Ersättning för skada efter återbetalning av deposition
Hello! I have a question to ask. I rented a fresh apartment from my landload since last Oct following a signed contrast without approval from the relative committee. Yesterday I returned the keys and we viewed the apartment together. After viewing , he returned back my deposit which is 20,000SEK and I left. Last night, I got his message that he needs to replace the kitchen board since there is a dark marker on the wood and he would charge me 5,000SEK for the cost. He saw the dark marker when we were viewing the room, I knew it because he asked about it and said nothing . Should I pay for it ? And If he wants to charge me later for other reasons ,should I pay for them more? Best regards.
Lawline svarar
Hello! Thank you for your question!
I understand that your landlord contacted you about the damage on the kitchen board after he returned your deposit. In the Swedish Land Law Code 12:24 the tenant is obligated to take good care of the apartment and what it entails. The tenant is obligated to compensate for any damage caused by his or her carelessness or through negligence or neglect.
However, your question states that your landlord was aware of the damage on the board when he returned your deposit. This means that your landlord will need to prove that the damage was caused by you during your stay in the apartment. This will be very difficult for him to do and since you have already received your deposit back he will need help from Kronofodgemyndigheten and eventually the court to prove that he is entitled to compensation.
You have no obligation to pay him and my advice is not to do it. Your landlord will probably not take the matter further and if he does, his chances are very low. Yours, however, are high because of the restitution of your deposit. Neither should you pay anything more to your landlord without consulting someone with knowledge of swedish rental law.
If you have any other questions regarding this matter, you are welcome to contact me at jennifer.embretsen@lawline.se.
Best regards,
