After the purchase: insurance, defects and maintenance

The first weeks

1. Make sure the home or house insurance is in force from the handover date.
2. Transfer electricity, water, broadband and waste collection, and note meter readings.
3. Change your address and update the population register.
4. Apply for title registration for a property purchase, or confirm membership of the association.
5. Go through the home calmly and document its condition on the day you move in.

If a defect appears

The seller liability for hidden defects in a property purchase follows the Land Code. You must complain within a reasonable time from when you discovered or should have discovered the defect, and there is an outer time limit. Gather evidence: photos, dates, a survey opinion and any damage investigation.

For a bostadsrätt the position is different: the Sale of Goods Act applies between private individuals, and parts of the responsibility may sit with the association. Establish who is responsible before directing a claim.

Maintenance and a future sale

• Keep a simple calendar: annual checks, ten-year measures and whatever the survey flagged.
• Keep drawings, permits, surveys, receipts and guarantees in one place.
• Photograph hidden installations before they are enclosed.

On a future sale the gain is taxed, and certain improvement costs may be deducted. The rules on deductions and deferral are published by Skatteverket and should be checked in the year you sell.