Tenancy Protection and Renting out a Room in Sweden

As housing costs continue to rise in cities across Sweden, renting out a room in your own apartment or house can be a great way to earn extra income and share your living space with someone new. Of course, it's important to know your rights and responsibilities as a landlord in Sweden to ensure that both you and your tenant are protected.

As a landlord, it's important to be aware of if tenancy protection (sw. besittningsrätt) applies to your sublets in Sweden. These laws can provide your tenant with certain rights that makes its hard to terminate the room rental agreement unless the tenant is misbehaving, or not paying the rent on time.

In this blog, we will cover some of the key laws and regulations that you need to be aware of when renting out a room in Sweden. We'll also provide some practical tips on how to create a positive and respectful living environment for both you and your tenant to ensure a smooth rental experience.

A good way to ensure a smooth rental experience starts with finding the best roommate. Hemavi can help you find the verified people to live with in Sweden and our matchmaking-algoritm makes sure that you are suitable to live together. Right now, it's free to create an ad and to find the roommate of your dream.

Firstly, what is Tenancy Protection?

Tenancy protection in Sweden refers to the legal framework and regulations that are in place to protect tenants in the rental market. The purpose of the framework is to ensure that tenants are treated fairly, and also that their rights and obligations are clearly defined.

Tenancy protection means that a tenant has the right to an extension of the lease even if the landlord wants to terminate it before the end of the lease period. If the contract is valid until future notice, it can also be hard to terminate the rental agreement and have the tenant move out of your room. However, tenancy protection does not always apply, as we will look closer at below, and the tenancy protection can also be voided if the tenant has misbehaved in any way, for example not paying the rent or not taking care the room.

When does Tenancy Protection become applicable to room rental?

In Sweden, tenancy protection does not apply to tenants who rent a room in a shared apartment or house, when you as a the landlord live in the same apartment or house. This means that tenant does not have the right to automatic renewal of the contract and it also means that you as a landlord have the right to cancel the rental agreement without any particular reason.

However, if you are renting out a furnished room, but you are not living is the house or apartment, the tenant will be covered by tenancy protection after 9 consecutive months of rental.

Creating a Clear Rental Contract

To ensure a successful room rental experience, it's important to have a clear and detailed rental contract that outlines the rights and responsibilities of both parties. The contract should include information such as the rent amount, the length of the sublet period, and any specific rules or restrictions that apply. We have written a blog with the best tips for writing a room rental agreement, and you can find it here.

It can also be a good idea to contractually agree on removing the tenancy protection in the rental agreement. However, it's good to know that the main rule is then that Hyresnämden needs to approve the removal of the tenancy protection for it to be valid.

Where can I find a good template for a room rental agreement?

Hemavi offers digital rental contracts created by legal experts for room rentals in Sweden, where you can easily add an inventory list, etc. We also have a team that is always here to help you with your rental. It doesn't get any simpler than that!

Practical Tips for a Positive and Respectful Living Environment

Find the Best Tenants: Before renting out a room, make sure to look at potential tenants carefully. Ask for references, conduct a background check, and consider having an interview to ensure that you're renting to someone who will be a good fit for your home. Hemavi can help you find the verified people to live with in Sweden and our matchmaking-algoritm makes sure that you are suitable to live together.

Set Clear Boundaries: We recommend to establish clear boundaries with your tenant, such as rules for shared spaces, noise levels, and guests. These boundaries should be communicated clearly and respectfully to avoid misunderstandings or conflicts. Its a good idea to write a roommate agreement to make sure that your rights and responsibilities are clearly defined.

Open Communication: Open communication is key to maintaining a positive and respectful living environment. Encourage your tenant to communicate with you if they have any concerns or issues.
Respect Your Roommates Privacy: It's important to respect your tenant's privacy and avoid unnecessary intrusions into their living space.

By following these tips you are already on a good path to a smooth and enjoyable room rental experience!

Conclusion

In conclusion, tenancy protection in Sweden might apply to your room rental, but as we have seen in this blog post, it is normally not. Since the rental laws in Sweden regularly change, we always advise our readers to check with a legal council if they are unsure if their rental is covered by tenancy protection or not.

Are you renting out a room in Sweden?

Check out our Ultimate Guide to Writing a Room Rental Agreement in Sweden – it tells you everything you need to know about room rentals and their lease agreements in Sweden.