dröjsmålsränta

Dröjsmålsränta, or default interest, is the statutory interest charged when a payment on a monetary claim is overdue. It applies to overdue invoices, loans, or other obligations where a due date has passed and no agreement to a different rate applies. The concept is used in Sweden and is governed by the Swedish Interest Act (Räntelagen).

The rate is set in accordance with Räntelagen and is based on a base rate (the referensränta) with a fixed margin defined by the law. The exact value of dröjsmålsränta can change over time as the referensränta moves, and the current rate is published by the government in official rate tables. The interest begins to accrue from the day after the due date, or from the day after a reminder if the debtor has been formally reminded, and continues until payment is received.

Dröjsmålsränta applies unless the parties have agreed on a different interest rate for late payment. It is distinct from any contractual interest rate that may be agreed in a contract and from taxes or public charges. In practice, creditors may charge dröjsmålsränta for business-to-business and business-to-consumer transactions, subject to the protections and limitations set out in the law. There may be specific rules or caps in certain consumer contexts, and employers or tax authorities have separate regimes for late payments in their respective domains. The creditor bears the burden of proving the amount of interest charged and the applicable due date.