Tenants

Am I paying too much rent?

Renting a home through subletting can be a great way to find accommodation quickly, but many tenants ask themselves the same question: am I paying a fair rent?

The rules for rent setting depend on whether you are renting a rental apartment or a privately owned home, such as an apartment, house or holiday home.

In this guide, we explain how rent is assessed for different types of homes and what you can do if you believe your rent is too high.

Looking for a home? Register for free with Samtrygg and get access to thousands of available rental homes across Sweden.

Different rules for rental apartments and privately owned homes

When renting a home through subletting, it is important to know what type of home you are renting.

For:

• Rental apartments, the Swedish Tenancy Act’s rules on the utility value principle and fair rent apply.
• Privately owned homes, including apartments, houses, holiday homes and other privately owned homes, are covered by the Swedish Private Letting Act.

This means that rent is assessed differently depending on the type of home.

Apartments, houses and holiday homes

For privately owned homes, rent may be set based on market demand. Unlike rental apartments, the assessment is not based on the utility value principle.

The rent is influenced by factors such as:

• Location
• Size
• Standard
• Furnishing
• What is included in the rent
• Market demand

This means that rental prices may vary between different homes and locations. At the same time, tenants remain protected against substantially excessive rents.

Read more in our rent guide for tenants.

Rental apartment

If you rent a rental apartment through subletting, the landlord may generally not charge more than the rent paid to the property owner.

However, additional charges may be added for:

• Furniture
• Electricity
• Internet
• Parking
• TV services
• Other costs included in the rent

For fully furnished homes, the Rent Tribunal has often approved a furniture surcharge of around 10–15%.

Read more in our guide to fair rent.

Example

First-hand rent: SEK 8,000 per month

Furniture surcharge: 15%

Internet: SEK 200 per month

Parking: SEK 900 per month

Calculation:

(SEK 8,000 × 1.15) + SEK 200 + SEK 900 = SEK 10,300 per month

How do I know if the rent is fair?

A good first step is to compare the rent with similar homes in the same area.

Consider factors such as:

• Size of the home
• Number of rooms
• Condition and standard
• Whether the home is furnished
• What is included in the rent
• Location and access to public transport

Keep in mind that a high rent does not automatically mean that it is unfair. Two similar homes in the same area may have different rental prices depending on factors such as their standard and current market demand.

What happens if the rent is too high?

Tenants are protected against unfairly high rents.

If you are renting a rental apartment

If you believe the rent is higher than permitted, you can apply to have it reviewed.

If the rent is found to be too high, you may in some cases:

• Have the rent reduced going forward.
• Be entitled to a refund of overpaid rent for previous rental periods.

If you are renting an apartment, house or holiday home

Rent for privately owned homes can also be reviewed if you believe it is unreasonably high. If the rent is found to be substantially higher than what is considered reasonable, it may be reduced going forward.

Unlike the rules for rental apartments, the possibility of receiving a retroactive refund is more limited for private lettings.

How Samtrygg promotes a transparent rental market

Since 2013, Samtrygg has helped thousands of landlords and tenants complete safe and secure rentals across Sweden. Before a home is published on our marketplace, we speak with every landlord to answer questions and ensure that listings meet our requirements. We work to create a transparent marketplace with clear terms for both landlords and tenants.

Based on data from thousands of completed rentals, we have valuable insights into how rental prices develop across different parts of Sweden.

Browse available homes on Samtrygg.

FAQ – common questions about paying too much rent

How do I know if I’m paying too much rent?

It depends on the type of home you are renting. For rental apartments, the rules on the utility value principle and fair rent apply. For privately owned homes, such as apartments, houses and holiday homes, rent may be set based on market demand, while tenants remain protected against substantially excessive rents.

Can I get a refund if I have paid too much rent?

If you are renting a rental apartment, you may in some cases be entitled to a refund if the rent is found to have been too high. For privately owned homes, the possibility of receiving a retroactive refund is more limited.

How can I compare whether the rent is reasonable?

Compare the rent with similar homes in the same area, taking into account factors such as size, standard, furnishing, what is included in the rent and the location. A high rent does not automatically mean that it is unfair.

Can the rent be reviewed?

Yes. If you believe your rent is too high, you can apply to have it reviewed. The review process and the applicable rules depend on the type of home you are renting.

Can a landlord charge any rent they want?

No. The rent that may be charged depends on the type of home. For rental apartments, the rules on fair rent and the utility value principle apply. For privately owned homes, rent may be set based on market demand, while tenants remain protected against substantially excessive rents.

Summary

If you are renting a home through subletting, it is important to understand the rules that apply to your type of home. For rental apartments, the rules on the utility value principle and fair rent apply. For privately owned homes, rent may be set based on market demand, while tenants remain protected against substantially excessive rents. If you believe your rent is too high, you can apply to have it reviewed.

Looking for a home? Register for free with Samtrygg and get access to thousands of available homes across Sweden, with no waiting lists.

Last updated 10 juli 2026.