The rental dispute that has been ongoing for over a year is today in the Stockholm District Court. Zlatan Ibrahimovic is not present himself as he has been prevented, but his partner, Helena Seger, who owns one percent of the property, will be questioned during the afternoon.
On Thursday, witnesses will be heard, and the trial will conclude on Friday.
"A real shock"
On the first day in court, there was great interest, and the courtroom was full, with about ten people unable to get in.
The former football star bought the rental property on Östermalm in Stockholm two years ago. After Ibrahimovic took over the house, he ended up in conflict with a tenant – who had rented their home through an intermediary company – after the tenant was given notice last year.
The reason for the decision was that the property was to be renovated, and Ibrahimovic would use the apartment himself.
The subsequent eviction notice came as a surprise.
I was working from home one day, and there was a knock on the door, and two people from the Bailiff's Office were standing there, telling me that there was an eviction case. No one had warned me. It was, of course, stressful and difficult, the eviction was to take place in just 4-5 days, it came as a real shock, says the tenant.
Declined replacement apartments
However, the tenant did not move out, but instead sued the property owner and demanded to stay with the same rights as a first-hand tenant.
The dispute is based on a Supreme Court ruling from 2022, which strengthened the tenant's rights in alleged straw man schemes. Ibrahimovic's representative denies any straw man scheme and claims that the tenant did not have the apartment as a permanent residence.
The tenant has declined replacement apartments that have been offered.
