Can a landlord require an employment certificate from a tenant?

Yes, as a landlord you can ask for an employment certificate from a housing applicant before the rental contract is signed — it is a normal part of credit checking. However, you must have a clear purpose, handle the information securely and cannot use the information in a discriminatory way. Once the contract is signed, the scope narrows: ongoing checks of employment during the rental period lack legal support and cannot be imposed to the tenant's disadvantage.

Can a landlord require an employment certificate from a tenant before the contract is signed?

Before the contract is signed, there is no law that prevents you from asking for an employment certificate, salary slips or credit information. It is part of your risk assessment as a landlord. You have the right to choose who you want to enter into a contract with, as long as the selection does not violate the Discrimination Act (2008:567), which prohibits differential treatment on the grounds of sex, ethnicity, religion, disability, sexual orientation or age.

In practice, this means:

• You can ask for an employment certificate showing employment type, salary and start date.
• You can compare the finances of several applicants against each other.
• You cannot set different requirements for different applicants based on background or origin.

If an applicant does not have permanent employment, you can instead ask for other documentation. Read more about what applies in that case in our guide Renting without employment proof: What can a landlord require?.

Why the certificate is reasonable to ask for

The purpose is to assess payment ability. A rule of thumb on the market is that rent should not exceed approximately one-third of net income, but there is no statutory limit. As a landlord, you determine yourself what margin you require — as long as the requirement is applied equally to everyone.

What does the law say about private rental?

For rental of your own home, the Private Rental Act (privatuthyrningslagen) (2026:772) has applied since 1 July 2026. The Act applies when a natural person or an estate rents out a house or part of a house as a residence, and it replaces the previous Act (2012:978) on rental of your own home.

Two things from the Act's own wording are important here:

• According to section 1, chapter 3, the Act does not apply if the landlord regularly rents out more than two flats. In that case, the rental falls instead under the Land Code's rental rules.
• According to section 1, chapter 4, contract terms that are to the tenant's disadvantage are without effect, unless otherwise stated in the Act.

The latter means that you cannot write in a clause that the tenant must provide new employment certificates on demand at any time during the rental period — such a term does not bind the tenant. The credit check itself is done before the contract, not on an ongoing basis.

For rental that falls outside the Private Rental Act, section 12 of the Land Code (the Rental Act) applies. There are no special rules about employment certificates there; the question is decided by what is reasonable when the contract is entered into and by the Discrimination Act.

Data protection: how you handle the information

Collecting employment certificates means you are processing personal data. The EU's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR, Regulation 2016/679) then applies, which is directly applicable in Sweden. Two central principles:

• Data minimisation (Article 5.1 c): collect only what you actually need for the credit check.
• Storage limitation (Article 5.1 e): do not keep the information longer than necessary.

In practice, this means you should delete documents from applicants who did not get the flat as soon as the selection process is complete, and you should not request sensitive information such as union membership or sick leave. The Swedish Data Protection Authority (Integritetsskyddsmyndigheten, IMY) is the supervisory authority.

Comparison: when can a landlord require an employment certificate from a tenant?

Checklist: how to do it as a landlord

1. Determine your requirements in advance. Write down what income level, employment type and possibly credit information you require — before the advert goes out.
2. Apply the requirements equally. All applicants should be assessed according to the same template. It is good to document the selection.
3. Ask for the right documents. Employment certificate, latest salary slip and possibly credit information are normally sufficient. Do not ask for bank statements or medical records.
4. Explain the purpose. Inform the applicant why you are requesting the information and how long you will keep it.
5. Store securely. Password-protected files or locked archive. Do not share with third parties.
6. Delete in time. Remove documents from applicants who were not selected as soon as the flat is rented out.
7. Document the decision. Keep a brief note of why you chose a particular applicant — protection against accusations of discrimination.

Checklist: how to do it as a tenant

1. Ask what documents are required and why.
2. Provide only what has been requested — nothing more.
3. Mask your personal identity number where it is not needed.
4. Ask when the information will be deleted if you do not get the flat.
5. Contact IMY if you suspect the information is being handled incorrectly, or the Discrimination Ombudsman (Diskrimineringsombudsmannen, DO) if you suspect discrimination.

What happens with subletting?

With subletting, the first-hand tenant becomes the landlord to the subtenant. The same principle applies: an employment certificate can be requested before the contract, but not on an ongoing basis. Remember that as a first-hand tenant you still have full responsibility to your own landlord. See also How much can a landlord charge as a deposit on a sublet? and Can a landlord terminate a sublet contract early?.

Frequently asked questions

Can a landlord require an employment certificate from a tenant even with short-term rental?

Yes, but proportionality should be weighed in. With a rental of only a few months, it is more reasonable to settle for a salary slip and possibly credit information than to require a complete employment certificate.

Can a landlord terminate the contract if it turns out the tenant has become unemployed?

No, not on that ground alone. Termination requires that the tenant fails to meet their obligations under the contract or the law — primarily non-payment of rent. Unemployment in itself is not grounds for termination.

Can a landlord require a new certificate every year on a permanent contract?

No. Such a clause would be to the tenant's disadvantage and is without effect under section 1, chapter 4 of the Private Rental Act (2026:772) for contracts covered by the Act. The check itself is done when the contract is entered into.

What do I do if a landlord requires more information than I want to provide?

You can decline and look for another flat, or offer alternatives such as a guarantor or higher deposit. If you suspect unlawful processing of personal data, you can report it to IMY. More about what can be deducted from a deposit is in What can a landlord deduct from the deposit?.

In case of dispute: the Rent Tribunal

Disputes about rental terms are decided by the Rent Tribunal (Hyresnämnden). However, the Tribunal does not consider discrimination issues — that is done by the Discrimination Ombudsman or ordinary courts. Read more in The Rent Tribunal: how it works and your rights as a tenant.

This text is general information and does not constitute legal advice.