Public lift: responsibility, inspection and your rights

A public lift (offentlig hiss) is a lift that anyone may use, for example in a station, a cultural centre, a swimming hall or outdoors between two levels of a town. The rules for safety and inspection are basically the same as for the lift in your rental building: the owner is responsible, and there must always be a sign in the lift showing when the next inspection is due.

What is a public lift?

A public lift usually means a lift in a public setting that is not locked to the public. It is in a building or a place everyone has access to, and it should be usable by visitors who cannot or do not want to take the stairs, for example someone with a walker, a wheelchair or a pram.

The difference from the lift in a block of flats lies mostly in how it is used. It is used by many strangers every day. That is why it is often built to be sturdier, with heavier doors and fittings that withstand vandalism. The requirement that people with reduced mobility can use it is also central, since the lift is often the only way for them to get around.

Who is responsible for a public lift?

Responsibility lies with whoever owns the lift, or whoever is otherwise responsible for it. The owner must make sure the lift works and is safe, that it receives ongoing supervision, care and maintenance, and that it is inspected by an independent, accredited inspection body.

Boverket (the Swedish National Board of Housing, Building and Planning) writes the rules. Since 1 December 2025 they are found in three regulations instead of one: BFS 2025:11 on requirements for use, BFS 2025:12 on inspection and accreditation of inspection bodies, and BFS 2025:13 on lifts under the Lifts Directive. The municipal building committee (byggnadsnämnden) supervises compliance.

Inspection: how often the lift is checked

That the rules are needed shows in the statistics. In 2019, 210 incidents and accidents involving lifts were reported in Sweden, which then had 126,000 lifts, and one in five lifts had safety defects, according to Wikipedia.

A passenger lift is inspected for the first time before it is put into use. The first recurring inspection takes place after two years. After that, most lifts are inspected every year. Some lift types, including stairlifts, goods lifts and platform lifts serving no more than two homes, are inspected every other year.

After each inspection the owner receives a report. If the inspection body finds serious defects, a copy is also sent to the building committee. If the defects are serious, or if the inspection is not carried out on time, a ban on use applies: the lift may not be used until the fault is fixed or the inspection is done. The same applies after an accident or incident, which must be reported to the supervisory authority immediately.

Look at the sign in the lift

In every lift car, or on the platform, there must be a valid inspection sign showing the latest date for the next inspection. As a user you can read it yourself. If the date has passed, you can contact the municipality's building committee.

Public lift and the lift in your rental building

If you rent, the same safety rules apply to the lift in your stairwell: the property owner is responsible for maintenance and inspection, and the sign in the car shows whether the inspection has been done.

You are also protected by tenancy law. Under the Land Code (jordabalken) chapter 12 section 15, the landlord must keep spaces that tenants use in common, such as the stairwell and lift, in the condition the law requires, unless otherwise agreed. If the lift is out of service for a long time and this stops you from using your home as normal, it may be such a hindrance or impairment of your right of use that under chapter 12 section 16 entitles you to a reasonable rent reduction. The rent tribunal (hyresnämnden) can also, on the tenant's application, order the landlord to remedy a defect (åtgärdsföreläggande).

Note that under the same section, you and the landlord can agree that you will not get a rent reduction when the landlord carries out ordinary maintenance, for example a planned lift replacement. So read your lease and any renovation notice carefully.

If the lift is broken

1. Report the fault to the landlord right away and keep a copy of the report.
2. Note how long the lift is out of service and how it affects you.
3. Check the inspection sign in the car.
4. If the lift stops you from getting to and from your home, request a rent reduction in writing.
5. If you are a member of Hyresgästföreningen (the Swedish Union of Tenants), you can get advice on how to proceed.

Summary

A public lift and the lift in your rental building follow the same basic rules: the owner is responsible, the lift is usually inspected every year, and a sign in the car shows when the next inspection is due. If the inspection is overdue, you can turn to the municipal building committee. As a tenant you also have the right to demand that the landlord fixes a broken lift, and in some cases the right to a lower rent under the Land Code. More about your rights as a tenant is available from Hyresgästföreningen.