Services of general interest

Water and drainage

If your property is connected to municipal water and drainage, the municipality is responsible for the quality and function of the service. Municipal water and drainage are mainly financed through charges, which means that those connected to the system pay a connection fee and a usage fee. 

If you have any questions or problems related to municipal water or drainage, contact your municipality. 

If you live outside the municipal area, you are responsible for your own water and drainage. It is therefore important that you know what the installation looks like, whether it has a permit and how it should be managed. Contact your municipality for information on the applicable rules and required permits. 

Refuse collection and waste management 

Municipalities are responsible for the collection and treatment of household waste. The municipality is also responsible for supervising waste management. You can ask your municipality for sorting guides, advice and information on where to leave waste and recycling. 

If you have any problems related to refuse collection or waste management, contact your municipality. 

Chimney sweeping 

It is the municipality that decides how often chimneys should be swept. The municipality also decides on the price of the service. To find out when chimney sweeping takes place or how much it costs, always contact your municipality. 

Although the municipality is responsible for chimney sweeping, it is often a contractor who carries out the work in your home. 

Complaints about chimney-sweeping or the price of it 

Since the municipality is responsible, chimney sweeping is seen as an exercise of official authority. This means that the Consumer Services Act (konsumenttjänstlagen) does not apply to problems with chimney sweeping. If a chimney sweep breaks something in your home, such as causing damage to the floor or walls, you can contact your municipality. 

Your municipality can also answer questions about charges and invoices related to chimney-sweeping. 

If you want to complain about the administration itself, you can turn to the Parliamentary Ombudsman (Justitieombudsmannen, JO). 

Applying to carry out chimney sweeping yourself 

There is the option of applying to carry out chimney sweeping yourself, or applying to hire someone to carry it out under your own arrangements. The municipality must assess in each individual case whether the person who is to carry out the chimney sweeping is suited to the task. 

You can normally obtain the form for applying to arrange your own chimney sweeping from your municipality. 

If you have received permission from the municipality and hire a company to carry out chimney sweeping, the Consumer Services Act may apply. If you decide to arrange your own chimney sweeping, you and the company can agree on a price that has nothing to do with the municipality’s charge. In the event of a complaint about the price or problems with the sweeping, you may then complain to the company you have hired. 

Electricity and electricity supply contracts 

The Swedish electricity market was deregulated in 1996. There are over 100 electricity suppliers to choose from in Sweden.  

The Swedish Consumer Energy Markets Bureau provides guidance

If you have any problems or questions about your electricity supply contract, you can contact the Swedish Consumer Energy Markets Bureau. The Swedish Consumer Energy Markets Bureau are experts on consumer issues related to electricity, gas and district heating. They provide free and independent guidance. 

Contact information on the website of the Swedish Consumer Energy Markets Bureau