How the bostadskö works

The bostadskö is a housing queue for rental flats: you register, your queue time grows by one day for every day you wait, and flats are normally offered to the interested person with the longest time. In Stockholm the average wait for a first-hand contract is about 9 years, and some popular flats take 20 years or more.

First-hand or sublet

First-hand (förstahandskontrakt): you rent straight from the landlord, in your own name, with a permanent contract and strong tenant protection. This is what the queue is for.
Sublet (andrahand): you rent from the person who holds the contract. The tenant normally needs the landlord's permission, and sublets are usually time-limited. No queue, but it costs more and it is less secure.
Bostadsrätt is different again: you buy a share in a housing association. No queue, but you need the money.

The rules in Stockholm

Anyone who is 18 or older can register, and you need a personnummer or samordningsnummer.
Your queue time counts from the day you register.
The fee is 200 kronor per year. If you do not pay, your queue case goes dormant, but you keep your time if you pay later.
When you sign a permanent contract through the queue, the queue time is reset.

Other cities, and how to improve your odds

Göteborg and Malmö have their own queues with their own rules and waits, and many landlords also run their own systems. Register as soon as you are allowed, even if you do not need a flat yet. Also look at student and youth flats, which have their own, shorter routes, and at less popular areas, where the wait is usually shorter.

Questions and answers

How long is the bostadskö in Stockholm?

Bostadsförmedlingen in Stockholm says an apartment through the queue takes about 9 years on average (8.8 years in 2024), and some attractive flats need 20 years or more. The average looks backwards: it is the wait of the people who got a flat.

How old do you have to be to join the housing queue?

18. In Stockholm you also need a personnummer or samordningsnummer, and your queue time starts on the day you register.

What is the difference between first-hand and second-hand rental?

First-hand means you rent directly from the landlord on a permanent contract, usually through a queue. Second-hand (sublet) means you rent from the tenant, normally with the landlord's permission and for a limited time, without a queue but at a higher risk and often a higher price.

More about life in Sweden

Sources

Facts checked October 2026. Rules and numbers change, so check the official pages before you decide anything.