Tenants

Rent an apartment in Sweden: how to find a home fast

To rent an apartment in Sweden fast, search broadly, be flexible about the type of home and the rental period, and book a viewing as soon as something fits. Renting second hand or from a private landlord is usually much faster than waiting in a housing queue. Never pay for a home you have not seen, and never before you have signed a lease.

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How do you find a home fast in Sweden?

You find a home fastest by searching broadly, replying quickly and making it easy for the landlord to choose you. These eight tips make the biggest difference.

1. Widen your search area

Don’t only search in the neighbourhood you like best. Nearby areas and smaller towns with good commuter links often have more homes to rent and fewer people competing for them, and the journey isn’t always much longer. Check your actual travel time to work or school rather than the distance on the map. Looking in the capital?

Read how to find a home in Stockholm without a queue.

2. Be flexible about the type and size of home

Most people want a one or two room apartment, so that is where competition is toughest. A house, a terraced house, a room with a private landlord or a slightly larger apartment can be much easier to get. If a bigger home is too expensive on your own, two of you can rent it together and share the rent. Be open to a different layout than you first had in mind, too.

3. Consider a shorter rental period

A shorter lease is often easier to get than a long one, and it gives you a place to live while you keep looking at your own pace. Samtrygg focuses on long-term rentals of six months or longer, but you can also rent for a shorter period, from two months.

4. Start looking early

It may sound odd when you are in a hurry, but every week counts. Popular homes get many people booking viewings, so expect not to be chosen for every home you look at. Start early and you will see more homes and won’t have to take the first one that comes along.

5. Write an introduction that makes you easy to choose

The landlord decides who gets to rent and knows nothing about you at the start. Briefly say who you are, what you work with or study, when you can move in, how long you want to stay and whether you have pets or smoke. Think about who you would want to rent your own home to, and write like that. Honest and specific beats long and general.

6. Act fast and book a viewing straight away

Homes for rent often go quickly. Book a viewing the same day you find something that fits, and go to as many viewings as you can. A home you were unsure about can feel just right once you are standing in it.

7. Have a pet? Search extra wide

Not every landlord wants animals in their home, for example because of allergies. Mention your pet already in your profile, so neither of you wastes time on viewings that lead nowhere. A wide search area and plenty of time give you more homes where your pet is welcome too.

8. Never pay before you have seen the home

Stress makes it easy to take risks, and scammers know it. Don’t pay anything until you have seen the home and signed a lease. Further down you can read which warning signs to look out for.

Which search criteria should you choose?

Choose what you need, not your dream home. Every requirement you drop gives you more results, so decide this before you start:

Maximum rent: the highest monthly cost you can afford. When you rent through Samtrygg, the listing shows the full monthly cost, so you can compare it directly with your limit.
Area: several areas or towns with good transport links, not just one.
Size: a minimum number of rooms and square metres rather than an exact figure.
Move-in date: the earliest date you can move in. A flexible date gives you more options.
Rental period: how long you want to stay. A shorter period often gives you more options.
Furnished or unfurnished: many second-hand homes are rented out furnished, so think about what suits you.

Where can you look for an apartment to rent?

The main routes are the housing queue, the second-hand market and private landlords. If you need a home soon, renting second hand or from a private landlord is usually the fastest, since the queue for a rental apartment in larger cities is often several years long. Renting second hand means you rent from someone who owns or rents the home themselves. It could be a person renting out their tenant-owned apartment (bostadsrätt), their house, a room or their rental apartment (hyresrätt) while living somewhere else for a while.

On Samtrygg, landlords and home seekers meet on a marketplace for safe home rentals. Searching for a home is free, and you sign the lease directly with the landlord. Here you find homes to rent all over the country, for example available apartments in Stockholm.

How does renting a home through Samtrygg work?

You search, book a viewing directly in the listing and sign the lease digitally. Here are the steps:

Sign up. Registration is free.
Browse the listings and book a viewing directly in the listing when you find something that suits you.
Go to a viewing. The landlord decides who gets to rent.
Sign the lease digitally. It is a standardised lease written by Samtrygg’s lawyers, and you sign it directly with the landlord.
Record the condition of the home together with the landlord in an inspection report when you move in.

How do you avoid rental scams?

You avoid most scams by never paying before you have seen the home and signed a lease. Scammers count on you being in a hurry.

Warning signs to look out for:

The person renting out wants money before a viewing or a lease.
They say they are abroad and can’t show the home.
The rent is much lower than for similar homes in the area.
You are pushed to decide right away or to pay in an unusual way.

If something feels wrong, stop all contact. Read more in the guide on avoiding problems when renting second hand.

What should you check before you sign?

Check that the person renting out is allowed to do so, that the rent is reasonable and that everything you agreed on is in the lease.

Permission: To sublet a rental apartment (hyresrätt), the tenant in most cases needs consent from their landlord or permission from the Rent Tribunal (hyresnämnden), under the Swedish Land Code (jordabalken). For a tenant-owned apartment (bostadsrätt), the owner usually needs consent from the housing association or permission from the Rent Tribunal, under the Tenant-Owner Act (bostadsrättslagen). Ask to see a copy. Read more about the 2026 private rental law for home seekers.
Rent: compare with similar homes in the same area. Read more in Am I paying too much rent?
Lease: the rental period, notice period, what the rent includes and whether the home is furnished should all be in the lease.
Condition: record the condition of the home when you move in, so there is no confusion when you move out.
Home insurance: you need your own, since the landlord’s insurance doesn’t cover your belongings. When you rent through Samtrygg, home insurance is included for the first 30 days, giving you time to arrange your own.

Why rent a home through Samtrygg?

With Samtrygg you can search fast without taking the risks that stress tends to push you into. Listings are checked and you are protected against advance payment fraud, so you can accept a viewing straight away without wondering whether the home even exists. Once you agree, you sign the lease digitally and payments are handled securely. Behind the service is experience from more than 25,000 rentals.

The Safety Package (Trygghetspaketet) is included in every rental:

Option to rent without a deposit
Protection against advance payment fraud
Safe and secure payments
Home insurance included for the first 30 days
Checked housing listings
Inspection report at move-in and move-out
Legal advice
Personal service and help throughout the process

Frequently asked questions about renting an apartment in Sweden

How quickly can you find a home?

It depends on where you search, what kind of home you want and how flexible you are. Second-hand homes and homes from private landlords are listed all the time, so it is possible to find something within a few weeks. You improve your chances by widening your search area, staying open to different types of homes and booking a viewing right away.

Is renting second hand faster than queuing for an apartment?

Usually yes, especially if you need a home soon. The queue for a rental apartment in larger cities is often several years long, while second-hand homes and homes from private landlords can be searched straight away without a queue.

How long can I rent through Samtrygg?

You and the landlord set the rental period in the lease. Samtrygg focuses on long-term rentals of six months or longer, but shorter rentals are also possible. The shortest rental period is two months.

Do I have to pay a deposit when renting through Samtrygg?

You have the option to rent without a deposit through Samtrygg. If a deposit is needed, Samtrygg holds it for the whole rental period, so it is never paid out to the landlord. Read more about how a rental deposit works.

How can I tell if a rental listing is genuine?

A genuine landlord lets you see the home before you pay anything and signs a written lease with you. Be wary of very low rents, landlords who can’t show the home and demands for quick payment.

What should I write in my profile?

Briefly say who you are, what you do, when you can move in and how long you want to stay. Mention whether you have pets or smoke, and feel free to add a photo. An honest, specific profile makes it easier for the landlord to choose you.

Summary

When you need to rent an apartment in Sweden fast, search broadly, stay flexible and act quickly. Write a clear introduction, start looking early and never pay for a home you haven’t seen. On Samtrygg you find homes to rent second hand and from private landlords, with the Safety Package included in every rental.

Find your next home on Samtrygg

Last updated 21 October 2026