Do you have to let in viewers when you have terminated the rental apartment?

What does the law say about viewing a terminated apartment?

The paragraph is short. When the apartment is available for rental, the tenant is required to show it at a suitable time. Familjebostäder in Gothenburg writes that the apartment needs to be shown to housing seekers during the notice period, and that the tenant according to hyreslagen (the Swedish Tenancy Act) is required to show it after the contract has been terminated.

How it works differs between landlords. At Bostadsbolaget, the apartment is shown to the person who has been offered to move in after you, two to four weeks after the inspection. At Familjebostäder, the inspection is done within ten days of the notice period, among other things to initiate the rental.

Source: Jordabalken, 12 kap. (riksdagen.se), Familjebostäder: Move out, Bostadsbolaget: Move out. 12 kap. 26 § first paragraph jordabalken.

What is considered a suitable time?

The law only says "at a suitable time" and does not specify the time, number of viewings or how far in advance the landlord should contact you. The easiest thing is for you to agree. Send a few days and times that suit you as soon as you have terminated the rental apartment, and ask the landlord to contact you in good time before each viewing. That is our advice.

An early notice helps both. The landlord can plan the viewings during your notice period, and you avoid being disturbed at the wrong time. If you have already moved out but still have the agreement, the same obligation applies, since the one who is on the contract according to Familjebostäder is responsible for the apartment during the entire contract period. Then leave the key for the viewings against a receipt, or agree on times when you can be there. That's our advice.

Fill in the template, download it as Word or PDF and send it to the landlord. Save the response.

Source: Jordabalken, 12 kap. (riksdagen.se), Familjebostäder: Move out. 12 kap. 26 § jordabalken. The proposals for times and keys are our advice.

How do you prepare for the viewing?

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   Step 1: Send the landlord the days and times that suit you for viewing, in writing, as soon as you have terminated the rental apartment. our advice

   Email: Times for viewing of terminated apartment To: Landlordour advice

   The template is in Swedish because it goes to a Swedish recipient.

   Ämne: Visning av [gamla adressen], lägenhet [lägenhetsnummer] Hej. Jag har sagt upp lägenheten på [gamla adressen], lägenhetsnummer [lägenhetsnummer], och avtalet upphör [dagen avtalet upphör]. De här tiderna passar för visning: [förslag på dagar och tider] [Välj: Jag vill vara med vid visningarna. / Ni får gå in med egen nyckel vid de tider jag har angett ovan, men inte vid andra tillfällen.] Hör gärna av er minst [antal] dagar före varje visning. Vänliga hälsningar [ditt namn] [telefon] [e-post]

   • Once the apartment is available to let, you must let it be shown at a reasonable time (12 kap. 26 § jordabalken).
   • The landlord needs a clear permit to enter with their own key. A note in the mailbox is not enough (Hyresgästföreningen). The choice in the template is your permit, or your no.
   • The number of days in advance is not specified by law; write what suits you (our advice).

   Copy email

   Blank template: Word · PDF

2. 2

   Step 2: Say clearly if the landlord is allowed to enter with their own key when you are not at home, or if you want to be present during the viewing.

   § 12 kap. 26 § jordabalken (1970:994), checked 3 October 2026

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   Step 3: Put away valuables, ID documents and mail before the viewing. our advice

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   Step 4: Make it easy to view the apartment: turn on lights and have free access to the storage room and balcony. our advice

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   Step 5: Photograph the apartment after the viewing if something has been moved or damaged, and notify the landlord in writing. our advice

Source: Jordabalken, 12 chap. (riksdagen.se), Hyresgästföreningen: Does the landlord have the right to enter the apartment?. The steps marked as our advice are the editorial staff's own.

Can the landlord enter with the master key during the viewing?

Not without your permission. Hyresgästföreningen states that the landlord must have clear permission to enter the apartment with the master key. A note in the mailbox saying the landlord intends to enter is not enough, and not protesting does not mean you have approved it. If the landlord enters without permission, it can be considered a breach of home peace, and you can report it to the police.

If you do not want to be at home for each viewing, you can give permission for just those times. Write it in the email, so it is in black and white. That is our advice. In case of an emergency, such as a water leak, you cannot deny the landlord access.

Source: Hyresgästföreningen: Does the landlord have the right to enter the apartment?.

What happens if you say no to viewing?

If you do not provide access when you are required to do so, the Kronofogdemyndigheten may decide on special assistance. Refusing also affects you: without a viewing, it will be more difficult for the landlord to find someone who can move in earlier, and then the chance of the agreement ending before the end date disappears. How you can ask about it is stated in the post about avoiding double rent.

Source: Jordabalken, 12 kap. (riksdagen.se). 12 kap. 26 § last paragraph jordabalken.

Do you have to agree to renovation and inspection before you move?

Inspection yes, renovation no during the last month. Familjebostäder state that the tenant is responsible for ensuring a move-out inspection can be carried out. Less urgent improvement work may not be carried out by the landlord during the last month of the rental period without your consent. Hyresgästföreningen state that this also applies to painting and wallpapering. The guide on move-out inspection explains how the inspection is carried out. Add viewings and inspections to your moving plan.

Source: Familjebostäder: Move out, Hyresgästföreningen: What requirements can the landlord demand when I move?, Jordabalken, 12 kap. (riksdagen.se). 12 kap. 26 § third paragraph jordabalken.

The law behind it