FAQ University housing for researchers

When will I know my address in Gothenburg?
When you arrive and pick up the key, there will also be a welcome letter with detailed information about your address; apt no, postal code etc. If you need this information earlier for e.g. a visa application, please contact us.

Do I need to bring bed linen and towels?
No, bedlinen and towels are included.

Do I need to bring anything/what does the rent include?
All apartments are furnished and provided with kitchen utensils, bed linen and towels.
The accommodation fee includes electricity, heating, hot & cold water, garbage disposal and broadband.

Is the internet included in the monthly payment of the apartment?
Yes, internet is included.

What is the system for receiving mail or packages at the apartment? Will we have a PO Box?
Each apartment or room has a PO Box or a letterbox/mail slot in the door. For the mail to be delivered, you need to have your name on the letterbox. We will provide you with a name sticker.
To receive letters, your address must include your name, street, street number, aparmtent number, postcode and post address.
You can also let your mail be forwarded to your department.
Larger parcels are not delivered to your address but to designated delivery locations. If you receive a parcel you will be notified with a postcard in your mail to let you know where to collect it. Please note that it will not be stored for more than about a week.
Remember to forward your mail to your new address when moving out.

Where can I wash my clothes? Is there a washing machine or do I have to go to a self-service laundry?
There is a laundry room at every address. Reservations for a date is made by using a booking scheme outside the laundry room.
The apartments in Kvillebäcken and Gustaf Dalénsgatan 24, have a washing mashine and tumble dryer in each apartment.

Can I have a guest staying in my apartment/room?
Yes, you can have visitors as long as it does not disturb the other tenants. It is not allowed to have a visitor staying on a regular basis. 

Do I have to pay for water or electricity?
No, it is included in the accommodation fee.

I wish to bring my cat/dog, is that ok?
No. Pets are not allowed in any of the apartments or rooms.

Do I need to sign a contract?
No, you do not need to sign a contract, but 2-4 weeks prior to the arrival Welcome Services sends an email to the Guest with the terms & conditions for the accommodation. The terms & conditions must be accepted by the Guest, by a confirming email.

I plan to bring my car, are there parking lots available?
There are no parking lots reserved for the tenants. Parking is very expensive in the city centre and less expensive at addresses not so central. Contact Welcome Services to see what possibilities there are for hiring a temporary parking lot close to your apartment.
Please read up on Swedish driving rules upon arrival. For example during the period from 1 December to 31 March there are special requirements in Sweden on which type of tyre a certain vehicle is to have when there are wintry conditions on the road.

I am expecting some important letters, can you please store my mail?
Mail that is delivered to your apartment after your departure, will be forwarded to your host department. Your hosting department might also be able to store your mail.

What is the standard voltage in Sweden?
Standard voltage is 220 volts AC, 50 hertz.

What about smoking?
Smoking is not allowed in the rooms or inside the building

How do I find the address?
Welcome Services offers all tenants a personal welcome and pick up upon their arrival. The service is free of charge. Transport can be arranged either to the accommodation or the host department. Information on this can be found in your welcome letter

If you prefer to go by yourself to the apartment, we will send you instructions for picking up the key and finding the apartment.

I need a ride back to the airport, can you please arrange it?
Please contact your host department if you need assistance with a car back to the airport.

I arrive very late, how can I get the key?
We offer our tenants a personal welcome and pick-up upon their arrival. The service is free of charge and can be executed round the clock. The driver will pick up the key for the accommodation on the way and also escort the you into the room/apartment to make sure you gets in without problems.

If you prefer to go by yourself to the apartment, we will send you instructions for picking up the key and finding the apartment. the keys are available for pick-up 24/7.

There might be reserved parking places for the tenants, but you need to check this with Welcome Services in order to obtain a contract for this. The additional costs will be paid by the guest.

There are marked parking places and parking meters near the buildings and in order to get a reduced fee for parking you could apply for a resident’s ticket. The City of Gothenburg administrates this. More information at www.goteborg.se/parkeringstillstand and Parking in Gothenburg

Along with the application for a resident’s ticket, you must also submit the following documents:

• A contract of employment from the University
• A copy of the registration document for the car
• A tenancy agreement for the apartment which you can get from Welcome Services

 Another alternative is to park near your department. As an employee you are entitled to a special parking permit and you can park for a reduced fee there. Please ask you department for more information.  

Car in Sweden

There are important information to know about if you are bringing your car to Sweden, such as:

• compulsory road traffic insurance
• compulsory winter/summer tires
• congestion taxes in Gothenburg
• Driver license 

You will find all this and more on the The Swedish Transport Agency's website

Is cleaning of the apartment included?
No, cleaning is not included during the rental period and should be taken care of by the Guest. Cleaning equipment can be found in the accommodation but the tenants have to buy cleaning products.

What do I need to consider regarding cleaning of the apartment when I leave?
Upon departure, the apartment should be left neat, clean and tidy ready for the next guest to move in. This special process of cleaning is called flyttstädning in Swedish (move-out-cleaning) and is considerably different from the every day cleaning one may do, and will take 1-2 full days to complete.

To help you out, we will send you a comprehensive cleaning checklist approx 1-2 weeks before your departure. If you prefer to use a cleaning company there are many in Gothenburg, remember that it is called "flyttstädning", you can send our cleaning checklist to the company to make sure that they do not forget anything. 

In case of none or unapproved cleaning a cleaning company will be called in. The cost of the cleaning will be charged to the recipient of the invoice for the accommodation fee.

How do I prepare for my departure?
You will receive instructions about what needs to be done before departure via mail 1-2 weeks before your departure date

The landlord has the aim to provide at least 19°C during the day and 18-20°C at night, between the hours of 22.00-06.00.

Your heating is controlled by thermostatic valves. The heating in your apartment comes from hot water that circulates through the radiators. A thermostatic valve on each radiator ensures that the correct amount of hot water is circulated in relation to the temperature in the room. You can control the temperature in the room by turning the thermostatic valve and thereby increase or decrease the water circulating in the radiator. However, the heating system is limited to a maximum of about 20 degrees, in line with the heating policy.

During the cold season, the indoor climate can be somewhat colder and the radiators may not appear to produce any heat, since the radiators do not start to get hot until the room temperature has fallen below 20 degrees, irrespective of the outdoor temperature and the temperature of the radiator. To optimize conditions for the radiators, you can try to turn the thermostat knob as high as it goes and try to keep furniture and curtains etc. away from the thermostat, so that the true air temperature in the room is measured by the thermostat.

The floors are often cold in the winter and therefore most Swedes wear indoor slippers or warm socks. 

Rental period
The rental period is a minimum of 15 days and a maximum of 2 years.

However, please note that it is only possible to book the larger apartments located in Åby and Kville for a period of 2 years. Housing for a period of one year still applies for smaller and centrally located apartments.

Is home insurance included in the rent?
No, home insurance is not included. It is strongly recommended that the Guest purchases a home insurance before going to Sweden. The home insurance cover water leakage, fires etc. Read more on our insurance webpage

I want to extend my stay, what do I do?
Please note that the maximum period of stay at the guest apartments is one year. Please notify Welcome Services if you need an extension no less than 3 months before you present departure date (only if your booking is shorter than one year).

I want to leave earlier then expected, what do I do?
For cancellation or shortening of a booking period both prior and during the stay, we apply the  following generous notice periods:
Bookings for 1 month or longer = 1 month notice
Bookings shorter than 1 month = 2 weeks notice

Notice should be given by e-mail to guesthousing@gu.se

Is online payment possible?
It is possible to make online payments for your rent on this link: Online Payment

How can I pay?
You will receive the invoice in good time before due date and you can pay either by the internet bank or by a credit card or by cash at Change Group located in Alingsås and Trollhättan.
You need to bring the following:

•  A credit card
• Passport
• The bill/invoice with payment details; receiver’s bank giro number/plus giro number etc.

Note, do not forget to write your name and invoice number when paying.

Can I pay in advance? Do I have to pay in advance?
You can pay in advance, but you do not need to do that.

When and where will I get the invoices for rent?
You will receive the invoices more than a month before due date. They are sent to you c/o your host department.

Do I have to pay a cancellation fee?
For cancellation or shortening of a booking period both prior and during the stay, the following applies from 1 January, 2015:
Bookings longer than 1 month = 1 month notice
Bookings shorter than 1 month = 2 weeks notice

I get my first salary more than a month after my arrival, what about the first payment?
You will receive the invoices more than a month before due date. Please contact Welcome Services in advance, if you think there will be a delay in the payment.

Can I pay a larger amount than one month’s rent, in order to make fewer transactions?
Yes, that is possible. Please contact Welcome Services about this.

Can you confirm that you have received my payment?
No, we do not provide payment certificate since the registration is handled by the Division of Finance of the University. If your payment has not been received or if any problem occurs, you will be informed.

I have a question about my invoice, who can I contact?
If you have any questions regarding your invoice please send an email to finance@gu.se 

If you discover any vermin or bedbugs in your apartment, or elsewhere in the building, you are obliged by law to inform the property owner immediately. It is important that this is done as soon as you discover it, to prevent it to spread. Bedbugs multiply quickly and a bedbug problem will not go away by itself, but spread to the accommodation next door. 

Please do not hesitate to call us if you suspect an infestation in your home. Welcome Services/University of Gothenburg has an agreement with Anticimex, and as a tenant you do not have to pay anything when they come and decontaminate your room. 

Bedbugs can be difficult to spot, and they can hide for a long time. The first signs are bites in places that are not covered by clothes at night, and/or droppings (small black dots on the bedstead). Bedbugs easily hide along skirting boards, in little cracks, in the back of a book that you keep on the bedside table etc. They come out in the dark, guided by the body temperature of someone sleeping.  Bedbugs travel in suitcases all over the world and temporary accommodations are more often affected by this problem, since many suitcases come and go, and are often placed under the bed. Even the finest hotels in the world have bedbug problems now and then. Never keep the suitcase or anything else under the bed, in order to avoid bringing bedbugs with you!  

Contact Welcome Services