In Brief

  • The reform centralizes specific administrative tasks to a limited number of County Administrative Boards.
  • The primary goal is to increase operational efficiency and ensure better use of public resources.
  • Enhanced legal certainty for citizens is a key objective of the organizational change.

To streamline public administration and improve resource management, the Swedish Parliament is moving forward with a plan to consolidate specific tasks currently handled by all County Administrative Boards. By concentrating responsibilities such as rent deposits and individual case management to six selected regional offices, the government aims to create a more robust and uniform legal process across the country. These changes are scheduled to take full effect on January 1, 2027.

Why is the organization changing?

Currently, administrative tasks are spread across all regional offices. The government has identified that by concentrating certain specialized functions, the authorities can build deeper expertise and ensure a more consistent application of the law. This shift is intended to reduce administrative fragmentation and provide a more predictable service for those involved in these specific legal matters.

Which tasks are being moved?

The centralization focuses on three specific areas of administrative responsibility:

  • Deposits of rent and lease payments under the Land Code.
  • The phasing out of older land rights, specifically ‘åborätt’ and ’landgille’.
  • General individual case management.

These functions will be transferred to the County Administrative Boards in Norrbotten, Skåne, Stockholm, Västra Götaland, Örebro, and Östergötland. By limiting the number of offices handling these tasks, the state expects to achieve higher quality in decision-making and more efficient processing times.

Who is affected?

Individuals and Businesses

  • Tenants and Landlords: Those who utilize the system for depositing rent or lease payments will need to direct their cases to the designated regional offices rather than their local board.
  • Property Owners: Individuals or entities dealing with historical land rights, such as ‘åborätt’ or ’landgille’, will interact with the centralized units for the settlement of these rights.
  • General Applicants: Individuals with ongoing or new cases categorized under the affected administrative areas will experience a change in which office manages their file starting from January 1, 2027.