After a decade of largely stagnant fees, homeowners associations have increased fees by an average of 15 percent since 2022, according to the SBAB survey. Most residents accept the increases. At the same time, 24 percent say they don’t have confidence in the board’s ability to make the right financial decisions or don’t know if they have confidence. Almost half are worried about new increases.
– It’s unfortunate. “It’s big money and often people’s biggest personal financial decisions,” says Linda Hasselvik, real estate economist at SBAB.
It highlights a gap between committee responsibilities and members’ understanding.
– When finances are complex, board members often work on a non-profit basis. Communication is not always enough, but members also have a responsibility to learn about the economy and get involved, says Linda Hasselvik.
However, dissatisfaction will occur According to several experts, this cannot be interpreted as general misconduct on the part of the committees. Rather, it is a matter of the fact that many clubs have been charging fees that are too low for a long time.
– The basic problem is not that the fees are being raised too much, but that they are too low to begin with, says Arturo Arques, private economist at Swedbank.
He believes many clubs have built up maintenance debts by focusing on cash flow rather than wear and tear on the property.
– In nine out of ten cases the fee should have been increased more and earlier. Otherwise there would be shock increases if interest rates were raised or the elevator, trunk or heater had to be replaced, he says.
According to the organization Bostadsrätterna The image of dissatisfied members is sometimes misleading.
– The survey shows that three quarters have trust in their board. It is also the residents themselves who elect the board, unlike in tenancy agreements where they have almost no influence, says Ulrika Blomqvist, managing director of the organization.
Her colleague Claudia Wörmann, spokesperson for personal finance at Bostadsrätterna, points to a more fundamental problem.
– Many people buy a condo without really understanding that they own the property together with their neighbors. Then the board easily becomes someone who is seen as a service provider, she says.
Participation in annual general meetings is often around 20-30 percent for larger clubs. The commitment is enough to bring committees together. According to both banks and business associations, there is a risk of creating mistrust when difficult decisions have to be made.
– The board lives in the building itself and is affected by the same increases. The dissatisfaction is more often due to a lack of transparency than to wrong decisions, says Claudia Wörmann.
Facts.K3 new requirement for homeowners’ associations
Starting this year, all homeowners’ associations will apply the K3 accounting regulations. This means the association must consider the long-term wear and tear and future maintenance of the property.
K3 requires, among other things, that major investments be depreciated over their economic life and that the fees should cover operating, interest and wear and tear costs. The aim is to avoid high maintenance debts and sudden fee increases.
Source: Swedbank, Far.
Facts.The board – the center of the homeowners association
The board of directors of the housing association is responsible for the association’s finances, the condition of the property, and compliance with laws and regulations. He decides on fees, loans, maintenance and procurement of management. The deployment is usually voluntary.
By law, a homeowners association must have a board of directors. If he cannot be appointed, there is a permanent reason for compulsory liquidation, ie the association will be dissolved.
– In practice this never happens. Clubs always put together a board, even if there are rarely queues, says Ulrika Blomqvist.
The board is elected by members at the annual general meeting and can be replaced through democratic decisions.
The SBAB survey was conducted by Kantar on behalf of the SBAB from December 2nd to 10th, 2025. 1,012 condominium owners took part. 76 percent said they have confidence in their board’s financial decisions, while 24 percent lack confidence or are unsure. Since 2022, 92 percent of the clubs have increased the contribution, by an average of 15 percent, according to the residents.
Source: SBAB, housing rights.
