demand a certain level of academic achievement for the tenant to be allowed to keep their accommodation. If you don’t fulfil this demand you should discuss with your landlord or with HUS to see if the problem can be solved any way. Maybe you have had medical or other valid reasons that may have made you unable to temporarily pass your courses?
In Studentstadens apartments there are also a number of people living with permanent contracts without the demand to study.
Subletting
To sublet your apartment you must have permission from the landlord; alternatively Hyresnämnden may give you permission if you have ”considerable reason” and the landlord doesn’t have “a just reason to refuse consent”. “Considerable reasons” include things like temporary studies in another city, disease or testing out cohabitation with a partner.
If you sublet your apartment without a permit you risk that your own contract is forfeit.
Transfering a contract
If you are moving or if you have been dismissed you often have the right to give your contract to a cohabitant (a lodger doesn’t count). A spouse, partner, registered partner or children are normally considered to be cohabitants. There is generally a praxis amongst housing companies that adopt a wider definition of cohabitant. Meaning that even if you have lived together with a friend for a longer period of time if can be worth to raise the question about transferring the contract.
Eding the contract
Residents living a for example Studentstaden have one or two moths notice, depending on the type of accommodation. Which time that applies to you is written in your contract. No matter what the contract says Hyrselagen (the law that regulates rented accommodation) gives you the right to a minimum of three months’ notice.
If you have one moths notice this means that you must notify your landlord at the latest March 31st if you don’t want to pay the rent for May. Studentstaden does send out a confirmation on your dismissal, but this may take a few days so if you are not in good time you should make sure that it has been received. The tenant can always end his contract for whatever reason. In some situations, he or she even has the right to end the contract with immediate effect.
For a landlord to end the contract they must have good reason. One of those may be that the tenant is no longer studying. In that case the tenant has three months’ notice.
More serious is it for example if the apartment is being neglected, the rent doesn’t get payed or if neighbours get unacceptably disturbed by the tenant. A typical example of this is addicts who threaten the landlord with a knife, light fires in the staircase and have wild parties in the apartment several times a week. If serious disturbances like these happen the tenant may be dismissed immediately. The landlord is also obliged to contact social services.
A dismissal can always be retested legally.
Standard
Bostadens skick
The landlord is required to provide an accommodation that is fully usable according with the general standard in the city. What is considered to be the minimum accepted standard is specified in amongst others Hyrselagen; for example the accommodation should have access to hot and cold water.
The landlord is also obliged to correct other flaws such as disturbing noise, pests, insufficient heating to mention a few.
If the landlord refuses to correct a flaw the tenant may have the right to correct the flaw by them selves and also the right to a lowered rent during the time the apartment is of inadequate standard. If the flaw is serious Miljökontoret or Hyresnämnden may issue a measure injunction. The district court (tingsrätten) decide about lowered rent and indemnity. If you have a legally legitimate claim on your landlord you may deposit all or parts of your rent with Länsstyrelsen. By doing that you get out of delay in payment or payment default. It is worth to be observant that unfounded deposition may be a just cause for dismissal.
Reapairs/remodelling
In your lease there is normally a clause that binds you to allow smaller repair work to be done. The landlord is there by allowed to perform some work in your apartment without you being able to refuse them access or giving you the right to lowered rent. This doesn’t however mean they don’t need to pay some regard. For example, craftsman should always contact the tenant and ask for permission before they enter an apartment. Normally you have the right to have some say in what is being repaired in your apartment.
When it comes to larger repairs other rules apply. The apartment should have a certain standard; this applies even when your apartment is being repaired. For example, if your toilet is being turned off you should be provided with an alternative in the meantime. If the restrictions are great you have the right to have your rent lowered during the time of these disturbances.
Indoor temperature
The temperature in an apartment should be between 20 and 24 degrees Centigrade. It may fall below 18 degrees or rise above 26 for a short period, but if it happens on a regular basis the landlord must do something about it
Noise from neighbors
An apartment should be reasonably quiet after 22.00. Occasion noise after that time is also accepted. The landlord is responsible for the noise level is acceptable, hence you should contact the landlord if you and your neighbor cannot agree on noise levels.
Noise in general
There are limits for how loud the noise from nearby road and such may be inside the apartment. Noise during a limited time, from construction or such, is usually accepted.
Moving out
Cleaning when moving out
When moving out, the tenant must clean the apartment. The landlord then inspects it and, if it is not clean enough, hires someone to clean it and bills the former tenant. To avoid conflicts due to different views of what is acceptable cleaning, HUS recommends the tenant to participate in the inspection. If the apartment you are moving into is not properly cleaned, contact your landlord as soon as possible.
Liability for damage
The tenant should take good care of the apartment. This means that if something is damaged because you are careless, you must pay for it. Normal wear is accepted, as well as accidental damage if you can show that you were careful. The age of the object should be taken into consideration when calculating what the tenant should pay if it is damaged.
Walls, floor and ceiling
Marks from tacks and drilling is usually considered normal wear and accepted when you move out. Fat stains are not considered normal wear and the tenant may have to pay to have the wallpaper replaced. The age of the wallpaper should however be taken into consideration when calculation the cost, and the landlord should try to keep the cost as low as possible.
Bathroom
Toilets and sinks are not supposed break from normal use and hence it is you as a tenant must cover the cost of the repair (even if the landlord usually will take care of getting it repaired). If your sink or toilet crack, inform your landlord as soon as possible to avoid further damage.