First-hand contract (Förstahandskontrakt or Hyresrätt)

This is a signed agreement between the owner of the building and the tenant. The name for this type of apartment is normally called Hyresrätt. In order to get this contract, it is very common to register at your local municipal’s housing queue. Once they have an apartment available, they will offer it to the person first in the queue. The queuing can take many years, especially in the big cities. In smaller cities, the waiting-period can be much shorter and some people are lucky to get an apartment right away when they register.

In order to register, you need your Swedish identity number –  and the landlord is more willing to sign a contract, if you can show some kind of proof that you have an income that is sufficient to pay the monthly rent.

First-hand contract can be found by either contacting your local municipality or through several websites, such as Bostadsdeal.se.