About this template
Commercial Lease Agreement under Swedish law – an updated document package for leasing office, retail, warehouse, and other business premises. The package includes a main Swedish template in Word/PDF, an English reference, and detailed user guides in Swedish and English.
Legally reviewed: October 6, 2026
The package is reviewed against current regulations in Chapter 12 of the Swedish Land Code regarding commercial leasing, including lease terms, rent/index, assignment, subletting, forfeiture, indirect security of tenure, changes to terms, mediation, and compensation.
What's included
| Commercial Lease Agreement – DOCX | Editable Swedish main template. |
| Commercial Lease Agreement – PDF | Print-ready Swedish version. |
| Swedish user guide – DOCX + PDF | Explains lease terms, indexation, VAT, security of tenure, and termination. |
| English reference – DOCX + PDF | English reference version governed by Swedish law. |
| English user guide – DOCX + PDF | English guidance for the same Swedish regulatory framework. |
What counts as business premises?
Under the Swedish Land Code, premises are defined as any unit not intended to be used, in whole or to a non-negligible extent, as a residence. This includes, for example, offices, shops, warehouses, workshops, studios, or other business premises.
Commercial leasing differs from residential leasing in several important respects. The template is therefore specially designed for commercial/business tenancies and should not be used as a residential lease agreement.
Lease term and termination
The template provides separate options for open-ended and fixed-term agreements. For premises leased indefinitely, the legal default rule is that the agreement must be terminated to end at the turn of the month occurring closest to nine months after the notice of termination, unless a longer notice period has been agreed upon.
Even fixed-term commercial agreements that have lasted longer than nine months must, as a general rule, be terminated to expire. The parties should therefore carefully fill in the lease term, notice period, and any renewal period.
Rent and indexation
The base rent is stated as a fixed amount. For fixed-term commercial agreements lasting at least three years, the parties may use a different basis for calculating rent, such as a correctly drafted index clause.
The template therefore distinguishes between the base rent and an optional index component. The index clause should not be used mechanically in shorter agreements where the statutory requirements for such a basis of calculation are not met.
VAT on commercial rent
As a general rule, the leasing of real estate is exempt from VAT. Under certain conditions, the landlord may opt for voluntary tax liability for business premises and charge VAT on the rent. The template therefore includes a separate option for VAT rather than automatically adding VAT to all commercial rents.
The parties should verify the current VAT treatment before signing the agreement, especially when the premises are used for mixed or VAT-exempt activities.
Permitted use of the premises
The agreement includes a specific field for the exact permitted business activity. The tenant may not, without further ado, use the premises for a purpose substantially different from the agreed one. In long-term tenancies, the Rent Tribunal may, under certain conditions, permit a change of use, but this does not replace the need for a clear contract clause from the start.
Maintenance, installations, and restoration
The template distinguishes between the landlord's and the tenant's responsibility for, for example, surface finishes, installations, maintenance, repairs, and regulatory requirements. For business premises, a clear allocation of responsibility is particularly important.
Changes, installations, signage, and other alterations should require written approval where relevant. The agreement also contains a separate section regarding restoration upon the end of the tenancy.
Fire safety and regulatory requirements
The document includes a specific section on systematic fire protection work and responsibility for the regulatory requirements resulting from the agreed business activity. The allocation of responsibility should be adapted to the specific premises and operations rather than being assumed to be identical in every commercial lease.
Assignment and subletting
The tenant may not freely assign the lease or sublet the premises. The rules differ between various situations, including when a business is assigned together with the premises. The agreement therefore requires necessary consent or permission and avoids general wording that could give a misleading impression of free assignment.
Late rent payment and forfeiture
For commercial premises, a delay in rent payment of more than two working days after the due date may constitute grounds for forfeiture under Chapter 12 of the Swedish Land Code. This does not mean that eviction happens automatically. Statutory notifications, rules regarding rectification and "recovery," and proper procedures may still need to be followed.
In certain situations, the commercial tenant can recover the leasehold by paying within two weeks of the prescribed notification.
Indirect security of tenure – important after nine months
A commercial tenant does not normally have the right to force an extension in the same way as a residential tenant. Instead, indirect security of tenure may arise once the tenancy has lasted longer than nine months.
Among other things, this may grant a right to financial compensation if the landlord refuses to extend the lease or demands unreasonable terms and no statutory exemption applies.
A waiver of indirect security of tenure should not be hidden in the lease agreement itself. It must be made in a separate document, and approval from the Rent Tribunal is required in many situations. Therefore, the package refers to the correct separate HN3/HN5 procedure rather than including a simplified waiver clause.
Compensation in case of wrongful termination
When a commercial tenant is entitled to compensation under the rules of indirect security of tenure, the statutory minimum is an amount equivalent to one year's rent according to the terminated agreement. In addition, further reasonable compensation for economic loss may apply.
Market rent
In a dispute over extension terms, the market rent of the premises is assessed, primarily based on rents for comparable premises in the area. An index clause or previous rent therefore does not guarantee that a future term will always be considered reasonable.
Termination for moving out or changing terms
Commercial leasing has strict rules regarding termination. If the landlord terminates the agreement, the notice must, in relevant cases, state the terms required for an extension or why an extension is being refused, and inform the tenant that they must refer the dispute to the Rent Tribunal within two months to protect their rights.
Even a commercial tenant terminating an agreement for a change in terms must phrase the notice correctly and may need to apply for mediation within two months. A procedural error can have significant consequences.
Security, deposit, and guarantee
The template contains separate options for a deposit, bank guarantee, and other security. The amount, validity period, what the security may be used for, and the conditions for its return should be expressly stated.
Insurance
The parties can specify requirements for business, property, and liability insurance, as well as who is responsible for the building's insurance. Insurance requirements should be adapted to the operations actually conducted in the premises.
English reference included
The English version is an English-language reference governed by Swedish law. It is not a British or American commercial lease agreement. The Swedish version is the main version in this product package.
When individual advice is especially appropriate
Individual legal or tax advice is particularly appropriate for long-term or financially significant tenancies, major adaptation investments, complicated index clauses, turnover-based rent, voluntary VAT, waivers of security of tenure, business transfers, environmental or regulatory requirements, forfeiture, termination, or changes to terms.
File formats and delivery
Format: DOCX, PDF, and ZIP.
Language: Swedish main version + English reference.
Number of files: 8.
Total: 13 pages in the four documents.
Delivery: Digital download. No physical product is sent.
Frequently asked questions
Does a commercial tenant have security of tenure?
Yes, after more than nine months, the commercial tenant can normally obtain indirect security of tenure. This protection primarily means a possibility for compensation and mediation, not a general right to always have the agreement extended.
Can security of tenure be waived directly in the lease agreement?
A waiver must be made in a separate document. Rent Tribunal approval is often required, although there are specific situations where the law allows for a waiver without approval.
Can the rent be indexed every year?
A basis other than a fixed rent amount can be used under the statutory conditions, including for fixed-term commercial agreements of at least three years. The clause must be correctly drafted.
Should VAT always be added to commercial rent?
No. Leasing of real estate is normally VAT-exempt, but voluntary tax liability can be used if the conditions are met.
Does the template guarantee that all commercial tenancies will be legally correct?
No. The package is a general documentation aid. The use of the premises, the result of negotiations, mandatory regulations, tax/VAT, and the actual circumstances must be assessed in each individual case.
This package is a general documentation aid under Swedish law and does not replace individual legal or tax advice.
