Swedish Woman Sues State Over False Address Registrations at Summer Cottage

Ulla-Lena Lindqvist, a resident of Vidja near Huddinge, Sweden, is taking legal action against the Swedish state due to persistent false address registrations at her summer cottage. More than 90 strangers have registered their addresses there, causing her significant distress. Lindqvist's ordeal began in spring 2023 when she first found mail for unknown individuals in her mailbox. Despite reporting the issue to both the police and the Swedish Tax Agency (Skatteverket), the problem persisted, with the number of falsely registered individuals continuously increasing.

The situation has not only led Lindqvist to feel watched and unsafe but has also resulted in her resorting to removing her mailbox entirely, though this did not stop the mail from arriving. Investigations have revealed this is not an isolated incident; someone in her area appears to be illegally selling address registrations to companies and individuals, many of whom are reportedly from Ukraine.

Lindqvist is suing the state with support from the Centrum för rättvisa, a legal rights organization, claiming that Skatteverket’s inadequate response violates her property and privacy rights under the European Convention. She is seeking symbolic damages of 25,000 kronor, aiming to highlight the broader systemic problem. The Swedish Tax Agency reportedly handles about 20,000 erroneous registration cases annually and has announced plans to improve its processes through enhanced technology and better investigative methods.

Throughout this ordeal, Lindqvist has expressed feelings of powerlessness and vulnerability, hoping her case will not only resolve her own issue but also assist thousands facing similar challenges caused by the Tax Agency's mishandling of false registrations.