The contractor made a mistake

The Consumer Services Act determines what demands you can make.

Firstly: that the company fixes the fault

You can firstly demand that the company fixes the fault free of charge. Free of charge means that the company must bear all of the costs associated with fixing the fault – such as materials, travel and labour.

Even if you prefer to turn to another company, the contractor usually has the right to attempt to fix the fault. The fact that you are dissatisfied or have lost confidence is usually not sufficient. However, if it is obvious that the contractor does not have the right skills to fix the fault, you can argue that you should receive a price reduction or cancel the agreement.

Secondly: that you receive a price reduction

The price reduction should match the defect, such as what it costs to have the defect fixed by another company. If it is a cosmetic flaw that does not affect the functionality? Then a price reduction corresponding to the depreciation caused by the flaw may be applicable.

Thirdly: that you can revoke the agreement

Revoking the agreement means that the work is discontinued.

If the entire contract is revoked, the company is not entitled to payment. However, you may need to return materials if it does not cause significant inconvenience or cost to you.

If you benefit from parts of the work that has been done, the entire contract is not revoked. In that case, you must pay the contractor for the work you benefit from.

The contractor is obligated to give you a correct advise

The contractor is obligated to advise you against getting work done that is of no benefit to you. For example, if the company has replaced roof tiles even though they have seen that the entire roof needs to be repaired.

The contractor must remedy the fault within a reasonable time. What is considered reasonable time varies from case to case. It depends, among other things, on the type of fault and your need to have it remedied. In some cases, the fault must be remedied quickly to avoid it worsening or causing other damages. Or the fault may significantly affect your daily life, for example if you cannot use the bathroom.

In other cases, it may be less urgent to remedy the fault. The season may also prevent the fault from being remedied immediately. For example it may be inappropriate to repaint the facade in the winter.

It is the company that must bear any costs or financial losses that you incur due to the fault. Examples of this may be:

• Loss of income, for example if you have to take time off of work to inspect the fault together with the company

• Cost for an opinion from an inspector or other expert (if needed to be able to prove the fault)

You must be able to prove your costs

You need to be able to present documentation on what costs you have had and the costs must be reasonable and have a direct connection to the fault or defect. Documentation can, for example, be receipts, invoices or certificates.

Remember that it is actual costs, not the trouble or the time you spend on the complaint, that you can demand compensation for.

According to the Consumer Services Act, you have the right to demand damages from the company if they cause damage in connection with the service being performed. This may involve the object of the service being damaged or the company damaging something else on your property; for example, if the company you engaged to repair your heat pump drops a tool that causes damage to the floor. The compensation is intended to cover the damage. You cannot expect to receive compensation for anything that puts you in a better position than before the damage occurred. For example if you have a scratch on the floor, it is not reasonable for you to get the entire floor replaced at no cost.

Sometimes the company that caused the damage has the expertise to remedy it. In that case, you may need to accept that the company fixes the damage instead of providing you with financial compensation.

Skilled trade services are covered by the Consumer Services Act. In the law, there are 2 different time limits for how much time you have to file complaints about faults, depending on what kind of service is involved. For work on real property, you have the right to file complaint on the fault for ten years. Work on real property encompasses, among other things: - building renovations - painting - floor laying - drainage - re-roofing - drilling of water wells - fiber burial

For work that is not done on land, buildings or other fixed objects, you have a 3-year guarantee. For example, there is a 3-year guarantee on most repair services. If you engage a company to repair your broken heat pump, the 3-year limit for guarantee claims applies.

If the service is incorrect, you have the right by law to withhold part or all of the payment as security. This serves as a means of pressure on the company and a security for you. You can withhold a significant portion of the payment The part of the payment you withhold should correspond to the fault. This essentially means that you can withhold such a large amount that it covers the cost to bring in another company to fix the faults. Sometimes, it can help to contact other companies in the industry to get a price quote for what it would cost to fix the fault.

Notify the company that you are withholding payment

It is important that you notify the company in writing that you are withholding payment and why. You can send an email or a text message, for example. If you have received an invoice, you need to dispute it. This means that you declare that you will not pay the invoice and why. Be clear that it is because there are errors in the work and that you are withholding all or part of the payment.

Compensation for damages caused by the company

If the company has caused damage to something else in your home, you cannot withhold an equivalent amount from the invoice for the service the company has performed. If the company has completed the service without any errors, you are obligated to pay the invoice even if you have compensation claims for other damages they have caused. You can present the compensation claims you have for the damages as separate claims to the company.

When you discover faults or defects, it is important that you document what is wrong. You need to be able to show the company what you think is wrong and the documentation becomes important if you and the company do not agree on the fault.

How to document the fault

You can document the fault by taking pictures or filming, for example. Remember that the quality needs to be good enough that the fault is clearly visible. Sometimes, you may need to take several pictures to be able to show the fault in a good way. Both close-ups and pictures that show what the fault looks like in relation to the surroundings may be needed.

When it's not possible to document the fault

Some faults may be difficult to capture with for example pictures. In such cases, you can describe the fault when you contact the company to complain.

Sometimes you may need to seek assistance from an expert to assess the work. For example if you have renovated the bathroom, it may work well to take a picture showing the tile work has been sloppily done. But if there are deficiencies in the moisture barrier or pipe installations, you may need to seek the help of a surveyor to assess the deficiencies.

After you have discovered a defect, it is important that you contact the company as soon as possible to give them the chance to investigate and fix the defect. It is somewhat common for the company to need to come out and look at the fault to be able to decide what needs to be done.

You do not need to know the cause of the fault when you contact the company. What is important is that you point out that you discovered a fault as soon as possible. However, you may be obliged to compensate the company for the inspection if it turns out that the fault was not caused by their work.

Contact the company in writing

It is always good to have written documentation that shows that you contacted the company to file complaint. If possible, it is therefore good to send a text message or email. Then, you can also attach documentation that shows the fault, such as pictures. If you call, it can be helpful to summarize what you discussed after the call and send it in an email to the company.

Claims for compensation

If you have claims for compensation for additional expenses or damages, you should also direct that claim to the company. Specify the costs you want the company to compensate and provide reasons why.

The contractor disagrees with the fault

If the company disagrees with you about the fault being due to their work, there are some things you may need to do to move forward. You need to be able to show that the fault is due to the company's work.

If you cannot demonstrate the fault through pictures or similar means, you can seek assistance from an expert, such as a surveyor. The expert will assess and provide an opinion on the work. Ensure that you obtain written documentation from the expert and keep it as evidence.

Contact the contractor again

If you have further evidence that the contractor has made a mistake, you should contact the contractor again. Remember to contact them in writing, such as via email or text message. Include a copy of the evidence.

If the contractor still denies or does not respond, you can have your case reviewed, for example, by the National Board for Consumer Disputes. The company does not fix the fault If the contractor does not fix the fault within a reasonable time, you can turn to another company.

What is a reasonable time?

According to the law, the contractor must fix the fault within a reasonable time. What constitutes a reasonable time is assessed on a case-by-case basis. It depends, among other things, on the type of fault and your need to have it fixed. Sometimes, the fault must be fixed quickly to avoid it worsening or causing other damages. Or the fault may significantly affect your daily life, for example if you cannot use the bathroom. In other cases, it may be less urgent to remedy the fault. The season may also prevent immediate fault rectification. For example it may be inappropriate to repaint the facade in winter.

Contact the contractor once more

If you feel it is taking too long, you should contact the contractor again in writing, for example, via email or text message. Explain that if the contractor cannot fix the faults promptly, you will need to turn to another company. It is important that you can demonstrate that you have complained about the delay before turning to another company. If you have withheld payment due to the fault, you can simultaneously notify that you intend to use that sum to cover the work.

If you have already paid for the work, you can notify that you will demand compensation for the cost of hiring another company.

If the contractor does not fix the fault within a reasonable time, you can turn to another company.

What is a reasonable time?

According to the law, the contractor must fix the fault within a reasonable time. What constitutes a reasonable time is assessed on a case-by-case basis. It depends, among other things, on the type of fault and your need to have it fixed.

Sometimes, the fault must be fixed quickly to avoid it worsening or causing other damages. Or the fault may significantly affect your daily life, for example if you cannot use the bathroom.

In other cases, it may be less urgent to remedy the fault. The season may also prevent immediate fault rectification. For example it may be inappropriate to repaint the facade in winter.

Contact the contractor once more

If you feel it is taking too long, you should contact the contractor again in writing, for example, via email or text message. Explain that if the contractor cannot fix the faults promptly, you will need to turn to another company. It is important that you can demonstrate that you have complained about the delay before turning to another company. If you have withheld payment due to the fault, you can simultaneously notify that you intend to use that sum to cover the work. If you have already paid for the work, you can notify that you will demand compensation for the cost of hiring another company.

Do you need help figuring out your rights or want to discuss how to proceed with your case? Then you can contact your municipality's consumer guidance or the Swedish Consumer Agency.

Municipal consumer guidance Many municipalities offer consumer guidance.

You can turn to them for free information and support. The assistance offered varies from municipality to municipality.

Guidance from the Swedish Consumer Agency

The Swedish Consumer Agency provides free guidance. With us, you get information about your rights and the options you have to move forward. We cannot assess your individual case, resolve disputes, or contact companies on your behalf.

Contact the Swedish Consumer Agency advisors

Dispute resolution through the National Board for Consumer Disputes

If you and the company cannot reach an agreement, you can file a complaint to the public authority the National Board for Consumer Disputes (ARN).

ARN will assess your case and make a recommendation on how to resolve the dispute. Most companies follow ARN’s recommendations.

A normal processing time is approximately six months.

What does it cost to file a complaint with ARN?

It costs SEK 150 to file a complaint with ARN. When you submit your complaint, you can request that the company compensates you for the cost if ARN makes a recommendation in your favour.

Requirements for ARN to consider your case

• The company has either rejected your claims or has not responded within a reasonable time.

• The amount you and the company are in dispute about is more then ARN's value limitations (different value thresholds apply for different fields). You cannot include the application fee to ARN.

• You file the complaint within one year from the first time you complained to the company.

Submit a complaint on ARN's website

Settle the dispute in court

If you have gone through the steps in this process but still have a dispute with the company, you can take the dispute to court. In that case, you should contact the district court (tingsrätten). It costs money to file an application with the court.

For a dispute involving a claim of up to 29,400 Swedish kronor (half a price base amount in 2025), known as a simplified litigation or small claim, the application fee is 900 kronor. If the claim exceeds 29,400 kronor, or if the dispute does not concern a specific amount, the application fee is 2,800 kronor.

If you lose the dispute, you may be required to pay both your and the company's legal costs. However, in small claims, the costs you may have to pay are limited.

Learn how a lawsuit is handled in the district court on the website of the Swedish Courts (in Swedish)