Dagens industri: Swedish Housing Fees Jump Amid Economic Pressures

According to Dagens Industri, over 60% of Swedish housing cooperatives significantly increased member fees between 2023 and 2024 in response to rising interest rates and high inflation. A recent study by state-owned bank SBAB revealed that just over six in ten cooperatives raised fees during this period, resulting in an average total increase of approximately 20% between 2022 and 2024. SBAB's analysis of housing cooperative annual reports from the Booli database indicates an acceleration in these fee hikes. While the average increase for 2023 was 6%, it rose to 8.1% in 2024. Jennie Leffler, a housing market expert at SBAB, observed that the increases were notably larger between 2023 and 2024 compared to the preceding period. Leffler suggests that cooperatives may have either underestimated the initial impact of escalating interest and operational costs, or strategically implemented phased increases to mitigate the financial burden on members and avoid a single, substantial adjustment. The report also highlights that the most significant fee increases occurred in major metropolitan areas, including Stockholm and Gothenburg. The Greater Stockholm area, for example, experienced fee increases of nearly 10% in 2024, underscoring the considerable financial pressure on residents in these regions.