Landlords
Lodger in Sweden: how to rent out a room in your home
In most cases you can rent out a room to a lodger without permission from your landlord or tenant-owner association (bostadsrättsförening), as long as you live there yourself and the home doesn’t get more residents than it is designed for. If you own the home, the Private Rental Act (privatuthyrningslagen) applies, so you agree on the rent together and an open-ended agreement has three months’ notice for both of you. If you rent your own home first-hand, the Swedish Land Code (jordabalken) applies instead.
Create a free listing for your room
What is a lodger?
A lodger is someone who rents a room or part of a home where you, the landlord, still live. You usually share the kitchen, bathroom or hallway, and that shared living is what sets a lodger apart from a second-hand tenant. If you move out and let someone else live in the home on their own, it counts as a second-hand rental, and in most cases you then need permission. That line became clearer with the new rules that took effect on 1 July 2026.
If the part you rent out has its own kitchen and its own entrance, it is usually no longer a lodger arrangement but a separate home. Read more in our guide to renting out a self-contained unit.
Which rules apply to lodgers in Sweden?
Which law applies depends on how you live yourself. If you own your home, for example a tenant-owned apartment (bostadsrätt), a house or a freehold apartment, the Private Rental Act applies to agreements signed from 1 July 2026. Agreements signed before then still follow the old Act on Renting Out Your Own Home. If you rent your own home first-hand, the rental rules in the Swedish Land Code apply instead, since the Private Rental Act does not cover rental apartments (hyresrätt).
The Private Rental Act covers private individuals who rent out no more than two homes besides their own, but rooms in the home where you live are not counted towards that limit. So you can have one or more lodgers and still rent out up to two other homes under the same rules. Read more about the new Private Rental Act.
Renting out a room in an apartment you own or rent
In most cases you can rent out a room in your apartment without asking anyone, whether it is a tenant-owned apartment or a rental apartment. The conditions are that you still live there, that the apartment doesn’t house more people than it is designed for, and that the neighbours aren’t disturbed.
In a tenant-owned apartment you therefore don’t need the board’s permission for a lodger. You only need to apply to the association if you move out and let someone else live in the whole apartment, which you can read more about in our guide to renting out a tenant-owned apartment second-hand.
The same principle applies in a rental apartment under the Swedish Land Code. You don’t need your landlord’s consent for a lodger, but the landlord can step in if the apartment becomes overcrowded or the arrangement causes disturbances. Keep in mind that the rent you charge needs to be in proportion to your own rent, more on that below. If you live in a house it works in a similar way, and we have a separate guide to renting out a room in a house.
How much rent can you charge a lodger?
A reasonable rent for a lodger is based on what similar rooms rent for and on what is included, such as furniture, electricity, internet and access to the kitchen and laundry. If you own the home, you and the lodger agree on the rent freely. The lodger’s protection is that the rent must not be substantially higher than what is generally charged for similar homes. If it is, the Rent Tribunal (hyresnämnden) can lower it to a fair level, and you may have to pay back what you received in excess from the day the lodger applied.
In a rental apartment, your own rent is the starting point. A common way to calculate it is to take the share of your rent that matches the space the lodger can use, meaning the room plus a share of the kitchen and bathroom, and add a fair supplement if the room is furnished.
Whatever type of home you have, it pays to write down exactly what is included, so you don’t end up arguing about the electricity bill later. To see what similar homes rent for, try the rent calculator. It is based on completed rentals of similar homes through Samtrygg and gives you a good starting point. You can read more about how rent is assessed in our article on how much rent you can charge.
Notice period for a lodger
If you own the home and the agreement is open-ended, the notice period is three months for both you and the lodger, counted to the end of a month. This applies to agreements signed from 1 July 2026. Under older agreements the lodger normally has one month’s notice and you have three months. Notice must always be given in writing.
A fixed-term agreement ends when the rental period is over, without anyone having to give notice. The lodger can still end it early with three months’ notice, while you as the landlord can only end it early if, for example, the lodger doesn’t pay the rent or causes disturbances. A lodger also has no security of tenure, so when the agreement ends the room must be vacated.
In a rental apartment the Swedish Land Code applies, and the notice period there is normally three months. Samtrygg focuses on long-term rentals of six months or longer, which suits you well if you want a lodger who stays for a while.
Does home insurance cover a lodger?
Your home insurance normally doesn’t cover your lodger’s belongings, so the lodger needs their own home insurance. It is a good idea to ask to see it before they move in. Also contact your own insurer and tell them you have a lodger, since terms differ between insurers.
A standard home insurance isn’t designed for renting out either, and it doesn’t always cover damage that occurs during a rental. That is why rental insurance that covers damage a standard home insurance does not cover is included when you rent out through Samtrygg.
Taking in a lodger: agreement and house rules
A clear agreement and a few shared rules are what make everyday life work. The law doesn’t require a written agreement, but both you and the lodger have the right to ask for one, so always write one. It should state the rent, what it includes, the rental period, the notice period and which parts of the home the lodger can use.
Talk through everyday life before move-in too: cleaning shared areas, guests and overnight stays, smoking, pets and how you share things like washing-up liquid and toilet paper. Meet before you decide, since you will be sharing a home. A short monthly check-in on how things are going keeps small issues from growing into conflicts.
When you rent out through Samtrygg, you sign a standardised lease digitally and record the room’s condition in an inspection report at move-in and move-out. You also get an inventory list and a key receipt, which is especially handy when the room is furnished.
Do you pay tax on rent from a lodger?
The rent you receive from a lodger may be taxable, but you are allowed to make deductions. How the rules affect you depends on things like whether you own or rent your home, and the Swedish Tax Agency (Skatteverket) has a calculation tool to work out what applies in your case. Read more in our guide to tax on rental income.
Why rent out your room through Samtrygg
Letting someone into your home takes trust. On Samtrygg, home seekers are verified and credit checked before the lease is signed, and you always choose who gets to rent. Your listing is free and you get support all the way, from setting the rent to move-in day.
The Safety Package is included free of charge for landlords:
- Rent guarantee for up to 12 months
- Rental insurance that covers damage a standard home insurance does not cover
- Verified home seekers and credit checks of tenants
- Standardised lease, written by Samtrygg’s lawyers
- Inspection report at move-in and move-out
- Legal advice
- Free marketing
- Personal service and help throughout the process
Samtrygg is a marketplace, so you and your lodger sign the lease directly with each other. Behind the service is experience from more than 25,000 rentals.
Frequently asked questions about taking in a lodger
Can you have a lodger in a rental apartment?
Yes, in most cases you don’t need your landlord’s permission to have a lodger in your rental apartment. This assumes you still live there and that the apartment doesn’t become overcrowded or disturb the neighbours. If you move out, it counts as a second-hand rental instead, and you then need your landlord’s consent or the Rent Tribunal’s permission.
Can you have a lodger in a tenant-owned apartment?
Yes, you don’t need the board’s permission as long as you still live in the apartment. The association can step in if more people live there than the apartment is designed for or if it causes disturbances. If someone else is going to live in the whole apartment, you need the association’s permission for a second-hand rental instead.
How many lodgers can you have?
There is no fixed limit in the law. What matters is whether the home is designed for that many residents and whether it leads to disturbances or overcrowding. If you own the home, rooms in your own home don’t count towards the Private Rental Act’s limit of two homes.
What counts as having a lodger?
You have a lodger when someone rents a room or part of your home while you still live there. If you no longer live in the home, or if the rented part has its own kitchen and entrance, it is normally a second-hand rental.
Can I rent out a room through Samtrygg?
Yes, you can list a room in your home for free on Samtrygg. You choose who gets to rent, you sign a standardised lease digitally, and the Safety Package is included in the rental.
Summary
Renting out a room to a lodger is an easy way to earn extra income and make better use of your home, and in most cases you don’t need permission as long as you still live there. If you own the home, the Private Rental Act applies, with freely agreed rent and three months’ notice, while the Swedish Land Code applies in a rental apartment. With a clear agreement, shared house rules and the lodger’s own home insurance, you have a good foundation for living well together.
Calculate a reasonable rent and create a free listing
Last updated 15 October 2026
