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ESSENTIAL SWEDEN

Essential Sweden: Renting, healthcare and buying a summer house

What happens if you can't pay a bill in Sweden? How does healthcare work for kids? How can I buy a Swedish summer house and what are my rights when renting second hand? All that and more in this week's Essential Sweden.

Essential Sweden: Renting, healthcare and buying a summer house
A Swedish summer house by the water in Dalarna. Photo: Marko Säävälä/TT

Sweden’s Enforcement Authority is responsible for collecting unpaid debts, fines, and declarations of bankruptcy. So, what happens if an unpaid bill reaches the Enforcement Authority, and can you do anything if you have a black mark on your record?

Sweden is often cited as one of the best countries in the world for raising children, but what do international parents need to know when planning a move here? And can your children access healthcare without a Swedish personal number?

Many people in Sweden have a summer house or “sommarstuga” to escape to during their long holidays. Getting one of your own can be easier than you think – and thanks to the weak krona, it’s surprisingly affordable if you’re paying in a stronger foreign currency.

In Sweden, a sambo is a domestic partner – someone you’re in a relationship with and live with, but to whom you aren’t married. If you, as a non-EU citizen, are in a sambo relationship with a Swedish citizen, you can apply for a residence permit on the basis of that relationship. But meeting the requirements of that permit is not always straightforward.

Renting second-hand in Sweden is tough, with high competition for homes in the big cities and contracts usually limited to a year at most. But the bright side is that you have a lot of rights as a renter in the country – just make sure you know what they are.

Whether you moved to Sweden for love or relocated there with a partner, sometimes a relationship just doesn’t work out and you’ll need to consider the option of divorce. Understanding how to navigate the administrative side can at least make it more straightforward.

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ESSENTIAL SWEDEN

Banks, bills and mortgages: Essential articles for life in Sweden

Wondering which banks give mortgages to foreigners, or what happens if you are struggling to pay a bill? Essential Sweden this week answers those questions and more.

Banks, bills and mortgages: Essential articles for life in Sweden

Interest rates may soon drop, but there’s still hope if you’re finding it hard to pay your mortgage each month.

Which bank should you use if you’re a recent arrival to Sweden? We asked our readers for their tips: here’s what they said,

We hope you never find yourself in the situation that you’re unable to pay a bill in Sweden, but it’s good to know what happens if you do, just in case.

Owning a second home is relatively commonplace in Sweden, and they often sell for under a million kronor in more remote areas. But what should you take into account when considering a purchase?

People who arrived in Sweden as adults often need to top up their pension savings, and one way to do this is via investments. What are the different types of investing and how do they work?

Finally, if you’re planning on buying a home any time soon, it’s worth knowing which banks require you to have permanent residency in Sweden before you apply for a mortgage. 

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