Skuldsättning per kvadratmeter

Skuldsättning per kvadratmeter (debt per square metre) shows how much the association has borrowed: the interest-bearing loans of the BRF (the housing co-op, usually the property loans) divided by the floor area, reported in kronor per square metre. The figure is given both per square metre of bostadsrätt area (the homes owned as co-op shares) and per square metre of total area (BOA plus LOA, living plus commercial space). Since 1 January 2023 it has been a required key figure in the association’s annual report, part of the Tryggare bostadsrätt reform, and it must also appear in the association’s ekonomisk plan (economic plan).

What the number tells you

High loans in the association become your loans over time, because the interest is paid through your monthly fee (avgift). Two associations with the same fee can look completely different depending on how much they have borrowed per square metre. So this figure says more about the financial health of the BRF than the fee does on its own.

The rule of thumb to keep in mind

There is no official limit for good or bad, only the requirement that the figure be reported. As a rule of thumb, banks tend to see under roughly 5 000 kr/m2 as low and stable, and over roughly 10 000 kr/m2 as a level worth looking at more closely. This is guidance, not a rule, so always read the number in context.

What you do as a buyer

Look at the figure in the annual report and compare it with the rule of thumb, but do not raise the alarm just because it sits high. New-build properties and associations that have recently done a stambyte (replacement of water and drainage pipes) or a larger renovation often sit higher for natural reasons, because they have just borrowed for something. Ask the estate agent what the loans went towards and whether the association plans to pay them down, so you get an honest picture of where the fee is heading.