sambolagen

Sambolagen is a Swedish law that governs the rights and obligations of cohabiting couples who live together without being married. It applies to couples who share a dwelling and a common household and sets out how property and finances acquired during the relationship are treated if the relationship ends, whether through separation or death.

Key concepts under sambolagen include samboegendom, which refers to the home and household items that have been acquired or used for the shared residence during the relationship. In a dissolution, samboegendom is generally divided between the partners, typically on an equal basis, unless the partners have made a different agreement or certain items are classified as separate property. Property that each partner owned before the relationship or that was received as a gift or inheritance may be considered enskild egendom (separate property) and remain with that partner.

The law also addresses the surviving cohabitant after a partner’s death. The surviving partner may have the right to continue living in the shared home for a period during the estate settlement, to ensure stability and avoid immediate displacement. Automatic inheritance rights for a surviving cohabitant are not guaranteed by sambolagen; such rights depend on other legal rules or a valid will.

Sambolagen allows cohabitants to tailor arrangements through written agreements, such as contracts that specify how assets are to be handled or exclude certain property from the regime. The act does not cover all aspects of family life, such as support obligations, and does not apply to married couples or registered partners.

Overall, sambolagen provides a framework to protect non-marital couples in Sweden while encouraging clear arrangements for property and housing in the event of separation or death.