Is deposit allowed when renting a home?
Yes, if you agree on it. The Rental Act and the Private Rental Act have no rules on deposits, neither on how large it may be nor when it should be paid back. Therefore, the agreement determines it. Write down the amount, when the money is paid back and what the landlord may use it for, for example damages that appear in the protocol from the move-out inspection.
A deposit that you get back is a security. What you pay for to get the contract and do not get back is something else: a special fee for renting a tenant-owned apartment is prohibited and can result in imprisonment for up to two years. A condition of such a fee is invalid, and the one who has received the money must pay it back.
Source: Jordabalken, 12 kap. (riksdagen.se), Private Rental Act (2026:772) (riksdagen.se). 12 kap. 65 § jordabalken.
How do I get the deposit back?
Request the money back in writing when you have moved out and handed over the keys. If the landlord believes there are damages or unpaid rent, ask for a written account of the amount and what it is based on. A claim for money due to a rental relationship must be brought to court within two years from when you left the apartment, otherwise the right is lost if you have not agreed on anything else. The same two-year rule applies when you rent from a private person.
12 kap. 61 § jordabalken (1970:994), checked 5 October 2026
7 kap. 1 § privatuthyrningslag (2026:772), checked 5 October 2026
Email: Request for refund of deposit To: Renter you paid the deposit toour advice
The template is in Swedish because it goes to a Swedish recipient.
- Neither 12 kap. jordabalken nor the Private Rental Act has any rules on deposits. What is stated in your rental agreement applies, so read the agreement first.
- Attach a copy of the receipt or transfer for the deposit and, if you have it, the protocol or pictures from the move-out inspection (our advice).
- Give the landlord a reasonable time to respond, for example two weeks (our advice).
- A claim for money due to the rental relationship must be brought to court within two years from when you left the apartment (12 kap. 61 § jordabalken, 7 kap. 1 § Private Rental Act).
Deposit from move-in to repayment
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Step 1: Read what the rental agreement says about the deposit: the amount, when it is paid back and what it can be used for. our advice
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Step 2: Pay the deposit into an account or with Swish, never in cash without a receipt, and save the message. our advice
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Step 3: Go through the home with the landlord when you move in and write a protocol with pictures. our advice
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Step 4: Never pay anything that should not be returned to get the contract. It is a special compensation, which is prohibited.
12 kap. 65 § jordabalken (1970:994), checked 3 October 2026
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Step 5: Make a new review with pictures when you move out and leave all keys. our advice
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Step 6: Request the deposit back in writing, with the template below.
Email: Request for refund of deposit To: Renter you paid the deposit toour advice
The template is in Swedish because it goes to a Swedish recipient.
Ämne: Återbetalning av deposition, [lägenhetens adress] [hyresvärdens namn] Hej. Jag hyrde bostaden på [lägenhetens adress] och hyresavtalet upphörde [dagen avtalet upphör]. När jag flyttade in betalade jag [deposition] kronor i deposition. Jag har lämnat bostaden och nycklarna. Jag ber dig betala tillbaka depositionen till konto [kontonummer] senast [sista dag för svar och betalning]. Om du anser att du har rätt att behålla hela eller en del av beloppet ber jag dig skriftligt tala om vilket belopp och varför, med kostnaderna och bilderna eller protokollet du stödjer dig på. Jag nås på [telefon] och [e-post]. Vänliga hälsningar [ditt namn] [ort], [datum]- Neither 12 kap. jordabalken nor the Private Rental Act has any rules on deposits. What is stated in your rental agreement applies, so read the agreement first.
- Attach a copy of the receipt or transfer for the deposit and, if you have it, the protocol or pictures from the move-out inspection (our advice).
- Give the landlord a reasonable time to respond, for example two weeks (our advice).
- A claim for money due to the rental relationship must be brought to court within two years from when you left the apartment (12 kap. 61 § jordabalken, 7 kap. 1 § Private Rental Act).
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Step 7: If you do not get the money back, the claim must be taken to court within two years from when you left the home.
12 kap. 61 § jordabalken (1970:994), checked 5 October 2026
7 kap. 1 § privatuthyrningslag (2026:772), checked 5 October 2026
What applies to a guarantor?
The landlord can ask for a guarantor instead of, or in addition to, a deposit. The guarantor promises to pay if you do not. The person who has guaranteed a rental agreement for a home can terminate their commitment at the end of the month closest to nine months. It is possible to get the guarantee to cease at the earliest two years after it came into effect, and a condition that restricts that right is invalid. The same applies to the person who has provided a pledge.
12 chap. 28 a § jordabalken (1970:994), checked 5 October 2026
What is a municipal rental guarantee?
The municipality may provide a guarantee for a rental agreement for a home. The purpose is for a household to get a permanent home with a rental apartment and the right to extension, when the need cannot be met otherwise. It is an opportunity for the municipality, not an obligation, so it is your municipality that decides whether to provide guarantees and to whom.
The state can provide the municipality with a grant of 5,000 kronor per guarantee. For the grant, the guarantee must apply to a rental agreement with a rental apartment, cover at least six months' rent and apply for at least two years, and the household must be deemed to be able to pay the rent without welfare benefits. Boverket (the Swedish National Board of Housing) reviews the grants.
Source: Law (2009:47) on certain municipal powers (riksdagen.se), Regulation (2007:623) on state subsidy for municipal rental guarantees (riksdagen.se). 2 chap. 6 § law (2009:47) and 1 to 4 §§ regulation (2007:623), in the version up to and including SFS 2025:485.
Rental guarantee from a company?
There are also companies that sell rental guarantees for a fee. It is an agreement between you, the company and the landlord, and the terms are the company's. Read what the fee is, how long the guarantee applies and if you have to pay back what the company pays to the landlord. We have not reviewed any such services.
Deposit when you rent from a private person
If you rent a villa, a row house or a tenant-owned apartment from a private person, the private rental law applies. It also has no rule about deposit, so even then the contract applies. Write the deposit in the rental contract. Read more in the guide on how to rent out a villa privately.
Source: Private Letting Act (2026:772) (riksdagen.se).
Common questions
How large can the deposit be?
There is no limit in the law. Neither 12 kap. jordabalken nor the Private Rental Act has any rules on deposit for a home, so the amount is something you and the landlord agree on.
Can the landlord keep the deposit?
Only if your agreement gives the landlord the right to use it, for example for damages or unpaid rent. Ask for a written statement of what is deducted and why.
Can a guarantor change their mind?
Yes, but not directly. The person who has provided a guarantee for a rental agreement for a home can terminate the guarantee to the month change after nine months, at the earliest two years after it came into effect (12 kap. 28 a § jordabalken).
Do everyone get a municipal rental guarantee?
No. The municipality may provide a rental guarantee when a household cannot get a rental apartment with protection against eviction in any other way, but the law does not require it. Ask your municipality if it provides guarantees and what requirements apply.
The law behind it
The sections summarised, with a link to the legal text on riksdagen.se.
12 chap. 28 a § jordabalken (1970:994), checked 5 October 2026
If someone has provided a pledge or gone as a guarantor for a rental agreement for a home, the pledger or guarantor may terminate the commitment to the month change closest after nine months, at the earliest two years after the commitment began to apply. A condition that restricts this right is invalid.
12 kap. 61 § jordabalken (1970:994), checked 5 October 2026
The person who wants to claim money due to a rental relationship must bring a lawsuit within two years from when the tenant left the apartment. Otherwise, the right is lost, unless otherwise agreed.
12 kap. 65 § jordabalken (1970:994), checked 3 October 2026
Anyone who requests, agrees to or receives special compensation for letting a residential apartment or transferring a tenancy is sentenced to prison for up to two years; for a minor offence, a fine or prison for up to six months.
7 kap. 1 § privatuthyrningslag (2026:772), checked 5 October 2026
A landlord or tenant who wants to claim money due to the rental relationship must bring a lawsuit within two years from when the tenant left the apartment, unless otherwise agreed.
2 chapter 6 § of the law on certain municipal powers (2009:47), verified 5 October 2026
The municipality may provide security for a rental agreement for a home to be fulfilled, so that a household can get a permanent home with rental apartment and protection against eviction, if the household's needs cannot be met otherwise.
2 and 3 §§ ordinance on government grant for municipal rental guarantees (2007:623), checked 5 October 2026
The municipality can receive a state contribution of 5,000 kronor per rental guarantee. The guarantee must apply to a rental agreement with rental apartment, cover at least six months' rent and apply for at least two years, and the household must be deemed able to pay the rent without welfare support.