take charge. your survival kit in the housing jungle

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    T odays hou s ing ma rk e t i s tough , especially foryoung adults and students. It is important to knowwhere and how to apply for housing. This manual aimsto answer questions such as these. A tool that helps youtake charge of your housing situation. Where and howcan I find vacant flats and different housing agencies?How does a landlord think, and how do I present myselfin the best possible way? If I cannot get an apartment,

    in spite of having the necessary queue days, level ofincome, and references, is it a case of discrimination?Where can I turn if I am discriminated against?

    T h i s m a n u a l is t h e r e s u l t o f Projekt: Egenmakt

    (i.e. Project Take Charge) financed by the Swedish Con-sumer Agency and jagvillhabostad.nu. In collaborationwith jagvillhabostad.nu, the Stockholm Federation ofStudent Unions (SSCO) and the Swedish National Unionof Students have translated the manual into English toguide foreign students, among others, in applying forhousing.

    The information in this pamphlet has been collectedthrough in-depth interviews with young adults inMalm, Gothenburg, and Botkyrka, a survey amongyoung adults carried out in 2008, and through the

    Swedish Consumer Agency, the Equality Ombudsman(DO), and jagvillhabostad.nu.

    Ab o u t t h e E d i t o r s

    J agv i l lhabos tad .nu is a politically independentnetwork of young flat hunters who are tired of housingshortages and want to do something about it.

    T h e S w e d i sh C o n s u m e r A ge n c y is a state agencyprotecting the interests of consumers.

    SSCO Stockholm Federation of Student Unions is anumbrella organization for student unions in the Stock-holm region. SSCO organizes around 80.000 students,acting as their voice vis--vis the general public, themedia, and politicians.

    SFS the Swedish National Union of Students is thenational student organization in Sweden. SFS is theunited student voice that pursues all issues concerningstudents nationally and internationally.

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    TAKE CHARGE

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    1. W h a t F o r m s o f H o u s i n g Ar e T h e r e ?

    2 . F in d H o u s i n g a ge n c y ( Bo s t a d s f r m e d l in g a r )

    3 . F in d P r i va t e H o u s i n g a ge n c i e s a n d L a n d l o r d s

    4 . Ar e Y o u a S t u d e n t ? Lo o k f o r S t u d e n t H o u s i n g

    5 . Adve r t i s e Your F la t Hu n t in g

    6 . Wr i t e a Good Appl ica t ion L e t t e r

    7 . Ge t Good Refe re nces

    8 . H a v e Yo u r P a p e r s R e a d y

    9 . Im p o r t a n t I n f o r m a t io n

    10 . W h a t I s D i sc r i m i n a t i o n a n d W h a t D o I D o I f

    I t H a p p e n s t o M e ?

    11. I n fluen ce Ho us in g Po l i cie s

    F ir s t -H a n d L ea s e ( F r s t a h a n d s k o n t r a k t )

    A first-hand lease is the best housing alternative if youcan find one. It is a binding contract between you andthe landlord and gives you all the rights granted in hous-ing laws and regulations. Afirst-hand lease allows you tokeep your flat as long as you like.

    S e co n d - H a n d L ea s e ( An d r a h a n d s k o n t r a k t )

    A second-hand lease, or subletting, means that you rentyour flat through the holder offirst-hand lease. You donot have the right to keep the flat for as long as you like.You can usually stay up to two years. There are both

    legal and illegal second-hand leases. For a second-handlease to be legitimate, the landlord must consent. Makesure you do not pay too much rent and that you sign acontract. Just because you rent someone elses coopera-tive or building societyflat (bostadsrtt), it does notmean that you can be charged any amount see finalpage.

    T h i r d - h a n d L e a s e ( T r e d j e h a n d s k o n t r a k t )

    Third-hand leases are often illegal. A holder of a second-hand lease is not permitted to let out an apartmentunless the landlord approves of it. Make sure that the

    landlord has approved, or you may be thrown out with-out notice since you are virtually without rights. Avoidthird-hand leases if possible.

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    INDEX1. WHAT FORMS OFHOUSING ARE THERE?

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    S t u d e n t H o u s i n g

    Student housing is available in most cities that have auniversity or college. There are usually queues for thistype of housing and you can usually register for themstarting at the age of 16 or 18. In order to keep yourstudent housing, you generally need to be registered ona course or programme at a university or college, be amember of a student union, and take at least 15 higher

    education credits per semester (50 %). Contact the stu-dent union or the municipal authorities (kommunen) formore information.

    Collectives

    You can join forces with a couple of friends and try tofind a bigger flat that you can lease together and forma collective. Some landlords offer buddy contracts(kompiskontrakt) where you lease one room each in abig apartment with individual contracts.

    Yo u t h H o u s in g (U n g d o m s b o s t d e r )

    Youth housing can mean two things:1. You may lease the apartment up to a certain age.2. You must be under a certain age to qualify.

    S h o r t -t e r m L e a s e s ( K o r t t i d s k o n t r a k t )

    A short-term lease is a time-limited lease for a rentedflat. You have the rights of a first-hand tenant, but youcannot live there as long as you like or trade it for an-other flat.

    L o d gi n g ( I n n e b o e n d e )

    As a lodger, you rent a part of a house or flat, a room forinstance. Be sure to sign a contract and see that you donot pay too much.

    Buyin g a F la t (Bos tads r t t )

    If you can afford it, you can buy a flat in a cooperative orbuilding society (this form of housing is called Bostad-srtt in Swedish). You need to be able to pay roughly15 per cent of the price up front in order to qualify for

    a bank loan. The bank will generally demand that youhave a permanent job. Perhaps you have a relative thatcan be your co-borrower? Talk to your bank.

    Mos t c i t ie s ha ve hou s ing agenc ies where you canregister. These agencies can be private or run by themunicipality (kommunen). Some charge a fee, some donot. Be active in your flat hunting. Remember to pay thefees and log on to your accounts regularly. Read throughthe rules and regulations carefully.

    T he S tockho lm Ci ty Ho us in g E xchan ge

    Stockholm stads bostadsfrmedling is a major agency.They charge an annual fee of 225 SEK. Log on once aweek to make sure you do not miss out on vacant flats.www.bostad.stockholm.sePhone: +46 (0) 8-785 88 30

    G o t h e n b u r g h a s B o p la t s

    Gteborg, which is not a housing exchange, but aninternet-based forum for flat hunting. Registering isfree, and you should check your account daily to make

    sure you do not miss out on vacant flats.www.boplatsgbg.sePhone: +46 (0) 31-100 250

    M a l m h a s t h e h o u s in g e x ch a n g e Bo p l a t s S yd .They charge an annual fee of 300 SEK. Log in once aweek to make sure you do not miss vacant flatswww.boplatssyd.sePhone: +46 (0) 40-34 24 50

    Many municipal housing agencies (kommunala bostads-bolag) have their own queues. Check out the websitesof your municipality or call the telephone receptionand ask for guidance. Look for housing in neighbouringmunicipalities as well.

    F o r m o r e i n f o i n S w e d i sh , lo g o n t o :

    www. jagv i l lhabos tad .nu / l e t abos ta d

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    2. FIND HOUSING

    EXCHANGES(BOSTADSFRMEDLINGAR)

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    Some private agencies mediate their flats through largerhousing agencies, while others have their own queues.Some private housing agencies have websites whereyou can register. Be active, log on frequently, and keepapplying for vacant flats to make sure you do not missone. You can also call, e-mail, and send letters to privatelandlords. To make sure you find all private landlordsand agencies, run an internet search or call the munici-pal telephone reception (kommunvxeln).

    For more info in Swedish, log on to:www.jagvillhabostad.nu/letabostad

    Major Pr iva te Ho us in g Agenc ie s :

    www.akelius.sewww.diligentia.sewww.einarmattsson.sewww.heimstaden.sewww.ikanofastigheter.sewww.stenafastigheter.se

    www.wallenstam.

    There are housing agencies for students only. You can

    register at some of them when you have turned 16. Ifyou are not sure where you might want to study in thefuture, register at as many agencies as possible. Regis-tering is usually free of charge.

    Major Student Housing Agencies:

    G o t h e n b u r g

    www.sgsstudentbostader.sewww.chalmersstudentbostader.se

    L u n d

    www.afb.se

    M a l m

    www.mkbfastighet.se

    Stockho lm

    www.sssb.sewww.bostad.stockholm.se

    U p p s a l a

    www.studentstaden.sewww.studentboet.se

    On this webpage, you can look through student housingads or post your own ad:www.studentlya.nu

    On these websites, you can find out more about the stu-dent housing alternatives in different cities:www.sokstudentbostad.sewww.studentochbostad.se

    L e t ev e r yo n e k n o w t h a t y o u a r e fl a t - h u n t i n g .Somewhere a vacant flat might surface. In addition tolooking through housing ads, you can post your own ads.Post notes where you explain why you are a good tenant,perhaps with a picture of yourself, and state your e-mailaddress and phone number. Post them on notice boardsall over town, at your school, workplace etc.

    Advertise in the daily papers. It is usually quite cheap.Call your local newspaper to find out.

    Use the internet. Advertise your flat-hunting in yourFacebook posts and create an ad on Blocket or otherhousing websites. Present yourself in the best possibleway an adjoining picture of you is a plus. Advertisingon the internet is usually quite cheap or free of charge.Nowadays, some landlords mediate vacant flats on Twit-ter.

    Be cautious! Never look at a flat alone if you do not feelsafe. Do not pay anything until you have received func-

    tioning keys or signed a contract. Sadly, there are plentyof people who take advantage of desperate flat-hunters.

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    3. FIND PRIVATE HOUSING AGENCIES AND

    LANDLORDS

    4. ARE YOU A STUDENT?LOOK FOR STUDENT HOUSING

    5. ADVERTISE YOUR FLATHUNTING

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    Usefu l Webs i t e s :

    www.facebook.comwww.blocket.sewww.twitter.comwww.andrahandsguiden.se CURRENTLY DOW N!

    www.lgh.sewww.fixakontraktet.sewww.bostaddirekt.se

    www.andrahand.sewww.hyrbostad.se

    W r i t e a l et t er that you can mail or e-mail to differentprivate landlords where you let them know that you areflat-hunting. Note that some landlords do not accept ap-plications via mail or e-mail. These landlords generallyhave a form to fill out on their webpage. If there is fieldfor additional comments, you can paste or attach your

    letter.

    Co m p e t i t io n f o r h o u s i n g i s fie r c e and it is impor-tant to present yourself in the best possible way. Trythinking like a landlord and remember to always bepolite. Present yourself by name and be concise andclear. The landlord is not interested in hearing your lifestory or how unfortunate you are to be without housing.Be careful not to make a desperate impression. Instead,focus on what makes you a good tenant.

    S t a t e th e r e a s o n f o r y o u r fl a t - h u n t i n g . You may

    be looking for yourfi

    rst home, may have been acceptedat a school or university, or may have received a newjob offer. Think of your best reason. Instead of sayingthat you have just been thrown out of another sublettingdeal, state that you are looking for steadier housing in acertain part of town, perhaps to bring you closer to yourworkplace or your family. Explain that you want a long-term living arrangement. Do not say that you wouldtake anyflat anywhere, or that you and your partnerare planning on trying to live together for the first time,even if this is the case. Find out which part of town aspecific landlord provides housing (the southern part oftown for instance) and state that this is where you wish

    to live.

    E x p la i n h o w y o u w i ll b e a b l e t o a f fo r d t h e r e n t . State your sources of income: do you have a job or doyou have a student loan or scholarship? It is up to youto convince the landlord that you can afford to pay therent, even if you just have a temporary job or your em-ployment is uncertain.

    I f y o u a r e r e c e iv in g u n e m p l o ym e n t b e n efi t s

    (A-kassa) , state that you are seeking employment andthat you will pay the rent with money from the unem-ployment benefit fund.

    I f yo u h a ve a g u a r a n t o r ( b o r g e n s m a n ) , you shoulddefinitely say so. There might be someone close to youthat has a permanent job and is willing to help you out.The person then guarantees that a debt will be paidif you cannot afford it. For more information, see thewebsite of the Swedish Consumer Agency (konsument-verket).

    www.konsumentverket.se

    Yo u s h o u l d b e h o n e s t about the size of your incomeand if you do have a record of non-payment. The land-lord will generally run a credit check on you and find outabout these things anyway. If you have a record of non-payment, be honest about it and assure the landlord thatit will never happen again.

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    6. WRITE A GOODAPPLICATION LETTER

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    I f yo u h a v e r e fe r e n c e s from prior landlords etc., youshould use them. A reference lets future landlords knowthat you are a good tenant. Having positive referencesfrom previous housing is always a good thing. Informpotential landlords about your references in applicationletters, on the phone, and in your ads. A reference iseasy to arrange, even if some time has passed. A tele-phone number to a prior landlord or a simple signed let-

    ter will do. Avoid using your parents as reference, even ifthey are the only reference you have.

    A go o d l e t t e r m i gh t r e a d s o m e t h i n g l ik e t h i s :

    Hi,My nam e is N adja Johan sson an d I w ould like to apply

    for h ousin g p rov ided by you . I a m 24 years old a nd I

    w ork in the restaurant business. I am currently sublet-

    ting in Malm, but I am looking for m ore perm anent

    housing. Man y of m y a cquaintances are satisfied

    tenants of yours, and this is why I am n ow turn ingto you now . In addition to this, it is my understand-

    ing that you provide flats in the southern down tow n

    area, which is where I w ork. I am m ainly looking for a

    one-room flat, but I am also interested in sm all tw o-

    room ers. A balcony is alway s a plus, but not absolutely

    necessary . I have a steady income from McDonalds

    and can m anage a monthly rent of up to 4000 SEK. I

    have g ood references from prior housing . Please call

    m e or e-mail me if som ething turn s up that you think

    m ight suit me!

    All th e best ,Nadja J ohan sson

    Telephone: 0707/ 89 32 65

    E-m ail: n adja.bostad @hotm ail.com

    Personal code num ber: 860 513-6651

    A p o t e n t i a l la n d l o r d will probably want to see cer-tificates, references etc. make sure to have them readyand in order if they are requested.Val id Iden t ifi ca t ion or Birth CertificateIf you have no valid identification, you can request acopy of your birth certificate at Skatteverket, the Swed-ish Tax Agency (for Swedish residents only). If you are aforeign citizen, use your passport.www.skatteverket.se

    Cer t ifi c a t e o f E m p l o ym e n t

    If you do not have a certificate of employment, ask yoursuperiors for one. If you are working several jobs, in-clude certificates from all of them.

    P l a n o f I n c o m i n g P a ym e n t s f r o m CS N ( Sw e d i s h

    fin a n c i a l a i d fo r s t u d e n t s )

    If you have a payment plan from CSN, you can printit from their webpage. If you have not yet applied for

    money from CSN, use your notification of admission(antagningsbesked) from your school or university.www.csn.se

    I f y o u a r e r e c e iv in g s t u d e n t fu n d i n g fr o m a n o t h -

    e r c o u n t r y be ready to show proof of this.

    Cer t ifi c a te fr o m t h e u n e m p l oym e n t b e n efi t fu n d

    (A-kas sebrev)

    If you are unemployed, but receive compensation fromthe unemployment benefit fund (A-kassa), be sure tohave an outline of incoming payments at hand.

    If you have references from prior housing, have certifi-cates and telephone numbers ready.

    Credit guarantee programmes (Hyresgarantier)If you suspect your papers will not get you very far, butbelieve that you could manage one months rent, youcan see if your municipality (kommunen) offers creditguarantee programmes. A credit guarantee programmemeans that the municipality stands surety for you if youare employed by the hour for instance. Unfortunately,not many municipalities provide credit guarantee pro-

    grammes. Contact your municipal authority to find out.www.bkn.se/hyresgarantier

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    .c.

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    7. GET GOOD REFERENCES 8. HAVE YOUR PAPERS REDY

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    R e f e r e n c e s

    If you have references from prior housing, have certifi-cates and telephone numbers ready.

    Cr e d i t g u a r a n t e e p r o gr a m m e s ( H y r e s ga r a n t ie r )

    If you suspect your papers will not get you very far, butbelieve that you could manage one months rent, youcan see if your municipality (kommunen) offers creditguarantee programmes. A credit guarantee programmemeans that the municipality stands surety for you if youare employed by the hour for instance. Unfortunately,not many municipalities provide credit guarantee pro-grammes. Contact your municipal authority to find out.www.bkn.se/hyresgarantier

    Being a sub le t t e r does not mean that you can becharged just any amount in rent. Your rent should bethe same as the holder of the first-hand contract. If youare letting a furnished flat, you should pay no more thanan additional 10 per cent. If you are paying too much inrent, or have done so in the past, you can file a com-

    plaint with the Regional Rent Tribunal (Hyresnmnden) you may get your money back. Make sure to documenthow much you pay in rent. You can also contact theSwedish Union of Tenants (Hyresgstfreningen) forhelp.

    H o w M u c h S h o u l d Yo u P a y in R e n t ?

    A room in a student dormitory should cost between 2500 3 500 SEK per month.A 30 square metre one-roomer should cost between 2000 - 4 000 SEK per month.A 60 square metre two-roomer should cost between 3500 - 7 000 SEK per month.PRICES DEPEND ON THE STATE OF THE PREMISES,YEAR OF CONSTRUCTION, ETC.

    N e ve r P a y R e n t I n Ad v a n c e

    Do not pay rent in advance if you have not received a(functioning) key or signed a binding contract, unlessyou absolutely trust the person from whom you are let-ting. Make sure to get a receipt that proves that you havepaid. A handwritten paper with signatures is enough.

    W r i t e a Co n t r a c t

    The contract should say how long you can live in the flat,

    how much you are to pay in rent, and the appropriateways in which the contract can be terminated. At www.jagvillhabostad.nu/letabostad you will find a contract todownload or copy (in Swedish).

    L o o k U p Yo u r P o t e n t i a l La n d l o r d

    It is wise to look up your future landlord. If you areletting privately, you can always Google the landlordsname.You can also ask for the landlords civic registrationnumber (personnummer) and check it with the enforce-ment authority (kronofogdemyndigheten). If you are

    to let from a housing agency, make sure it is not black-listed on one of the websites below.www.hemhyra.sewww.allabolag.se

    L and lo rd s You Didn t Know Abou t

    Run a search on the internet or contact the telephonereception of the municipal authorities (kommunvxeln).Note that religious communities, temperance societies,and hotels etc. may have specific rules and regulationsconcerning who qualifies for housing.

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    9. IMPORTANTINFORMATION

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    Ar e y o u b e i n g h a r a s s e d ?

    Harassment includes offensive utterances referring toyour ethnicity, religion, sex, sexual orientation, genderidentity, age, or functional limitation. Harassment is aform of discrimination. It is up to you to decide if youare being harassed. It might involve degrading words,insulting, racist, or sexist images, symbols, or graffiti.

    E x a m p l e : Bint ou is called dark ie or svar tsk alle by

    the janitor that w orks for the landlord. She has also

    heard him ta lk deprecatingly about the Muslim n eigh-

    bours.

    Yo u r l a n d l o r d s h o u l d p r i m a r i l y solve housing is-sues such as disturbances from neighbours. If the land-lord does not meet his or her responsibilities, or if youand your landlord have a disagreement that you cannotsolve, the Regional Rent Tribunal (Hyresnmnden) may

    help you. Should you be seriously offended or insultedby one of your neighbours, you are protected by law.Report this to the police.

    Direc t D iscr im ina t ion

    A person who is discriminated against is treated in anunfair fashion in comparison to other persons who arein a comparable situation, a form of mistreatment that isconnected to the persons ethnicity, religion, sex, sexualorientation, gender identity, age, or functional limita-tion.

    E x a m p l e : Darja calls a housing agency t o look at a

    vacantflat, but they claim th at there are none. Darja

    believes that the reason is that she has a foreign soun d-

    ing nam e. W hen her friend San na calls the sam e

    agency a few m inutes later, she is offered to look at a

    num ber of vacantflats.

    E x a m p l e : Em ilio a nd h is boy fr ien d T om m y lease a

    smallflat each and have decided that they w ant to live

    together. They m anage to arran ge a sw itch to a big-

    gerflat that w ould suit them perfectly. How ever, the

    landlord refuses to accept th e trade since he wan ts

    long-term tenan ts only, referring to his experience ofhomosexual men as switching p artners frequently.

    I n d i r e c t D i sc r i m i n a t i o n

    Indirect discrimination means that a person is treatedunfairly through the enforcement of regulations, criteria,and procedures that appear neutral, but in effect mis-treat individuals because of their ethnicity, religion, sex,sexual orientation, gender identity, age, or functionallimitation.

    E x a m p l e : Carlos calls a landlord to look at a vacant

    flat. The landlord say s that they only accept tenantsw ith Swedish citizenship.

    S t r u c t u r a l d is c r i m i n a t i o n

    This is when rules, norms, routines, procedures, andbehaviour among institutions and other societal struc-tures prevent certain groups in society from obtainingthe rights enjoyed by the majority of the population.

    An exam ple of st ructu ral d iscr im ination can be leasin g

    criteria or housing queues that d iscrim inate against

    certain g roups or if, for instan ce, housing in areas w ith

    few ethn ic Sw edes is n ot looked af ter p roperly an d

    therefore low ers the living stand ards.

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    10. WHAT IS DISCRIMINATIONAND WHAT DO I DO IF IT HAPPENS TO ME?

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    H o w c a n t h e E q u a l it y Om b u d s m a n ( D is k r i m i n -

    e r i n g so m b u d s m a n n e n ) h e lp yo u ?

    The Equality Ombudsman often abbreviated DO canhelp you if you have been discriminated against be-cause of your ethnicity, religion, sex, sexual orientation,gender identity, age, or functional impairment. DO givesadvice and legal aid. If you report a matter to DO, theywill investigate your case to see if it should be taken tocourt. If you have been discriminated against, you havethe right to be compensated.

    All unfair treatment is not discrimination in the legalsense. If you are uncertain whether or not an issue is amatter of discrimination, and whether you should reportit to DO, call the telephone number below.

    www.do.sePhone: +46 (0) 8-120 20 700

    D o e s i t co s t a n y th i n g t o r e p o r t t o D O ?

    No, DO investigates your case free of charge. If they de-cide to take the case to court, this too is at no cost to you.To receive help locally, contact an anti-discriminatoryorganization in your area. You can also contact the mu-nicipal authority (kommunen) where you live.

    The Anti-discrimination Bureau, Stockholm.www.adb-stockholm.orgPhone: +46 (0) 8-643 09 88

    If you are a member of the Swedish Union of Tenants(Hyresgstfreningen), they can help.

    www.hyresgastforeningen.se

    S t a n d u p fo r y o u r r ig h t s file a complaint if youhave been discriminated against. You may be compen-sated and vindicated and you will help build a bettersociety.

    You can influence the state of the housing market. JoinJagvillhabostad.nu. If you are a student, you can contactyour local student union.

    O t h e r u s e f u l o r g a n i z a t io n s :

    www.hyresgastforeningen.sewww.yimby.sewww.miljonkultur.se

    F o r m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n , l o g o n t o :

    www.jagvillhabostad.nuwww.sfs.sewww.ssco.sewww.konsumentverket.sewww.do.sewww.omboende.sewww.hyresgastforeningen.sewww.manskligarattigheter.gov.sewww.allaolikaallalika.se

    You can a lways con tac t j agv il lha bos ta d .nu a t

    in fo@jagv i l lhabos tad .nu

    .

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    11. INFLUENCE HOUSINGPOLICIES