Stockholm plans to throw tenants out

People subletting apartments owned by Stockholm City authorities could soon find themselves on the street thanks to a new campaign by the politician in charge of the city's housing.

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Kristina Alvendal, who holds the municipality's housing portfolio, has decided to get tough on people subletting apartments owned by the city's housing companies.

Those who are subletting without authorization will be thrown out, and their apartments re-let to people on the city's waiting list, according to local newspaper Vårt Kungsholmen.

Alvensal told Expressen that the council had long had a policy of evicting people with unauthorized contracts, but officials are now planning a tougher approach.

She said that renting a home on the black market gave tenants less security and often involved higher rents than normal. She said she did not expect those evicted to find it hard to get somewhere new to live.

"You can rent a room or get a legal sublet apartment. Alternatively it is actually possible to get a good first-hand contract a little bit out of town after quite a short wait," Alvensal told Expressen.