pantbrev

Pantbrev is a mortgage certificate used in Sweden to secure loans against real property. It is a lien created through registration with the land registry authority, Lantmäteriet. Each pantbrev is tied to a specific property and covers a fixed amount, which is the maximum debt the lien can secure. In practice, a property can have multiple pantbrev, each representing a separate mortgage on the same property, and the total of all pantbrev amounts must not exceed the property's value and the rules set by the relevant authorities.

When a bank or other creditor lends against a property, the creditor may require a pantbrev to be issued for the loan amount or for a portion of it. The pantbrev is registered against the property with a unique identification number. The property owner remains the legal owner, while the bank holds the lien as security. If the borrower repays the loan in full, the creditor releases the pantbrev and cancellation is registered with Lantmäteriet, removing the lien. If the loan is refinanced or increased, new pantbrev may be issued, creating an additional security up to the new limit.

On sale of the property, the existing pantbrev liens are settled from the proceeds; any remaining balance is paid to the seller unless otherwise agreed. Pantbrev therefore constitutes a security instrument rather than ownership, and plays a central role in Swedish real estate financing.