Would-be renters without a first-hand contract have the option of either subletting from someone with a long lease or renting from a private landlord. But contracts are often for a year or less, since individuals who choose to let out their homes are usually limited to a fixed period agreed by the building’s housing association and only for a valid reason such as travelling abroad or moving in with a partner.

“It’s not like other cities where the people who own apartments never live in them themselves. In Stockholm you’re often in someone’s flat just for the time that they are away,” explains Schaller.

According to Statistics Sweden, the average cost of renting an apartment first-hand in Stockholm is around 6,518 Swedish kronor ($783) per month, with 66 sq m listed as the mean sized property.

By contrast, second-hand contracts can change hands for double that price on the black economy, despite regulations designed to ensure tenants don’t pay much more than the market rate. Prices have also been pushed up since a law change in 2013, allowing private individuals to charge tenants based on their mortgage costs rather than comparable rent prices in the neighbourhood.

Schaller has typically paid 8500 kronor ($1032) for a studio flat or 6000 kronor ($728) for a single room in a shared apartment and knows “plenty of people paying a lot extra”.

Meanwhile, employers from a range of industries are also struggling. According to the Confederation of Swedish Enterprise (Svenskt Näringsliv), 61% of Swedish companies have experienced recruitment problems over the last year, with firms citing the housing shortage in 31% of cases.

While global names such as H&M, Ericsson and Spotify, and larger start-ups such as online-payment services firm Klarna often use relocation agencies to help new staff secure short-term leases while they get settled, plenty of smaller firms lack either the time or resources.