A shortage of rental apartments and long queues for housing has been a longtime problem in Sweden, and the Swedish rent control system is often pointed out as a contributing factor. However, the debate on the issue is not one-sided and there are many arguments in favor of the rent control system. This thesis examines whether the regulation has done more ill than good from a quantitative, qualitative as well as a comparative perspective, and aims to propose measures that could improve the Swedish rent control system. The authors found that the regulation gives a solid protection for tenants and has kept Sweden’s rent level low, on the other hand the regulation has restricted the number of rental apartments in the nation considerably, and caused a number of other social and structural problems, while solving few. The authors’ proposals to improve the rent control system is to adjust it better to the market by implementing unrestrained rent setting for newly-built apartments, establishing an independent third party in the rent negotiations and creating a national framework for the valuation of apartment components.