Living in a housing association
A bostadsrätt (tenant-ownership) is a common form of home ownership in Sweden. Instead of buying the physical apartment itself, you purchase a share in a housing cooperative (bostadsrättsförening). This share gives you the exclusive right to occupy a specific apartment for an unlimited period. As a member of the cooperative, you jointly own and manage the building and common areas with your neighbors, paying a monthly fee (månadsavgift) to cover shared expenses such as building maintenance, heating, and property operation.
The statutes
The statutes state the rights and obligations that you, as a tenant-owner, and the association have towards each other. Usually, you are responsible for your apartment, while the association is responsible for other areas, such as courtyards, staircases and other common areas. The association is also responsible for the pipes that supply the property with heating, electricity, water, ventilation and sewage.
Board of Directors and Annual General Meeting
Every year the association has an annual general meeting. By participating in the election of the board and submitting proposals and opinions, you have the opportunity to influence your accommodation and the decisions that will be made at the meeting. For example, you can help decide what will be in the yard, such as swings and sandboxes, or have your say about cleaning the stairwell and planting trees and bushes.
You take responsibility for your apartment.
As the owner of your condo, you are responsible for any damage that occurs. You must keep the apartment in good condition and pay for maintenance and repairs to, for example, white goods, floors, walls, doors and ceilings. You can make many changes to the apartment, but no major changes may be made without permission from the board. This includes interventions in load-bearing structures, changes to mains pipes, installation of awnings, the fan in the kitchen/cooker hood and ventilation devices/exhaust.
Health risks of stagnant water
Stagnant water is a health risk for legionella infection. Therefore, be careful if you have been away for a long time, for example on holiday, or if you have just moved in. Make sure to flush taps to avoid this risk of disease.