Swedish co-op flat sublet in summer 2026: first SEK 40,000 is tax-free
Sublet your co-op flat for three summer months at SEK 12,000 and you pay no tax at all. But the board has to agree first, and the rent has a ceiling.
In Sweden, the first SEK 40,000 a year from renting out your co-op flat ("bostadsrätt") is tax-free. Let it for three summer months at SEK 12,000 and you pay no tax at all.
The Swedish Tax Agency ("Skatteverket") allows this SEK 40,000 deduction per home and year. Before the money comes in, though, you need a yes from your housing association's board, and the rent has a ceiling.
Worked example: three summer months
Anna is away in June, July and August 2026. She sublets her two-room flat for SEK 12,000 a month.
| Amount | |
|---|---|
| Rental income, 3 x SEK 12,000 | SEK 36,000 |
| Standard deduction ("schablonavdrag") | SEK 40,000 |
| Taxable surplus | SEK 0 |
Anna owes no tax. Because her deductions exceed her income, she does not even have to report the rental in her tax return.
How the Tax Agency does the maths
The standard deduction is at most SEK 40,000 per home and year. It is the same whether you let a co-op flat, a house or a rental flat. If you own the flat together with someone, you split the deduction by your ownership shares.
For a co-op flat you can also deduct the share of your monthly fee that covers the period and the space you let out. If the association charges a subletting fee, that is deductible too. House owners instead deduct 20% of the rental income on top of the SEK 40,000.
Whatever is left counts as capital income and is taxed at 30%. The deductions can never create a loss to set against other income.
The Tax Agency gives its own example of a longer let. A co-op flat is sublet for eight months at SEK 12,000, which is SEK 96,000. After the standard deduction, SEK 52,000 in association fees and an SEK 800 subletting fee, the surplus is SEK 3,200. The tax on it is SEK 960.
If you do have a surplus, you report it under item 7.3 of your income tax return. The Tax Agency's form SKV 2199 helps you work out the figure.
The board has to say yes
Under the Tenant-Owner Act ("bostadsrättslagen"), you may only sublet the whole flat if the board consents. Send your request well before the summer.
If the board refuses, you can turn to the regional rent tribunal ("hyresnämnden"). It must grant permission if you have a reason for subletting and the association has no valid ground to refuse.
The Swedish courts give work or study in another town, and trying out living with a partner, as examples of accepted reasons. The permission can be limited in time and come with conditions.
The association may charge a subletting fee if its bylaws allow it. The fee is capped at 10% of the price base amount ("prisbasbelopp") per year. The price base amount for 2026 is SEK 59,200, so the cap is SEK 5,920 a year.
The rent has a ceiling
Contracts signed now fall under the Act on Renting Out Your Own Home ("lagen om uthyrning av egen bostad"). The rent may not clearly exceed the flat's capital cost and running costs.
- The capital cost is a reasonable return on the flat's market value.
- Running costs include the monthly fee, electricity and broadband.
- If you let the flat furnished, you can charge for the furniture as well.
Both you and your tenant can ask the rent tribunal to review the rent. Our FAQ answers more questions about subletting.
New rules from 1 July 2026
In May 2026 the Riksdag passed a package for a more flexible rental market. A new Private Letting Act ("privatuthyrningslagen") replaces the current law on 1 July 2026. Rent will then be compared with what is generally charged for similar privately let homes. Contracts signed before 1 July stay under the old law.
The Tenant-Owner Act changes on the same day. Earlier sublets will only count against you if they were extensive. The act also draws a clearer line between subletting and having a lodger. A lodger still needs no consent from the board.
Sources
- Skatteverket: Renting out a private home (Swedish)
- Riksdagen: Tenant-Owner Act 1991:614 (Swedish)
- Swedish courts: Subletting a co-op flat (Swedish)
- Swedish courts: Renting out your own home (Swedish)
- Riksdagen: Act 2012:978 on renting out your own home (Swedish)
- Riksdagen: Private Letting Act 2026:772 (Swedish)
- Riksdagen: Decision on a more flexible rental market (Swedish)
- Government: Price base amount for 2026 (Swedish)
This content is general information, not financial or legal advice. Bolån Radar collects data from banks and authorities and cannot guarantee that it is complete or free of errors. Talk to your bank or an adviser before you decide.