Leif Johansson/Bildarkivet.se

Transcription

1 New from colourbox Private property owners Submitting more flats page 2 20 municipalities Allocation in the entire Greater Stockholm Region page 2 Bostadsförmedlingen INFORMATION FROM STOCKHOLM S HOUSING SERVICE Leif Johansson/Bildarkivet.se Peter Fischer/Bildarkivet.se Students and senior citizens given more options The Housing Service is broadening its operations. For the first time, student flats will be allocated on a larger scale. The goal is to create a common marketplace for student flats in Stockholm. For senior citizens, a new housing form will be added when the Housing Service starts to all ocate Security Housing for individuals aged 75 years and over. page 6 Fees reduced again For the fourth time since 2000, the Housing Service reduced its queuing fees in March. In addition, the allocation fee has been halved page 2 What is new on the new My Pages? Search and register for vacant flats by simply using the My Pages Internet service. Here, you can set up a search profile for your most common search and view your most recent queuing fee notice. page 5 First-hand contract in the inner city? Is there any point in dreaming of a first-hand contract in the inner city? Does everyone in the housing queue lack housing? Read more common myths about the Stockholm housing market what is true and what is false? page 7 Tougher rules for refusals The rules have now been tightened for those who refuse flat offers more than once within one year. Repeated refusals result in short moving schedules and an increase in the risk of double rents. page 3 S TO C K H O L M S S TA D S BOSTA DSFÖRMEDLING 1

2 Anne Dillner/Bildarkivet.se Less expensive to be in the housing queue From 1 March 2010, new queuing fees apply and allocation fees have been halved. The new annual fee is SEK 225. The allocation fee, meaning the fee that is paid when you receive a contract, has been reduced from SEK 2,000 to SEK 1,000. The fee for shortterm contracts, student flats, security housing and senior-citizen 65+ flats, which are not considered full rental contracts, has been reduced from SEK 1,000 to SEK 500. The al lo cation fee for a student room in a corridor is SEK 250. A regional housing market The Housing Service is continuously searching for new cooperation partners. In 2009, we began to allocate flats for Botkyrkabyggen in Botkyrka municipality. All in all, the Housing Service allocates flats in about 20 of Stockholm s municipalities. Private property owners SUBMITTING MORE FLATS During 2009, slightly more than 9,000 people received flat contracts through the Housing Service. This was an unusually high figure, compared with the preceding year. Private property owners submitted about 50% more flats than in the preceding year. One of the larger private property owners in Stockholm is the Wallenstam property company. We submit half of our vacant flats to the housing queue. The reason that we submitted more flats in 2009 was that we have expanded. We have acquired properties in the outer areas. During Two to six years for a flat the next few years, we will focus heavily on new production, which means that we will continue to submit many flats to the housing queue, says Tommy Jansson, Regional Manager for Wallenstam. Stockholm s municipal housing companies are still responsible for submitting the most vacant flats to the Housing Service. The Housing Service also cooperates with several municipal companies outside Stockholm City. These increased the number of previously rented flats by slightly more than 30% during Most people who received a flat in 2009 had been in the queue for between two and six years. The queuing time varies significantly depending on the location, rent and standard of the flat. For newly produced flats, the queuing time is often shorter than for older flats. This is due to higher rents. During 2009, about 1,300 newly produced flats were allocated. colorbox.com Annika Persson/Bildarkivet.se NEW RULES FOR 2010 Tougher rules for those accepting flat offers From 2010, tougher rules apply for those who choose to refuse a flat offer. If, within one year, you refuse a flat offer more than once after having been submitted as a pro spective tenant, you will not be permitted to register for new flats for the following six months. There can be situations relating to work or private life that may be responsible for a last-minute refusal. However, individuals who refuse a flat offer more than once, at the last minute, create a difficult situation for other candidates and decrease the property owner s motivation to submit his/her vacant flats to the housing queue. Unfortunately, this is a major problem, and consequently, we have decided to make the rules stricter, says Mona Lindén, Allocation Manager at the Housing Service. Responding to a viewing notice Another problem is that many people register interest in vacant flats then do not show up when summoned for a viewing. A second viewing may then be necessary and the allocation process will be prolonged. For the person eventually receiving the contract, the schedule for moving in will be very short, which will increase the risk of him/her paying double rent. The Housing Service will now block those customers who register interest in a flat and do not respond to the viewing notice. You can refuse an unlimited number of times In general, if you accept a flat in connection with a viewing, it is regarded as a serious desire to live in the flat. If, in connection with the viewing of a flat, you decide that you do not want the flat, you must decline. You can do this an unlimited number of times without affecting your possibilities of registering for new flats. Kicki Funbo/Bildarkivet.se Keep your information updated A lot may have happened from the time when you registered in the housing queue to when you actively began searching for a flat. Do not forget to ensure that your information pertaining to income, employer, telephone number, etc. are updated when you register your interest for vacant flats. If your information is not updated, there is a risk that you will be omitted as tenant for a flat, which will be allotted to someone else with a shorter queuing time. Earlier reminder The Housing Service will be changing its routines for reminding you if you forgot to pay your annual fee. In the past, a reminder was sent out five months after the final payment date. The reminder will now be sent out one week after the final payment date. We will also be sending an information letter to your national registered address, if it differs from the given address. As in the past, payment must be received not later than six months after the due date in order to retain your place in the queue. 2 3

3 The road to your flat this is how the housing queue works The Housing Service s basic concept is to allocate flats based on queuing time. The longer you are in the queue, the greater your chance of being allotted a flat when it is time for you to move. SEK 225 per year It costs SEK 225 annually to remain in the queue. When it is time to pay the queuing fee, you will receive a payment notice in the mail. Register change of address directly with us If you move, you must ensure that the Housing Service receives your new address. Applying jointly You can add a queuing partner to your registration. This will inform the landlord that two people will be living together and that your incomes can be calculated jointly. However, the contract will be made out to the person with the queuing time, unless otherwise agreed with the landlord. A queuing spouse or partner may only take over the queuing time in the housing queue in the event of the death of the person in the queue. That person s queuing time will be calculated from the date on which he/she joined the queue. Bildarkivet.se Since the Housing Service is not a government authority, addresses are not updated automatically when you register your change of address in the population register. Active search You must actively search and register your interest in flats. The Housing Service does not automatically send flat suggestions to you. The flats are often advertised for one week. You may have no more than three current interest registrations (for new production projects and senior-citizen flats, you may have more interest registrations). Accepting or declining after viewing When the final advertising day for a flat has passed, those with the longest queuing times will be called to a viewing. It is important that you view the flat; otherwise, there is a risk that you may not be approved by the landlord. In some instances, the viewing is only of a drawing. If you are interested in the flat after the viewing, you must accept. An acceptance is always considered a serious desire to move into the flat. If you are not interested in the flat, you must decline. Signing the contract If you have the longest queuing time of those who accepted and the landlord approves you as a tenant, the rental contract is yours. When you have signed the contract, you will lose your queuing time from the date on which you receive your flat. For short-term contracts, student flats, security housing and senior-citizen 65+ flats, you may retain your queuing time. Paying the allocation fee The fee for an allocated flat is SEK 1,000. The exception to this rule is for flats with short-term contracts, security housing, student flats and senior-citizen 65+ flats, for which the allocation fee is SEK 500. For student rooms in a corridor, the fee is SEK 250. New My Pages Many of the Housing Service s customers use the My Pages Internet service to search and register their interest in vacant flats, around the clock. At the beginning of 2010, a new version of My Pages was launched. With the new My Pages, you can: Set up a search profile for your most common search. View your most recent queuing notice. Naturally, you can also: Search and register your interest in vacant flats. View your interest registrations. Update your contact and income information. Bildarkivet.se This is how priority placement works If you have very strong social or medical grounds and are unable to arrange housing in any other manner, you may apply for priority placement. The grounds for priority placement must be backed up with a certificate from an individual, who is involved in supporting or treating you in a professional capacity. Each case is then examined individually. Priority placements are granted almost exclusively to people who are registered in the City of Stockholm. Priority placements are arranged at no cost. Flats in Quick Housing Flats that for various reasons require rapid and specific management for renting are sent to Quick Housing. The first person to register his/her interest and who fulfils any requirements for the flat will be offered the flat. Queuing time is not a factor and you will retain your queuing time if you accept such a flat. Swap-queue for municipal companies During 2010, the swap queues for Stockholm municipal companies merged. They will be administered by the Housing Service. Only tenants from these companies are entitled to register for the flats

4 The Housing Service is expanding its operations. In 2010, we began to allocate student flats on a larger scale. Senior-citizen 65+ flats will be supplemented with security housing in 2010 for those who are 75 years of a ge or older. New marketplace for students The Housing Service is receiving an increasing number of student flats. Since the beginning of 2010, we have allocated flats for property companies including Svenska Bostäder, Micasa and several smaller property owners around Stockholm. When you receive a student flat through the Housing Service, you retain your queuing time, which enables you to obtain a normal flat contract when you have completed your studies. Are you 18 to 25 years of age? Youth flats are for individuals between 18 and 25 years of age who do not have long queuing times. Youth flats are usually smaller than 30 square metres and may only be allocated to youths between the ages of 18 and 25. The flats are evenly distributed between the age groups, which mean that if you are 18, your chances of getting a flat are the same as someone who is 25, although you have a shorter queuing time. There is also an even distribution of flats in the inner city, neighbouring districts and suburbs. Stephan Berglund/Bildarkivet.se Young people or senior-citizens Own housing for those who are 65 years of age or older Do you want to live together with other senior citizens but still have your own living area? Then senior citizen 65+ flats may be something for you. You can apply through the normal housing queue, but the requirement is that you must be at least 65 years old when you register your interest. It is also possible to gain a senior citizen flat through priority placement if you have specific grounds. Security housing Many of Stockholm s service units are currently being converted into so-called security housing. Security housing means that the tenants have access to an emergency medical alarm, community facilities and the possibility of shared mealtimes. There are also staff available who arrange social get-togethers and common activities. If you are in the housing queue, you will be automatically moved to the security housing queue when you turn 70, but you must be 75 before you can register your interest. There is also the possibility to apply for priority placement if you have specific grounds. Normally, you must be registered in the City of Stockholm. Five myths about Stockholm s housing market The Housing Service responds 1. It is impossible to get a first-hand contract in Stockholm s inner city through the Housing Service. It is true that the queuing time for receiving a rental contract in the inner city is often very long. Attractive flats with low rents require about 20 years in the housing queue. For newly-built flats, for which the rent is often relatively high, the queuing time is shorter, sometimes down to two to three years. 2. The Housing Service only allocates flats from municipal housing companies. That is not true. About one third of the flats we allocated during 2009 came from private property owners. 3. Individuals in the housing queue are mostly young people. Quite naturally, there are more young people in the housing queue. However, the 25 to 34 group is the largest. August Åberg/ Bildarkivet.se Birger Lallo/Bildarkivet.se 4. Everyone in the housing queue is in desperate need of a flat. No. Our surveys show that most people in the housing queue already have first-hand contracts or own a house/ tenant-owner flat. Many are in the queue as a guarantee in the event their living situation should change or in order to get a larger flat. 5. Being in the housing queue does not make sense if you are already settled. This is something that must be assessed individually. Some of those currently in the queue will probably not utilize their queuing time. They are in the queue as a guarantee, in the event their current situation should change. To gain a flat in the city s senior citizen housing also requires that you are registered in the housing queue. Jesper Molin/Bildarkivet.se 6 7

5 Stockholms Stads Bostadsförmedling Fleminggatan Rådhuset Rådhuset Centralstationen Contact us Log in to My Pages, where you can search and register for flats and update your personal information. Call and search for flats Housing booking, voice answering system: +46 (0) Open 24 hours. Civic offices Our services are also available at the City s civic offices. You will receive assistance in registering your interest in flats. Read more about City of Stockholm s civic offices at: SEK 225 per year Queuing fee is paid to Plusgiro: Bankgiro: Always state your civil registration number as a reference if you are using a blank payment form. Payment via plus giro requires an OCR number. English If you need help, please dial: +46 (0) for further assistance or visit our website at. Customer Service - call Tel: +46 (0) Telephone hours: Monday to Thursday 9:00 a.m. 4:00 p.m. Friday 9:00 a.m. 2:30 p.m. Customer Service - visits Visit us at Fleminggatan 6, Kungsholmen. Opening hours: Monday to Thursday 10:00 a.m. 4:00 p.m. Friday 10:00 a.m. 2:30 p.m. During the summer and Christmas and New Year holidays, opening hours are restricted to: Monday Friday: 9:00 a.m. 12:00 noon, and visiting hours from Monday Thursday, 1:00 p.m. 4:00 p.m., and Friday 1:00 p.m. 2:30 p.m. Address: Stockholms Stads Bostadsförmedling AB Box 8317, SE Stockholm Fax: +46 (0) Formgivning: Snick-Snack S TO C K H O L M S S TA D S BOSTA DSFÖRMEDLING