Undersökningsplikt

What it means

Undersökningsplikt is your “duty to inspect” as a buyer: your responsibility to go through the home carefully before you sign the purchase contract (köpekontrakt). The law puts it plainly: you cannot later claim a defect if you should have spotted it during a reasonable inspection, judged against the home’s condition, comparable homes, and the circumstances of the purchase. You do not need to be an expert. You are simply expected to look, feel and test the way a careful person would.

What it costs you if you miss something

The consequence is clear: if you discover a defect afterwards that you should have spotted, you cannot ask the seller for compensation. The cost lands on you. That is exactly why the inspection before signing matters so much. It is your real protection against anything that is visible or testable.

Is a besiktning enough?

Not on its own. An överlåtelsebesiktning (a pre-sale building inspection) is usually just a technical walkthrough of the structure, and it does not cover your whole undersökningsplikt. Even when a home is marketed as already inspected, your responsibility stays with you, so do not rely on the inspection report alone.

What you should do

• Go through the home carefully at the viewing, ideally more than once.
• Check that things work: turn on taps, flush, open windows and hatches, feel surfaces.
• Hire a besiktningsman (building inspector) for the technical side, but treat it as a complement, not the whole job.
• Ask the seller and the agent about anything that feels unclear, and request documentation.
• If you suspect something you cannot judge yourself, bring in an expert before you sign.