Student housing in Finland: house rules and responsibilities

Student housing in Finland means living independently. As a Hoas tenant, you are responsible for taking care of your apartment and following the rules of your building. Hoas takes care of maintenance that belongs to the lessor, but tenants also have responsibilities, such as keeping the apartment clean, reporting faults and using appliances correctly.  

Living in a Hoas home is much like renting any other home. As a Hoas tenant, you are expected to: 

Hoas has detailed instructions for tenants. 

You are responsible for taking care of your apartment and for any damage caused by you. Normal wear and tear is part of everyday living and is not charged to the tenant. 

Hoas recommends cleaning your home regularly and remembering to clean the bathroom floor drain, including the drain trap, from time to time. You should also fill in a fault report when something needs to be repaired. 

Some maintenance tasks are the tenant’s responsibility. For example, changing light bulbs and replacing a blown fuse are normally the tenant’s responsibility. Hoas provides a tenant responsibility chart to help you check who is responsible for a particular task. 

If something in your apartment needs maintenance, report the fault to Hoas. It is important to report faults promptly. If you notice a problem but fail to report it and this causes further damage, you may be responsible for the resulting repair costs. For example, report a leak as soon as you notice it to prevent further damage. 

You need Hoas’ permission before making certain changes to your apartment. Tenants should not make changes to the apartment’s structures or fixed furniture without permission. This includes, for example, painting walls a different colour. 

Some alterations are possible. For example, you can ask for permission to paint a wall a different colour through MyHoas. Other alterations, such as certain security installations or flooring, have their own requirements. 

Check the instructions or contact Hoas before starting the work. 

Hoas inspects apartments when tenants move in and out. The inspections help identify any cleaning, repair or maintenance needs. 

When you move into a new Hoas home, complete the move-in report in MyHoas within 10 days of the start of your tenancy agreement. 

Use the report to document the condition of the apartment and report any existing defects, even if they do not affect your everyday living. Once you have submitted the report, you will not be held responsible for pre-existing damage that you have documented. If something needs to be repaired, submit a separate fault report in MyHoas. 

When you terminate your tenancy, Hoas carries out a preliminary inspection during the last month of your tenancy. The inspection identifies cleaning and repair work that you may need to take care of before moving out. 

After your tenancy has ended, Hoas carries out a moving inspection. If repairs or cleaning are still needed because of issues that are the tenant’s responsibility, the costs can be invoiced according to Hoas’ tenant charge sheet. 

Depending on the Hoas property, tenants may have access to facilities such as laundry rooms, saunas, storage spaces and common or club rooms.  

At most Hoas properties, tenants can use the laundry room and sauna free of charge. Both are normally bookable through Hoas’ booking system. 

Laundry rooms may include washing machines, dryers, drying cabinets, spin dryers and drying rooms.  

Sauna times are also booked separately. Depending on the property, tenants can book a certain amount of sauna times per month. Sauna heating times can vary between properties. 

Waste sorting is part of everyday life in Finnish housing. Hoas’ rules instruct residents to sort waste correctly. The basic principle is simple: put each type of waste in the correct waste container and follow the instructions at your property. 

The exact waste containers and arrangements can vary between properties. If you are unsure where something belongs, check the instructions provided at your building and use Hoas’ or HSY’s detailed recycling guidance.