Negotiating your mortgage rate
The list rate is the shop window. The average rate is what the bank's customers actually pay, and the gap is your negotiating margin.
Updated 2026-09-05
On a mortgage of SEK 3,000,000 the difference between list and average rate is worth roughly SEK 30,000–37,000 a year. Never call only your own bank: get a written offer from at least one competitor first, then ask your bank to match it. Moving a mortgage is free, there are no arrangement fees on Swedish mortgages.
Get a concrete offer first
A call where you ask for a better rate with no alternative in hand rarely achieves anything. A call where you hold a written offer from another bank almost always does. Banks publish their average rates monthly, that is the starting point, not the list rate.
Get offers from at least two, ideally one niche bank such as SBAB or Hypoteket and one major bank. The niche banks negotiate less but start lower.
What affects what you get
Loan-to-value weighs heaviest. Below 50% of the property's value you get noticeably better terms than just under 85%. If the property has risen in value since purchase, a fresh valuation can move you into a better band, that alone can be worth a negotiation.
Full-service agreements bring discounts at the major banks, but work out what it costs to move salary, savings and insurance there. Sometimes the discount is eaten by worse terms elsewhere.
The fixing period is its own decision
Three-month fixing has been cheapest over time in most historical periods, but it moves with the market. A fixed rate is insurance against a rise, not a free lunch, the bank prices its own expectation.
If you want predictability, fix part of it. Fixing the whole loan also makes a future move more expensive, since an interest compensation charge applies if you settle early.
Common questions
Does switching bank cost anything?
No. There are no arrangement fees on Swedish mortgages, and the new bank handles the move. If your rate is fixed, an interest compensation charge may apply.
How often can I renegotiate?
At every rate reset date, meaning when the fixing period ends. With three-month fixing that is four times a year.
Does the rate cap apply to mortgages?
No. Mortgages are exempt from the Consumer Credit Act's 22.00% cap, because they are secured against the property.