The rent tribunal is the board that mediates rental disputes and examines certain issues between tenant and landlord. If you rent an apartment in Södertälje, it is the Stockholm rent and tenancy tribunal that has geographical responsibility for your area. Below is a step-by-step guide for how to apply, which forms you need, and what happens after your application has been received.

Step 1: Check that the Stockholm rent and tenancy tribunal is the right board

There are eight rent and tenancy tribunals in Sweden: Stockholm, Västerås, Linköping, Jönköping, Malmö, Göteborg, Sundsvall and Umeå. Each board covers its own geographical area. The Stockholm rent and tenancy tribunal covers Stockholm County and Gotland County, and since Södertälje lies in Stockholm County, cases for tenants and landlords in Södertälje are handled by the Stockholm rent and tenancy tribunal.

The rent tribunal is a special court under the law. Its chairperson is called a rent judge. In Stockholm there are employed rent judges who lead the board's work.

Step 2: Try to solve the issue with the landlord first

Before you apply to the rent tribunal, contact the landlord and try to resolve the matter yourselves. Many rental disputes can be settled without involving the board. Write down what you agree on, or what you disagree about, so you have it ready if you need to apply later.

Step 3: Get advice if you need it

You can contact the Swedish Union of Tenants if you are a member. They can give you advice and support before a case at the rent tribunal. Membership is not required to turn to the board, but it gives you access to help with your application.

Step 4: Submit a written application to the Stockholm rent and tenancy tribunal

If you and the landlord still cannot agree, you can submit a written application to the Stockholm rent and tenancy tribunal. The application is free of charge — you pay no fee to submit it.

The application must be in writing and should describe:

what the dispute is about,
which apartment in Södertälje it concerns,
what you want the board to decide,
and your contact details.

Which form you should use depends on what you want the board to examine:

Form HN1 — the general application form to the rent and tenancy tribunal. Use it for most types of cases, such as rent setting, subletting and security of tenure.
Form HN1b — application for a decision on an enforcement or renovation order. Use it if you want the board to order the landlord to remedy a defect in the home.
Form HN1c — application for approval of subletting. Use it if you want to sublet your apartment but the landlord has said no.
Form HN2 — agreement on waiver of security of tenure for residential premises.
Form HN3 — agreement on waiver of security of tenure for premises.
Form HN4 — agreement on security of tenure for residential premises.
Form HN5 — agreement on security of tenure for premises.

The forms are available on domstol.se and can be filled in digitally or printed and sent on paper. You send the documents to the Stockholm rent and tenancy tribunal via the service "Send documents to the tribunal" on domstol.se, or you can hand them in in person or send them by post.

Step 5: Wait for a summons

When the application has been received, the tribunal reviews it and sends a copy of the application to the counterparty (the landlord). The rent tribunal does not carry out its own investigations or inquiries but bases its assessment on what the parties submit.

The rent tribunal usually calls both parties to a meeting or an oral hearing. You will receive a summons with the time and place. Attend the meeting so you can explain your side of the case.

Step 6: The board makes a decision

The rent tribunal first tries to mediate between you and the landlord. If you reach an agreement, the tribunal can confirm the settlement so that it applies as a judgment. If mediation does not lead to an agreement, the board makes a decision in the case.

Certain decisions can be appealed to the Svea Court of Appeal. The appeal must be made within three weeks from the date the parties are notified of the tribunal's decision.

What issues can the rent tribunal examine?

The rent tribunal works according to chapter 12 of the Swedish Land Code, the Swedish tenancy act, as well as the condominium act and related legislation. Common reasons to apply include:

Permission to sublet when the landlord has said no.
Disputes over rent setting, for example if the rent is unreasonably high.
Waiver of security of tenure, which in some cases must be approved by the board.
Enforcement or renovation orders, for example if the landlord should remedy a defect in the home.
Other disputes about the rental agreement, for example who should pay for a repair.

What does it cost?

Turning to the rent tribunal is free of charge. You pay no fee to submit an application or to take part in a hearing. This applies whether or not you are a member of the Swedish Union of Tenants.

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to be a member of the Swedish Union of Tenants? No. All tenants can contact the rent tribunal, regardless of membership.

Can the rent tribunal lower my rent? The board can examine whether a rent is unreasonable and decide on rent setting. If you think the rent for your apartment in Södertälje is unreasonably high, you can apply.

What happens if the landlord does not want to participate? The rent tribunal can still examine the case and make a decision, even if the landlord does not want to take part.

Which forms do I need? It depends on what you want the board to examine. For most cases you use form HN1. For subletting you use HN1c, and to require the landlord to remedy a defect you use HN1b.

Sources

Swedish Union of Tenants: https://www.hyresgastforeningen.se/
Boverket: https://www.boverket.se/sv/samhallsplanering/bostadsmarknad/
Land Code (chapter 12, tenancy act) at the Riksdag: https://www.riksdagen.se/sv/dokument-och-lagar/dokument/svensk-forfattningssamling/jordabalk-1970994_sfs-1970-994/
Wikipedia about the rent tribunal: https://sv.wikipedia.org/
Swedish Courts — Stockholm rent and tenancy tribunal: https://www.domstol.se/hyres--och-arrendenamnden-i-stockholm/
Swedish Courts — How it works: https://www.domstol.se/hyres--och-arrendenamnden-i-stockholm/amnen/hyra-bostadsratt-och-arrende/sa-gar-det-till/
Swedish Courts — Forms for application: https://www.domstol.se/hyres--och-arrendenamnden-i-stockholm/amnen/hyra-bostadsratt-och-arrende/sa-gar-det-till/blanketter/

In summary: the Stockholm rent and tenancy tribunal applies to tenants in Södertälje. Apply in writing, it is free of charge, and the board can help with subletting, rent disputes and other rental issues.

Rent tribunal Södertälje: how to apply step by step