(edit title) Where to report someone overcharging on rent? And possible tax fraud, too Options

[scamjack]

Is it possible to report someone for overcharging on rent for a house/flat/room if the one reporting it is not the victim himself? Where and how would one do it?

Plus, if the one reporting has reason to believe parts of the rental transactions are done in cash, and then probably not reported in the tax statement (for obvious reasons), how would one report that to the authorities?

[Yorkshireman]

Is it possible to report someone for overcharging on rent for a house/flat/room if the one reporting it is not the victim himself? Where and how would one do it?

The person renting the apartment must make a request to Hyresnämnden to check that the rent is reasonable. They will then ask the landlord (whoever is renting out the apartment) and the tenant for the evidence to be considered when judging the rent. You may also have to turn up in person.

Plus, if the one reporting has reason to believe parts of the rental transactions are done in cash, and then probably not reported in the tax statement (for obvious reasons), ... (show full quote)

Plus, if the one reporting has reason to believe parts of the rental transactions are done in cash, and then probably not reported in the tax statement (for obvious reasons), how would one report that to the authorities? ... (hide full quote)

Just because something is paid in cash, does not mean it isn't reported ... You cannot possibly know, unless You have checked that persons tax declaration the following year, if the rent monies have been declared or not.

Also, there is allowance within the tax rules for making a slight profit each year from rents received privately.

[grymagnusson]

If it is a bostadsrätt and you have agreed the rent, then just pay. If you don't like it, move.

[Yorkshireman]

If You are renting secondhand from a bostadsrätt owner, then you can also challenge for fair rent. Same rules apply more-or-less, though if furnished they can add 10->15% over the comparable rent for the apartment.

And it doesn't matter what was in the signed agreement for either. You can challenge it after the event also, and if found to be a high rent, the landlord has to pay back the difference up to 12 months backwards.

[scamjack]

Aha, so there is the bug: Tenants don't go to the authorities because they do not want to risk being thrown out. And anyone else's hints will be ignored.

Just because something is paid in cash, does not mean it isn't reported ... You cannot possibly know, unless You have checked that persons tax declaration the following ye ... (show full quote)

Just because something is paid in cash, does not mean it isn't reported ... You cannot possibly know, unless You have checked that persons tax declaration the following year, if the rent monies have been declared or not. ... (hide full quote)

No, and someone bringing a suitcase full of cash to Liechtenstein to pay into a foundation's bank account does not necessarily launder money. But what are the odds? Landlords want cash payments to make it harder being caught overcharging. I strongly doubt they would put it into their tax return voluntarily - only to give away some of their profits AND make themselves more vulnerable to investigations, as their tax return then would not match the written rental contract.

[azimuth]

For better advises, why don't write more details? E.g. what is the type of the contract you have (hyresrätt, andrahand from hyresrätt, andrahand from bostadsrätt, tredjehand - would be very odd but still) at least.

[scamjack]

I'm not the victim - the point of this thread was if it's possible (and how) to "denunciate" someone when reasonable doubts exist that the rental agreement, and possibly their tax return, are compliant with Swedish law, so that an investigation will be undertaken. I know of people who are doing it, I know of people who are victims, and I am sure so does everyone else who was looking for a flat in (especially) Stockholm.

(I do not really believe in a rental market regulated the way it is regulated in Sweden. In the end, people pay just as much in rent as they would in an open market. The more annoying problem is that this creates an incentive for some, or many, to evade appropriate tax payments. And this infuriates me the most, as I am paying my share of the taxes here, too.)

[Kibiri]

If you want to report about tax evasion, call Skatteverket and explain the situation. But they wouldn't care about rent being too high - that is a separate issue.

[Yorkshireman]

Aha, so there is the bug: Tenants don't go to the authorities because they do not want to risk being thrown out. And anyone else's hints will be ignored.

Actually no not really ... What is most common is since many 2nd hand contracts are for 6, 12 months (maximum allowed by BRFs). Then it is very common for people in Stockholm to rent those temporary for the entire period, say 12 months, pay the rent agreed with the landlord ... THEN, claim in retrospect that the rent was too high, once they have moved out. If Hyresnämnden agrees the rent should be lower, then the difference between what was paid and what it is calculated to as fair, should be paid to the one that rented for a maximum of 12 months back.

It is an indirect way of trying to ensure that rents are fair to start with, since renting out 2nd hand you could end up having to pay a large amount back after the tenant has even left.

Of-course it is a risk if you have a long-term contract, but there is a degree of security normally built within the contract in terms of cancellation etc...

[Byggare Bob]

BRs are in general rented out at reasonable market rents, comparable to what they cost to service and what tenants r able to pay.

Supply is a huge problem though due to the system and going to the Hyresnämnden, while permissable, will only make this situation worse - for you and everyone else.

If it is a Hyresrätt and they r overcharging you, then screw them.

As for the tax authorities - just send them an anonymous letter. They will then contact the contract owner with a query. It is not (criminal) tax evasion at that point under Swedish law and they will simply have to then declare it and pay back taxes.

[Bender B Rodriquez]

If you have proof that transactions have take place (e.g signature, bank transfers, etc), the you have a case and may get the overcharged amount back. This holds for both hyresrätt and bostadsrätt, since the rent for the latter is dictated by the former.

If you do not have physical evidence, then the chances are slim.

[Bender B Rodriquez]

BRs are in general rented out at reasonable market rents, comparable to what they cost to service and what tenants r able to pay.

As far as the law is concerned you are not allowed to sublet BRs according to market rate; you may only charge what a corresponding HR would cost, no matter what your actual costs are. Crazy, but that's the law.