---
title: "What does the Private Rental Act (2026:772) mean for lodgers?"
author: "Philip Rönnmark"
authorUrl: "https://bofrid.se/en/articles/authors/philip-ronnmark"
datePublished: "2026-08-06T07:18:05.514Z"
dateModified: "2026-08-06T10:11:16Z"
description: "Does the Private Rental Act (2026:772) apply to lodgers? Yes, when you rent out a room in a home you own. Learn about rent, notice periods, and rights."
keywords: ["Private Rental Act 2026:772", "lodger rules", "renting out a room", "notice period for lodgers", "Rent Tribunal rent review"]
categories: ["Guider", "Hyresvärd"]
canonical: "https://bofrid.se/en/articles/what-does-the-private-rental-act-2026-772-mean-for-lodgers"
language: "en"
image: "https://bofrid.media/cms/798e9403e18c9eec4281e1c0ddd707ae8ee449fe-1280.webp"
---

# What does the Private Rental Act (2026:772) mean for lodgers?

The privatuthyrningslagen (the Private Rental Act) (2026:772) applies to lodgers—when you rent out a room in a home you own yourself. The law covers the letting of "houses or parts of houses" according to Chapter 1, Section 1, and a room in your villa or bostadsrätt (tenant-owned flat) is exactly that: a part of a house. If you instead rent out a room in a flat that you are renting yourself, the law does not apply at all—in that case, Chapter 12 of the jordabalken (the Land Code) applies instead.

This is new as of 1 July 2026, when the [Privatuthyrningslag (2026:772)](https://www.riksdagen.se/sv/dokument-och-lagar/dokument/svensk-forfattningssamling/privatuthyrningslag-2026772_sfs-2026-772/) (the Private Rental Act) came into force and replaced the act (2012:978) on the letting of private homes.

## Does the privatuthyrningslagen (the Private Rental Act) (2026:772) apply to lodgers?

Yes, in the main scenario. According to Chapter 1, Section 1, the law covers agreements where a natural person or a deceased person's estate lets a house or part of a house to someone else in exchange for payment, provided that the letting is, in full or to a not insignificant degree, intended for residential use. In the legal text, what is let is referred to as a "dwelling," regardless of whether it is an entire villa or just a single room.

Two other provisions confirm this. Chapter 1, Section 3, provides an exception for a landlord who regularly rents out more than two dwellings "that do not constitute part of the landlord's own home"—a phrasing that only makes sense if dwellings that *are* part of the landlord's home are otherwise covered. And Chapter 5, Section 3, final paragraph, states that the tenant may not have their own lodgers without the landlord's consent "if the dwelling constitutes part of the landlord's home." The law, therefore, explicitly regulates living under the same roof as the landlord.

### Three exceptions – and the most important one for you as a lodger

Chapter 1, Section 3 lists when the law does not apply:

- the landlord regularly rents out more than two dwellings that do not constitute part of the landlord's home,
- the landlord holds the dwelling via a hyresrätt (rental flat), or
- the letting is for holiday purposes.

The second exception is the most important in practice. If your landlord holds the home via a hyresrätt (rental flat), your agreement falls outside this law and is covered by Chapter 12 of the jordabalken (the Land Code) instead. The first two exceptions also remain even if the circumstances change later on.

The difference between being a lodger and being a tenant is important to keep in mind, and we review this in [Lodger vs. Tenant: What is the difference and what are your rights?](https://bofrid.se/en/articles/lodger-vs-tenant-in-sweden-what-s-the-difference-and-what-are-your-rights).

## What changed when 2026:772 replaced 2012:978

The old law was repealed through the transitional provisions of the new one. It also states that the repealed law still applies to agreements concluded under it—a lodger contract from that time, therefore, continues under the old rules.

| Question | Privatuthyrningslagen (2026:772) |
| :--- | :--- |
| What is covered | Houses or parts of houses that a natural person rents out as a home (Chapter 1, Section 1) |
| Written agreement | Shall be drawn up if one of the parties requests it (Chapter 1, Section 5) |
| Rent | Agreed upon and shall be a fixed amount (Chapter 2, Section 1) |
| Review of rent | Hyresnämnden (the Rent Tribunal), if the rent is significantly higher than for similar dwellings (Chapter 2, Section 5) |
| Notice period | Three months until the nearest month-end (Chapter 6, Sections 1–2) |
| Mandatory for the tenant's benefit | Yes (Chapter 1, Section 4) |
| Besittningsskydd (security of tenure) | Not included in the law |

## Rent: how it is set and reviewed

The rent is determined by agreement when the contract is signed and must be a specific amount (Chapter 2, Section 1). Compensation for utilities—heating, cooling, hot water, electricity, as well as water and sewage—may, however, be agreed upon based on actual consumption. If no agreement exists, a reasonable amount shall be paid, taking into account what the parties intended when the agreement was entered into.

If the lodger feels the rent is too high, they can apply to the Hyresnämnden (the Rent Tribunal) (Chapter 2, Section 5). The tribunal will only lower the rent if it is significantly higher than what is generally charged for similar dwellings, or dwellings of a corresponding scope, that are rented out under the same law. The comparison is therefore made against other private rentals. This is a real change: under the repealed law, the starting point was instead the landlord's capital and operating costs.

If the rent is lowered, the new level applies from the date of the application, and the landlord must repay the excess amount plus interest (Chapter 2, Section 6). The parties may also agree on index adjustments, but a new rent becomes effective no earlier than one month after written notice, and the previous rent must have been in effect for at least one year (Chapter 2, Section 4).

If you are renting out a room in a bostadsrätt (tenant-owned flat), the association's own fees are added, which we cover in [Fees when renting out a bostadsrätt: What applies to you?](https://bofrid.se/en/articles/subletting-fees-in-swedish-housing-cooperatives-2026-trends).

## Notice of termination, forfeiture, and besittningsskydd (security of tenure)

An open-ended agreement may be terminated to the month-end that occurs at least three months from the notice (Chapter 6, Section 2). A fixed-term agreement ends at the end of the rental period, but the tenant may always terminate with the same three-month notice period (Chapter 6, Section 1).

Terms that are disadvantageous to the tenant compared to the law are void against the tenant (Chapter 1, Section 4). A contract that gives the lodger a shorter notice period than the law when the landlord terminates is therefore not valid.

The landlord may terminate the agreement for immediate termination in cases listed in Chapter 6, Section 3—including delays in rent for more than two weeks, unauthorised subletting or taking in of lodgers, neglect of the dwelling, disturbances in the accommodation, or serious criminal activity. This right does not apply if the tenant's breach is of minor significance.

The law does not contain any besittningsskydd (security of tenure). The notice period in Chapter 6 is the entire protection, and a lodger cannot, therefore, have the rental relationship extended against the landlord's will. The landlord's right to enter the dwelling is not regulated in the law itself, but through a reference to Chapter 12, Section 26 of the jordabalken (the Land Code) (Chapter 4, Section 7).

If a dispute arises, the Hyresnämnden (the Rent Tribunal) is the first instance, and a decision on rent according to Chapter 2, Section 5 can be appealed to the Svea Court of Appeal within three weeks (Chapter 7, Section 4). Find out how to file in [Dispute with your landlord? How to report to the Rent Tribunal (Step-by-step)](https://bofrid.se/en/articles/dispute-with-your-landlord-how-to-report-to-the-swedish-rent-tribunal).

## If you rent out a room in a flat you rent yourself

In that case, the law does not apply to you as a landlord; instead, your own rental relationship determines what you are allowed to do. If you are renting according to 2026:772 from a private person, you may not have lodgers to an extent that the landlord cannot reasonably be expected to accept. In that assessment, factors such as how many people live in the flat in relation to its size, how long they have lived there, other living conditions, the risk of management being hindered, the risk of disturbances, and whether the rental is of a private nature are weighed (Chapter 5, Section 3). If the flat constitutes part of the landlord's home, consent is always required.

## Frequently asked questions about the Private Rental Act and lodgers

**Does the Private Rental Act (2026:772) apply to lodgers?**
Yes, when you rent out a room in a home you own yourself. The law covers the letting of houses or parts of houses according to Chapter 1, Section 1.

**Does it apply if I rent out a room in my hyresrätt (rental flat)?**
No. Chapter 1, Section 3 exempts landlords who hold the flat via a hyresrätt (rental flat). Instead, Chapter 12 of the jordabalken (the Land Code) applies.

**Does a lodger have besittningsskydd (security of tenure)?**
No. The law does not contain any security of tenure.

**How long is the notice period?**
Three months until the nearest month-end according to Chapter 6, Sections 1–2, unless you have agreed on something better for the tenant.

**Can a lodger have their rent reviewed?**
Yes. According to Chapter 2, Section 5, the tenant can apply to the Hyresnämnden (the Rent Tribunal), which will lower the rent if it is significantly higher than for similar dwellings rented out under the law.

**What happens to a contract signed before the law came into force?**
The transitional provisions state that the repealed law (2012:978) still applies to agreements concluded under it.

## Sources

- [Privatuthyrningslag (2026:772)](https://www.riksdagen.se/sv/dokument-och-lagar/dokument/svensk-forfattningssamling/privatuthyrningslag-2026772_sfs-2026-772/) – The Swedish Parliament, Swedish Code of Statutes
- [Jordabalk (1970:994), 12 kap.](https://www.riksdagen.se/sv/dokument-och-lagar/dokument/svensk-forfattningssamling/jordabalk-1970994_sfs-1970-994/) – The Swedish Parliament, Swedish Code of Statutes
- [Rent, tenant-owned flats and leaseholds](https://www.domstol.se/amnen/hyra-bostadsratt-och-arrende/) – The National Courts Administration, the Rent and Leasehold Tribunals

*The information in this article is of a general nature and does not constitute legal advice. For specific legal needs, you should contact a practicing lawyer.*