# Våningsplan: how the floor level affects your rental home *Emma Hedström* *14 november 2026* > The floor level affects light, noise and how easy it is to get home. What to think about before you sign the lease. # Våningsplan: how the floor level affects your rental home The floor level is the floor in the building where your apartment is located. For you as a tenant, it affects more than just the view: daylight, street noise, how quickly you get home and whether there is an elevator. It can also affect what you pay in rent, although there is no fixed answer to how much. Here we go through what you should think about regarding the floor before you rent, what to check at the viewing and what rules apply. ## What is a floor level? The floor level indicates which floor in the building your apartment is on. The ground floor is usually the first floor, the floor above is the second, and so on. In some buildings the ground floor is called floor 0 and the floor above is called floor 1. There is no common standard for how floors are numbered in all buildings, so always check the listing or ask the landlord which floor it concerns. In a rental context, the floor is relevant to your everyday life. An apartment on the fourth floor without an elevator means stairs every day, while a ground floor apartment may be easier to reach but more exposed to views from outside and street noise. ## Why the floor matters when you rent ### Light and views from outside An apartment higher up in the building usually gets more light, especially if the house is tightly surrounded by other buildings. At the same time, a higher location can mean more views from neighboring houses at similar height. Ground floor apartments can be darker if they are in the shadow of other houses or have a yard directly outside the windows. ### Noise The floor affects how much noise you hear. An apartment facing the street on a low floor hears more traffic noise than an apartment facing the courtyard on a higher floor. Noise from the stairwell, elevator and neighbors above and below also varies depending on where in the building you live. ### View The higher up, the better the view usually is — but not if the building is surrounded by equally tall buildings. The view is not just a comfort issue; it can affect how easy it is to air out and how much sun the apartment gets during the day. ### Accessibility and elevator If you have a walker, wheelchair, pram or just many grocery bags, elevators and stairs are crucial. Under the Swedish Land Code (Jordabalken), the landlord has a maintenance responsibility for the property, which includes keeping common areas such as stairwells and elevators in good working order. If the elevator has been out of order for a long time, it can be a defect that the landlord should fix. ### Safety Ground floor apartments can feel more exposed to break-ins, especially if windows are easy to reach from the ground. Higher floors can feel safer but can be harder to evacuate from in case of fire if there is only one staircase. Ask how the fire protection looks in the building. ## How the floor affects the rent There is no law stating that a certain floor must cost more or less. The rent for a rental apartment is determined in negotiations between the landlord and the Swedish Union of Tenants (Hyresgästföreningen), or set by the landlord within the framework of what is reasonable in view of the apartment's standard and location. The floor can still play a role indirectly. An apartment on the top floor with a balcony and a nice view may be perceived as more attractive, while a ground floor apartment with poorer light may be perceived as less attractive. But it is the whole that counts: size, standard, condition and location weigh more heavily than the floor alone. If you think the rent is unreasonable, you can turn to Hyresgästföreningen or the rent tribunal (hyresnämnden) for help assessing whether the rent is reasonable. The Land Code regulates what applies to rent, termination and the tenant's protection. ## How to choose the right floor Think about your everyday life before you decide: - How many stairs can you manage every day, especially with grocery bags or a pram? - Does the elevator work, and how often has it been out of order? - Does the apartment face the street or the courtyard? - How much light do the rooms get during different parts of the day? - Do you feel safe with the entrance and windows on that floor? Write down what is most important to you before you visit the viewing, so it will be easier to compare different apartments. ## What to check at the viewing At the viewing, you can check several things yourself that relate to the floor: 1. Walk up and down the stairs a few times. Is it manageable every day? 2. Test the elevator if there is one. Does it make strange noises? Does it stop on all floors? 3. Look out from the windows in each room. Do you look straight into your neighbor's windows? 4. Listen to street and stairwell noise with the windows both open and closed. 5. Ask where the nearest garbage room, laundry room and bicycle storage are located, and which floor they are on. Use an inspection protocol when you look at the apartment so you do not forget anything important. ## Frequently asked questions about the floor ### Must the landlord tell you which floor the apartment is on? Yes, it is a basic piece of information about the apartment that should appear in the listing and at the viewing. If you are unsure, ask the landlord directly before you accept the contract. ### Can I demand lower rent because my apartment is on the ground floor? No, there is no automatic right to lower rent just because you live low. The rent is assessed based on the apartment as a whole. If you think the rent is unreasonable, you can raise it with the rent tribunal. ### Who is responsible for the elevator if it breaks down? The landlord is responsible for keeping the property's common areas, including the elevator, in good working order. If the elevator has been out of order for a long time, you should report the defect in writing to the landlord. ### Does the floor affect my right of possession? No. The right of possession concerns your right to stay in the apartment, regardless of which floor you live on. It is regulated in the Land Code and applies to all tenants with a first-hand contract who live in the apartment. ## Summary The floor level affects your everyday life as a tenant: light, noise, view, accessibility and safety. There is no fixed rule for how much the floor should affect the rent, but it is worth thinking about before you sign. Walk the stairs, test the elevator, look out the windows and listen to the noise at the viewing — so you get a good picture of whether the floor suits you. If you have questions about the rent, the contract or your rights as a tenant, you can turn to Hyresgästföreningen or read more about the Land Code at riksdagen.se.