oral agreement in Sweden

Hi, I was wondering if anyone could help me find some information about Oral agreements here in Sweden or have any knowledge themselves.

A person purchased a phone contract and let me use the phone. I have had the phone for 4 months. Now that I am leaving Sweden I have mailed the phone back along with a couple months payment in order to give this person time to sell the phone and I guess pay off the contract, since you have to pay it in full to end it rather than just pay a fee. This person also got a free phone out of the deal, because I guess the phone I got was so cheap compared to the contract that the mobile people could throw in another phone. I told this person to sell both phones to end the contract.

This person wants me to pay 7000sek (roughly 950usd) and says that its going to be a police matter because oral agreements are binding and has a friend who can say "they were witness" to the agreement. What are people's thoughts? I am still in Sweden and won't be leaving just yet and I am afraid the police might come knock on my door. Also after writing all this another question has come to mind...Is this a police/criminal matter or a civil matter? If it is the later, why go to the police and what are this person's other options.

[tanja53]

Originally Posted by Unregistered Hi, I was wondering if anyone could help me find some information about Oral agreements here in Sweden or have any knowledge themselves. A person purchased a phone contract and let me use the phone. I have had the phone for 4 months. Now that I am leaving Sweden I have mailed the phone back along with a couple months payment in order to give this person time to sell the phone and I guess pay off the contract, since you have to pay it in full to end it rather than just pay a fee. This person also got a free phone out of the deal, because I guess the phone I got was so cheap compared to the contract that the mobile people could throw in another phone. I told this person to sell both phones to end the contract. This person wants me to pay 7000sek (roughly 950usd) and says that its going to be a police matter because oral agreements are binding and has a friend who can say "they were witness" to the agreement. What are people's thoughts? I am still in Sweden and won't be leaving just yet and I am afraid the police might come knock on my door. Also after writing all this another question has come to mind...Is this a police/criminal matter or a civil matter? If it is the later, why go to the police and what are this person's other options.

Hej
Oral agreements are legal binding in Sweden.
It can cost quit a bit of money to cancell a contract.

This person has to pay up otherwise he/she will get in trouble with collecters.

It is not a criminal matter plus I doubt that the police will even have the time to knock at your door.

It is not that common to sue in Sweden like in USA.
I know I am swedish living in US.

I dont like leanghty contracts at all. They can really cause problems if you need/want to cancell.
I prefer month to month, they are so much easier.