Hyresgästföreningen demands abolition of independent arbitrator system

The Swedish Tenants Association (Hyresgästföreningen) is calling for the abolition of the current independent arbitrator system used in rental negotiations. Association president Marie Linder argues that the system, intended as a last resort, is being overused by property owners to bypass local negotiations, leading to higher rents and weakened tenant influence.

Data shows a significant discrepancy in how dispute resolution is utilized. In the public housing sector, approximately 15 percent of negotiations proceeded to dispute resolution in 2026. In contrast, over 70 percent of negotiations represented by Fastighetsägarna (the Swedish Property Owners association) went to an independent arbitrator.

Fastighetsägarna has rejected the demand for abolition. CEO Anders Holmestig argues that the high usage of the system demonstrates the need for a legally secure way to conclude negotiations that fail to reach an agreement. Instead of scrapping the system, property owners have suggested granting the arbitrator more power, including making decisions that are directly applicable.