Skuldebrev

A written record that money is to be repaid

A skuldebrev (a promissory note, or written debt instrument) is a written promise to pay back a set amount, and it proves that a debt actually exists. The most common case when buying a home is when two of you buy together but put in different amounts towards the kontantinsats (the cash deposit). The one who puts in more can lend the difference to the other, and the skuldebrev puts it down in black and white.

A loan between you is governed by what you write yourselves

When you borrow from each other, from family or from friends, the consumer credit act does not apply. Instead, it is the law on promissory notes and whatever you agree in the skuldebrev itself that decides. That gives you a lot of freedom, but it also makes it extra important to write things clearly: how much, whether and how it is to be repaid, and what happens on the day you sell.

The ten percent is the amount that is usually settled

Since 1 April 2026, a mortgage may cover at most 90 percent of the home’s market value. The minimum 10 percent left over is the kontantinsats, which you have to fund yourselves. This is exactly the part a skuldebrev tends to settle when you pay in different amounts. On a home priced at 4 million kr, that means at least 400 000 kr in deposit, and if one of you puts in more, that sum can be documented in a skuldebrev.

What you should do

Write the loan down in a skuldebrev before the purchase is finalised, so that whoever lent their share gets their amount back first if you sell, before any profit is split. Be specific about the sum and the terms, and keep the document together with your purchase papers. Then you both know where you stand, even if a lot changes further down the line.