Free Cohabitation Agreement for Sweden

Sverige

Create a clear cohabitation agreement for your home, belongings, and finances. Adapt it to your situation and sign digitally when you are ready.

Create cohabitation agreement

Free to use — no credit card required

What this template does

A cohabitation agreement allows you to decide that certain property should not be divided under the ordinary rules of the Swedish Cohabitees Act. It is mainly used to regulate the joint home and household goods, meaning property that could otherwise be included in a future division of property if the cohabitation ends.

With a clear written agreement, the risk of uncertainty and later conflict is reduced. You can clarify what shall count as cohabitation property, what shall remain outside division, how joint costs are shared, and how you want the home to be handled if you separate.

When do you need this agreement?

You need this if…

  • You live together or plan to move in together and want to regulate the home and household goods
  • One of you contributes more capital to the home and you want to avoid uncertainty later
  • You want to agree that the joint home or household goods shall wholly or partly be excluded from division of property
  • You want to document how household costs are shared without affecting ownership rights
  • You want to clarify the distinction between cohabitation property, separate property, and inheritance matters

You probably do not need this if…

  • You do not have a joint home or household goods that you want to regulate specifically
  • You are married or intend to regulate property by a prenuptial agreement instead
  • You only want to decide who should inherit — in that case, you normally need a will rather than only a cohabitation agreement

What the agreement includes

The agreement covers the following areas.

Parties and background

  • Full details of both cohabitants
  • Date when the cohabitation began or will begin
  • Confirmation that you live together or will live together in a shared household

Home and household goods

  • Regulation of a joint home acquired for joint use
  • Ability to exclude the home, household goods, or both from future division of property
  • Support for stating ownership shares if the home is jointly owned

Separate property and finances

  • Space to describe assets that should remain outside cohabitation property
  • Clause for household costs and ongoing expenses
  • Clarification that private debts and separate financial commitments are personal

Separation and death

  • Practical rules for notice before separation
  • Handling of a jointly owned home through buyout, sale, or agreement
  • Information about the distinction between division of property and inheritance, and the need for a will

Formalities and future changes

  • Confirmation regarding independent legal advice
  • Rules for written amendments and periodic review
  • Signature section for both parties

Important considerations

  1. A cohabitation agreement normally affects only property that could otherwise qualify as cohabitation property under the Swedish Cohabitees Act — mainly the joint home and household goods acquired for joint use.
  2. A cohabitation agreement does not replace a will. Cohabitants do not automatically inherit from each other under Swedish law.
  3. If you have different cash contributions, different ownership shares, or different expectations regarding the home, this should be stated clearly in the agreement and ideally also in related purchase or loan documents.
  4. Paying shared costs does not in itself change ownership of the home or other property. If you want to regulate ownership, it should be done clearly and in writing.
  5. A request for division of property must normally be made within one year from the date the cohabitation ended. If you want to claim a takeover of a tenancy or condominium right that is not cohabitation property, a shorter deadline applies: the claim must be made within one year, but if the cohabitant has already left the home, it must be made within three months thereafter.
  6. Major life changes — such as a new home, children, inheritance, or significantly changed finances — are good times to review the agreement.

Legal validity

For a cohabitation agreement to be valid under Swedish law, it must be in writing and signed by both cohabitants. Witnesses are normally not required.

The agreement does not need to be registered with any authority to be valid between the parties. What matters is that the contents are clear, that both parties understand the meaning, and that both sign the document.

If your situation is more complex — for example involving substantial assets, a business, gifts, inheritance, or intertwined finances — it may be wise to supplement this with individual legal advice and, where appropriate, also a will or a debt instrument.

Adapt your cohabitation agreement and sign when you are ready.

Create cohabitation agreement

Free to use — no credit card required

Common scenarios

Different contributions to a shared home

You buy a home together, but one of you pays a larger cash contribution. A cohabitation agreement can clarify how the home should be treated if you later separate.

Moving into a home already owned by one party

One party moves into a home already owned by the other. The agreement can reduce the risk of later disputes about the home and related household goods.

Protecting certain property from division

You want the joint home, household goods, or certain assets not to be covered by the ordinary division rules of the Swedish Cohabitees Act.

Shared everyday life but separate finances

You share household costs but want to keep the rest of your finances and private assets clearly separate.

Frequently asked questions

Does a cohabitation agreement need to be registered?

No. A cohabitation agreement is normally not registered with any authority. Instead, validity requires that the agreement is in writing and signed by both parties.

Does the agreement need to be witnessed?

No, witnesses are normally not a legal requirement for a cohabitation agreement. It can still be practical to store the agreement safely so it can easily be produced later if needed.

Can we contract out of all division of property?

By a cohabitation agreement, you may wholly or partly agree that cohabitation property shall not be included in a future division of property. How far the agreement reaches depends on what property is actually covered by the Swedish Cohabitees Act.

Is a cohabitation agreement enough if we want the other person to inherit?

No. A cohabitation agreement primarily regulates division of property between cohabitants. If you want the other party to inherit, you will usually also need a will.

Can we change the agreement later?

Yes. If you want to change the terms, you should do so in writing and have both parties sign the new version or supplement.

What deadlines apply if we separate?

A request for division of property under the Swedish Cohabitees Act must be made no later than one year after the cohabitation ended. A claim to take over a joint tenancy or condominium right that is not cohabitation property is also subject to a one-year deadline, but if the cohabitant who wishes to take over the home has already left it, the claim must be made within three months after the move-out. It is therefore important to act in time.

Is this template suitable if our finances are more complicated?

The template works well for many common cohabitation situations, but if you have a business, substantial assets, loans between you, or another more advanced structure, it may be wise to obtain individual legal advice before signing.

Create cohabitation agreement

Free to use — no credit card required

Create cohabitation agreement
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