How to complain about a faulty service
Reklamera felaktig tjänst - Engelska
To make a complaint means that you are pointing out a problem with the service. For example, you can complain about a service that was poorly performed or if the result was not what you and the company agreed upon. How long you have the right to complain depends on the type of service you have purchased.
Translated page: This text has been translated from Swedish. The text and appearance of the page may look different from the original page.
When can you make a complaint according to the Consumer Services Act?
According to the Consumer Services Act, you can complain about a service if:
the result does not match what you agreed on or what you can reasonably expect
the work is not professionally executed, for example if it is done carelessly or if there are shortcomings
You must complain about the fault within 2 months from the time you discovered it.
The law applies to, among other things, contractor services, repair services, cleaning services and storage services.
What does professionally executed mean?
Professionally executed work means that the result should meet the expectations of a professional. For example, you should be able to assume that the company follows industry guidelines and recommendations.
How to file a complaint
The information is based on your rights according to the Consumer Services Act.
Firstly: that the company fixes the fault
You can first demand that the company corrects the fault free of charge. They must do this within a reasonable time. The company must cover all costs connected to correcting the fault. These can include materials, travel and labour.
Do you not want to let the company fix the fault?
If you are dissatisfied or have lost confidence in the company, this is usually not enough for you to refuse to let them try to correct the fault.
Is it clear that the company does not have the right competence to fix the error? Then you can argue that you should receive a price reduction or cancel the contract.
Secondly: that you receive a price reduction
If the company cannot correct the fault, a price reduction may be relevant. The reduction must correspond to the fault. This can, for example, be what it would cost to have the fault fixed by another company.
Another option is that you receive a price reduction without the fault being fixed. This may be relevant if everything works but there is a cosmetic defect.
Thirdly: that you can cancel the agreement
If the company has tried to fix the fault several times without success, or if the fault is so serious that the service is of no practical use to you, you may have the right to cancel the agreement.
Cancelling the contract means that the work stops. You do not have to pay for the work and the company does not have to finish it. You may need to return materials, as long as this does not cause you major inconvenience or cost.
Sometimes only part of the agreement can be cancelled, for example, if you benefit from the work the company has done. Then you may need to pay for the work you benefit from.
How much time you have to complain about a fault depends on the type of service you have bought.
Three years for storage services and work on movable items
For this type of service, you have up to 3 years to complain about a fault.
A storage service is, for example, when you pay a company to store your belongings.
Work on movable items can include repair, maintenance or cleaning. Some examples are:
- servicing or repairing a car
- car wash
- repairing a dishwasher
- furniture upholstery
Ten years for work on land, buildings and other fixed item
For work on land, buildings and other fixed items, you have the right to complain about a fault for up to 10 years.
Examples of such work include:
- building renovations
- painting
- floor laying
- drainage
- roof replacement
- drilling a water well
- fiber burial
Complain as soon as you discover the fault
You must complain about the fault within a reasonable time from when you discovered it. If you complain within 2 months, it is always considered to be within a reasonable time.
If you wait too long before complaining, you may lose your right to demand that the company corrects the fault.
You should not have any extra costs because the service is faulty. The company must cover the cost of correcting the fault. They must also compensate you if you have additional costs.
You have the right to withhold as much of the payment for the work as corresponds to your claim for compensation.
Examples of additional costs:
- cost for travel, for example if you need to travel to and from the company to deal with your complaint
- loss of income, for example if you need to take time off work to inspect the fault together with the company
- cost for a statement from an inspector or other expert (if it’s needed to prove the fault)
You must be able to prove your costs
You must be able to provide documentation of the costs you have had in order to receive compensation. This may be receipts, invoices or other certificates.
The costs must be reasonable and have a direct connection to the fault. If you want compensation for loss of income, you must be able to prove it, for example with a certificate from your employer.
You cannot claim compensation for the inconvenience or the time you spend making the complaint.
The company must correct the fault within a reasonable time. What is considered a reasonable time is assessed case by case. It depends, among other things, on the type of fault and how urgently you need it to be fixed.
In some cases the fault needs to be fixed quickly, for example to prevent it from becoming worse or causing other damage. Or the fault may affect your everyday life a lot. This can, for example, be if you do not have heating in your home or cannot use the water.
In other cases it may be less urgent. The time of year can also mean that the fault cannot be corrected immediately. For example, it may be unsuitable to repaint the exterior of a house in winter. In such cases you may need to wait until it is appropriate to fix the fault.
If the company has caused damage when carrying out the service, you have the right to claim compensation under the Consumer Services Act.
This may involve:
- the item that the service concerns being damaged, for example if the company that is supposed to change your car tyres makes a scratch in the paint
- the company damaging other property, for example if the company that is repairing the heat pump drops a tool and damages the floor
The compensation is intended to cover the damage. You cannot expect compensation that puts you in a better position than before the damage occurred. or example, if you have a scratch in the floor, it is not reasonable to have the entire floor replaced free of charge.
Sometimes the company has the skills to repair the damage. In such cases you may need to let them do that instead of receiving financial compensation.
When you discover faults or defects, it is important to document them. You need to be able to show the company what you think is wrong. This also becomes important if you and the company do not agree. Therefore, save all documentation.
How to document the fault
You can document the fault by taking pictures or filming, for example. The quality needs to be good enough for the fault to be clearly visible. Sometimes you may need both close-ups and photos that show how the fault looks in relation to its surroundings.
When it's not possible to document the fault
Some faults can be difficult to show, for example with photos. If there is no good way to document the fault, you can describe it when you contact the company to complain.
In some cases you may need help with an expert assessment
Is it not possible to show the fault through pictures or similar methods? Or are you unsure if the service is faulty? In that case you may need help from an expert who can assess the work.
In some areas there are inspectors you can contact. In other areas you might be able to ask another company that carries out the same type of services if they can give you an assessment.
When you discover a fault, it is important to contact the company as soon as possible. You need to give them the chance to inspect and correct the fault. It is common that the company needs to come and look at the fault in order to assess what has caused it and what they need to do.
You do not need to know the cause of the fault. The important thing is that you point out the fault as soon as possible. You may need to compensate the company for the inspection if it turns out that the fault was not caused by their work.
If the company has made a mistake, they must correct the fault at no cost to you. They must cover all costs for correcting the fault, including materials, travel and labour.
Contact the company in writing
It is good to have written documentation showing that you have complained to the company. Therefore it is a good idea to send a text message or an email. You can also attach documentation showing the fault, for example photos.
If you prefer to call, you can write down what was said after the call and send it in an email to the company.
Template for what you can write to the company
If the company do not want to fix the fault
You can continue reading the step "What applies if you and the company do not agree?"
If there are faults in the work, you have the legal right to withhold part of or all of the payment. This works as a way to put pressure on the company and as protection for you.
How much of the payment you can withhold
The payment you withhold must correspond to the fault. In principle, this means that you can withhold an amount large enough to cover the cost of bringing in another company to correct the fault.
Example: It would cost you SEK 10,000 to correct the fault and the invoice is for SEK 20,000. You then pay SEK 10,000 and withhold SEK 10,000.
If you do not know exactly what it would cost to correct the fault, you can withhold an amount with some margin. Sometimes it may help to contact other companies to get a price estimate for what it would cost to correct the fault.
When you have a claim for compensation
Have you had costs because of the fault? If so, you have the right to withhold as much of the payment as corresponds to your claim for compensation.
Inform the company that you are withholding payment
It is important that you inform the company in writing that you are withholding payment and why. You can, for example, send an email or a text message.
If you have received an invoice, you need to dispute it. Explain that you will not pay the invoice and why. Be clear that it is because there are faults in the work and that you are withholding all or part of the payment.
Compensation for damages caused by the company
Has the company caused damage to something in your home, but carried out the service correctly? Then you cannot withhold the payment. The claims you have for compensation for the damage must instead be made as separate claims to the company.
If it does not get resolved
Choose the option that best fits your situation.
If the company does not agree with you that the fault is due to their work, there are a few things you may need to do to move forward.
You need to be able to show that the fault is due to the company's work
To be able to demand anything from the company, you must be able to prove that the fault is due to their work.
If you cannot show the fault through photos or similar methods, you may sometimes need help from an expert in the field who can assess the work. In some cases there may be several possible explanations for why a fault has occurred.
For example, if you have a water damage, there may be several reasonable explanations for why it has happened, even if you believe it is due to the contractor’s work. Sometimes more thorough investigations are needed to see whether there are faults, for example if there are suspected defects in moisture barriers or pipe installations. In such cases you may need help from an inspector who can give a statement on the shortcomings.
Make sure to get written documentation of all inspections and similar. Save the documentation as evidence.
Try contacting the company again
Can you prove that the company has made a mistake? Contact the company one more time before you take the matter further. If you have, for example, received documentation proving the fault, you can send a copy to the company. Contact the company in writing, for example by email or text message.
Does the company still say no, or do they not respond? Read under “If you need guidance” or “Have your case reviewed".
The company must correct the fault within a reasonable time. What is considered a reasonable time is assessed case by case. It depends, among other things, on the type of fault and how urgently you need it to be corrected.
In some cases the fault must be corrected quickly, for example to prevent it from getting worse or causing damage. Or the fault may have a major impact on your everyday life.
In other cases it may be less urgent to correct the fault. For example, the time of year may mean that it is not possible to correct the fault immediately. It may be unsuitable to repaint the exterior of a house in winter. In such cases you may need to wait until it is appropriate to correct the fault.
Possibility to turn to another company
If the company does not correct the fault within a reasonable time, you can consider turning to another company to have the fault corrected.
Contact the company in writing, for example by email or text message. Explain that you will need to turn to another company if they cannot correct the fault soon.
Have you withheld payment because of the fault? If so, you can at the same time inform them that you intend to use the amount you have withheld to pay for the work.
Have you already paid for all the work? Then you can inform the company that you intend to claim compensation for the cost of bringing in another company.
Remember that you must always pay the new company. You can afterwards claim compensation from the first company.
It is important that you can show that you complained about the delay in correcting the fault before turning to another company.
To be able to move forward with the matter, you need to make sure of a few things.
- You need to be able to prove which damage the company has caused. Make sure you have, for example, photos that clearly show the damage.
- You need to be able to show that you have demanded that the company compensates for the damage. Therefore contact the company in writing, for example by email or text message.
- Is it possible to repair the damage? Then it may be useful to have documentation, for example a quotation, showing what it may cost to repair it.
Have you documented the damages and made a claim to the company? Read further under “Have your case reviewed.”
Your complaint applies even if the company does not respond. The important thing is that you can prove that you complained and when.
If the company has carried out the service incorrectly, the company must correct it within a reasonable time. If the company does not correct the fault, you can demand a price reduction corresponding to the fault and compensation for any additional costs.
Contact the company in writing again. Set a reasonable time limit within which you require a response to your complaint. Inform the company that you will turn to another company if they do not respond within this time. Also state that you are withholding payment or that you are demanding a refund.
More guidance or dispute resolution
- Many municipalities offer consumer advice. They may be able to provide more support and guidance.
- Have you bought something from a company in the EU, Norway, Iceland or the United Kingdom? Then ECC Sweden may be able to help you.
- If you want the matter to be reviewed, you can contact the National Board for Consumer Disputes (ARN). You can also take the matter to court.
Choose an option based on the country where the company is located. Are you unsure which country the company is registered in? Select "Swedish company".
Do you need help clarifying your rights or want to discuss how to proceed with your case? In that case, you can contact the municipality's consumer guidance, or the guidance provided by our national information service.
Municipality's Consumer Guidance
Many municipalities provide consumer guidance where you can seek free information and support. The assistance offered may vary from one municipality to another.
The Swedish Consumer Agency
If you need guidance, you can contact our national information service. We can provide information on your rights and what options you have to make progress. We provide independent guidance and therefore cannot assess your individual matter, resolve disputes or contact companies for you.
If you are residing in Sweden and the company you have issues with is registered in another EU country, Norway, Iceland or the United Kingdom, you can receive free advice from ECC Sweden.
ECC Sweden is part of a network of consumer offices within the EU. In some cases, ECC Sweden may share the case with a sister office in another country to attempt to reach a solution through mediation.
Contact ECC Sweden
To get assistance with your case, you need to ensure that you have filed a written complaint to the company.
To ECC Sweden, you need to submit a description of the problem and documentation showing what has happened. Documentation is necessary if your case is to be shared with any sister office in another country. Remember to keep your originals and only send copies to ECC Sweden.
Send your case via email to: konsumenteuropa@konsumentverket.se
The email should include:
- Your first and last name and the name of the company you purchased from
- A description of the problem and how you want the company to resolve it
- The date you placed the order and the date you received it
- The price of the item/service and how you paid
- Documentation as evidence of your case
Examples of documentation:
- Agreement/terms of agreement
- Screenshots of advertisements
- Invoice/receipts for purchases
- Complaint or right of withdrawal notice
Once you have submitted your case, you will usually receive a response within approximately 1 month.
ECC Sweden cannot:
- Force a company to act according to the law. The work is based on the company being willing to cooperate with the ECC network to reach a resolution.
- Mediate in a case if we cannot identify the seller or if the seller refuses to cooperate with the ECC network.
- Act as legal representation or assist when the consumer has already initiated legal proceedings.
- Assist in purchases between businesses or purchases between individuals.
If you have any questions
ECC Sweden is part of the Swedish Consumer Agency. Do you need help clarifying your rights or want to discuss if and how you can proceed with your case? Then you can contact our information service.
If you and the company cannot reach an agreement, you can file a complaint to the public authority The National Board for Consumer Disputes (ARN).
ARN will assess your case and make a recommendation on how to resolve the dispute. Most companies follow ARN’s recommendations.
A normal processing time is approximately six months.
What does it cost to file a complaint with ARN?
It costs SEK 150 to file a complaint with ARN. When you submit your complaint, you can request that the company compensates you for the cost if ARN makes a recommendation in your favour.
Requirements for ARN to consider your case
- The company has either rejected your claims or has not responded within a reasonable time.
- The amount you and the company disagree on exceeds the value limit set by ARN. You cannot include the application fee to ARN.
- You file the complaint within one year from the first time you complained to the company.
Submit a complaint on ARN's website
If you need help with your complaint
Sometimes, the municipal consumer advisors can assist you in making a complaint to ARN.
Have you followed all the steps in this process? Do you still have a dispute with the company? Then you can take the dispute to court. Contact the district court (tingsrätten).
It costs money to submit an application to the court.
If you are unsure whether you should take the matter to court or need assistance with your case, you can seek help from a lawyer.
Before you hire legal assistance, you can contact your insurance company. Many home insurance policies include legal protection. It can cover certain costs related to legal proceedings.
How much does it cost?
A dispute about a claim under SEK 29,600 (half a price base amount in 2026), is known as a simplified litigation or small claim. The application fee is then SEK 900.
If the claim exceeds SEK 29,600, or if the dispute does not concern a specific amount, the application fee is SEK 2,800.
If you lose the case, you may be required to pay both your and the company's legal costs. However, in small claims, the costs you may have to pay are limited.
How a lawsuit is handled in the district court on the website of the Swedish Courts
Proofread: 5 May 2025
The content is presented in collaboration with ECC Sweden, which is part of the ECC network and the Swedish Consumer Agency's information service. ECC Sweden is part-financed by the European Union.
The content of this website represents the views of the author only and it is his/her sole responsibility; it cannot be considered to reflect the views of the European Commission and/or the European Innovation Council and Small and Medium-sized Enterprises Executive Agency (EISMEA) or any other body of the European Union. The European Commission and the Agency do not accept any responsibility for use that may be made of the information it contains.
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