Andelstal

It sets your monthly fee

The andelstal is your apartment’s share of the whole bostadsrätt association (BRF, the cooperative that owns the building), usually written as a percentage. Add up every apartment’s andelstal and you always get exactly 100. When the andelstal is the basis for splitting costs, your monthly fee is worked out like this: your andelstal multiplied by the association’s total annual fee (årsavgift). The higher your andelstal, the higher your fee. The law requires the association to state the basis for the fee in its bylaws (stadgar), but it does not dictate which method to use, so the andelstal is not always what drives the fee.

The andelstal is usually set when the association is formed, and normally starts from the apartment’s floor area relative to the building’s total area. Many associations also factor in location, floor, aspect and balcony, so two apartments of the same size can carry different andelstal. You will find it in the association’s financial plan (ekonomisk plan), in the apartment register (lägenhetsförteckning) and in the listing details.

Changing an existing andelstal is hard. It needs a decision at the general meeting (stämma) and often a qualified majority, sometimes two-thirds of the votes plus approval from the rent tribunal (hyresnämnden). Because changed fees usually feed straight through to each apartment’s market price, the common advice is to leave an existing andelstal alone.

Compare the andelstal and the fee across the apartments you are looking at. If one apartment has an unusually high andelstal for its floor area, you pay more every month without getting more home, so ask the broker how the andelstal are calculated in that particular association.

FAQ

What is andelstal?

It is your apartment’s percentage share of the whole bostadsrätt association. All the apartments’ andelstal add up to 100, and the share is normally based mainly on floor area, sometimes adjusted for floor, location and balcony.

How does andelstal affect my monthly fee?

When the andelstal is used as the basis for splitting costs, your fee is your andelstal multiplied by the association’s total annual fee. A higher andelstal means a higher fee. Some associations split costs another way, so always check how the fee is set in that association’s bylaws.

Can the andelstal be changed?

Rarely, and not easily. It usually requires a decision at the general meeting and often a qualified majority, sometimes two-thirds of the votes plus approval from the rent tribunal. Since changed fees normally move each apartment’s market price, an existing andelstal is usually left as it is.

Why do two apartments of the same size have different andelstal?

Because many associations weigh in more than floor area, such as floor level, aspect and balcony. That means two equally sized apartments can end up with different andelstal and different monthly fees, which is worth comparing before you bid.