Can I complain about a neighbour's barking dog in Sweden?
Yes — persistent barking can be a "nuisance to human health", and then you can complain. A dog owner must keep the dog so that it does not disturb, under the Environmental Code, and the municipal environment administration (in Stockholm the environment and health committee) has the supervisory role and can issue orders or bans backed by a conditional fine. The threshold is real, though: the disturbance must not be minor or entirely temporary — repeated or night-time barking that disturbs several people counts, a single bark does not. You are usually expected to speak to the dog owner or the landlord first. You can also turn to the County Administrative Board, and in a rented or co-op flat the disturbance can ultimately cost the neighbour the home.
📋 The rules
- Persistent barking can be a nuisance to health
- The owner must keep the dog so it does not disturb
- Report to the municipal environmental office
- The office can order or ban with a conditional fine
- A single bark does not count — it must be repeated
🔓 Exceptions
- Minor or wholly temporary barking is exempt
- You are usually expected to contact the owner or landlord first
- In rural settings and with working dogs more noise may be tolerated
⚠️ Penalties & fines
The environment administration can issue an order or a ban, and if the dog owner does not comply a conditional fine can be enforced — a sum payable for not having fixed the problem. In serious cases the County Administrative Board can take the dog into custody under the Act on the Supervision of Dogs. The heaviest consequence is the home: a tenant who does not stop disturbing after a warning can be evicted. The reverse applies to you as complainant — a single or entirely temporary bark does not count, so a report needs repeated disturbance to bite.
📎 Official sources
- Environmental Code (1998:808) · Riksdagen →
- City of Stockholm · Report disturbances →
- Supervision of Dogs Act (2007:1150) · Riksdagen →
❓ Frequently asked
Can I complain about a neighbour with a barking dog?
Yes. Persistent barking can be a nuisance to human health under the Environmental Code, and you report it to the municipal environment administration, which supervises and can intervene.
Does all barking count as a disturbance?
No. A single or entirely temporary bark does not count. It must be repeated or at night and disturb several people, and in the countryside and with working dogs more noise is tolerated.
Who should I turn to?
Preferably the dog owner or the landlord first, since you are usually expected to have tried to solve it yourself. After that the municipal environment administration, and you can also contact the County Administrative Board.
What can happen to the dog owner?
An order or a ban that can be backed by a conditional fine, that is, a sum to pay if nothing is done. In serious cases the County Administrative Board can take the dog into custody.
Can a neighbour lose the flat?
Yes. A tenant who does not stop disturbing after a warning can ultimately be evicted, and the same can apply in a housing co-op where the disturbance is repeated.
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