Housing Guide for Immigrants

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TABLE OF CONTENTS Quick tips for housing ......................................... 3

THE ‘ABC’ GLOSSARY TO HOUSING IN FINLAND 4

SEARCHING FOR A RESIDENCE ........................... 5

CHECK-LIST FOR MOVING HOUSE ......................8

HOUSING ............................................................ 10A Finnish �at ..................................................... 10Safety and emergency situations....................... 11The tenant’s rights and responsibilities ............12Housing allowance ..............................................13Keys .....................................................................13Electricity and water .......................................... 14Ventilation and heating ......................................15Cleaning .............................................................. 16Kitchen .................................................................17Toilet and bathroom .......................................... 19Balcony ...............................................................20Common areas: stair wells, yards and lift .........21Utility rooms ...................................................... 22Laundry .............................................................. 22Sauna .................................................................. 23TV and telecommunications .............................. 23Waste and recycling ...........................................24Repairs ............................................................... 25Parking ................................................................ 25

LIVING TOGETHER..............................................26 Tenant democracy .............................................26 Rules and regulations .......................................26Relations with neighbours and domesticharmony ............................................................. 27

MISCELLANEOUS ...............................................28Travel and guests ...............................................28Pests ...................................................................28

CONTACT INFORMATION ..................................29

Dear Reader,We welcome you to Finland – and to Tampere!

This guide deals with many details with regard to housing for you. In order for you to begin to feel at home as much as possible, we wish to give you some tips on special features that pertain to housing in Finland.

The tips contained in this guide mainly apply to rental housing. It will give you some advice for good housing and for the upkeep of the home.

QUICK TIPS FOR HOUSING 1 Pay your rent on time each month

2 Comply with the rules and regulations of the residential association

3 Take good care of your apartment

4 Get home insurance

5 You are entitled to domestic peace and a comfortable environment

6 Keep track of your keys

7 You must reserve your own turn in the laundry room

8 Ventilate the indoor air quickly, especially in winter

9 Do not pour water on the �oor. The �oors must be washed with a wet cloth

10 Litter must be taken to the waste container located in the yard

11 Apartments may not be renovated without the permission of the landlord

12 The emergency number is 112. Call this number in case of emergency

DO NOT HESITATE TO ASK IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT SOMETHING

ISBN:978-951-609-842-8

Kustantaja:Tampereen kaupunkiAsuntotoimi

Teksti ja kuvat: Aksu PiippoKäännetty Pirkanmaan tulkkikeskuksessaKieli: englantiTaitto: Aino MyllyluomaPaino: Juvenes Print

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THE ‘ABC’ GLOSSARY TO HOUSING IN FINLAND You can get assistance and guidance from a variety of places. A housing o¤cer, property manager and the social services will help you with questions pertaining to housing. If you are in di¤culties you may also ask for advice from the maintenance company.

Landlord The landlord is the owner of the apartment. The tenancy agreement is made between you and the landlord.

Property managerThe property manager is responsible for maintenance and the administration of the housing association and also helps in situations relating to good neighbourliness. The property manager is also the landlord’s representative with whom to raise any matters relating to housing.

Maintenance CompanyThe maintenance company performs minor repairs in the apartment and is responsible for the tidiness of the building and the yards. You will ¥nd the contact information of the maintenance company on the notice board located on the staircase.

Social services The social services care for Tampere residents, ensuring they are able to manage ¥nancially. Social services organize services that help and sustain people. The services are statutory.

Housing counsellor A housing counsellor is a person who guides and helps with issues relating to housing. A housing counsellor works within the social services and in collaboration with housing associations.

SEARCHING FOR A RESIDENCE

Looking for a residenceOnce you have obtained the residence permit and your identity number, you may start searching for a place to live.

In Tampere, you may search for one at Asuntotori – “Housing Market Service” (contact information is provided at the end of this guide). At Asuntotori, you may ¥ll in applications to di«erent landlords. You may also use the websites of the various housing associations and ¥ll in and submit it your application there.

You can also search for private rental housing. Private rented �ats can be found through newspaper ads or the internet (housing-related websites are provided in the end of this guide).

There are also owner-occupied �ats available in Finland. A �at may be purchased with savings or by means of a mortgage. The so-called ‘right-of-occupancy dwelling’ is a dwelling for which the occupant pays a part of its value. Furthermore, a monthly charge for use is payable.

A suitable residence: what kind of residence – and where? Think about what kind of apartment you need. What kind can you a«ord? How much space do you require?

Apartments are more expensive in city centres than those further out from the centre. The buses of Tampere city public transport also o«er a frequent service outside the city centre. Shops and other necessary services can be found outside the city centre, too.

A BC

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Tenancy agreement A tenant and the owner of the apartment make a written lease agreement. The renting of accommodation is prescribed by the Act on Residential Leasing.

The agreement establishes the term of the tenancy. It also speci¥es the amount of rent to be paid as well as the conditions under which a landlord may raise the rent.

The rent must be paid monthly and on time. The due date is indicated in the agreement. The rent shall always be paid by the due date, to the bank account of the landlord.

The accommodation shall be rented out in the condition it was in at the moment of signing the rental agreement.

The owner of the residence may ask you to pay a security deposit. It guarantees that you pay the rent on time and take a good care of the dwelling. The security deposit may be an amount that corresponds to the rent of 1 to 3 months. You will get the security deposit back when you move out from the dwelling, as long as no problems have arisen during the rental period and the residence is in good condition.

Giving notice on tenancy agreementGiving notice on tenancy agreement implies termination of the agreement.

The tenant may terminate the tenancy agreement at one month’s notice.

The landlord may terminate the tenancy agreement at three months’ notice, if the tenant has been living in the apartment for less than a year.

The landlord may terminate the tenancy agreement at six months’ notice, if the tenant has been living in the apartment for more than a year.

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Arrange the electricity agreement for your new address by phoning the electricity company. You may also make the agreement online.

Submit the noti�cation of your new address within one week of the move at the latest. You may also do it in advance. The noti¥cation can be made online, on the website www.muuttoilmoitus.¥. The noti¥cation to move must be done with respect to each move, with all the moving family members mentioned in it.

You may also submit the noti¥cation of the move on a hard copy form. The forms are available in post o¤ces as well as at Kela (the Social Insurance Institution of Finland).

Remember to let your bank, insurance company and any others who might need the information, know about your new address.

You are responsible for invoices addressed to you being sent to the correct address and getting paid on time.

Advise the property manager and the maintenance company of your move. The contact information can be found on the notice board on the staircase.

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Carry out a home inspection in your new home. During the home inspection, you can make a note of possible faults and �aws found during the inspection, and advise the property manager of them. You may also photograph these faults and shortcomings. At the same time, you ensure that you are not liable for the faults yourself.

Get home insurance for yourself.

When you move house, remember to give notice of your tenancy agreement on time. Also remember to take care to transfer your electricity agreement and possible Internet agreement. Submit the notication of move. Return the keys.

If you are moving to another country, notify the Register O¤ce of your new country of residence.

Remember to clean your old dwelling and hand over all its keys.The security deposit will be returned, once the dwelling is in good order, the keys have been handed over and the rent paid for the entire length of occupancy.

CHECK-LIST FOR MOVING HOUSE

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HOUSING

A Finnish �at

Finnish rental �ats do not normally include furniture, carpets or curtains. They, as well as light ¥ttings, need to be purchased by the tenant himself.

The toilet, bathroom and kitchen have ¥tments as well as some lights. The �ats are equipped with closets or other storage space.

No smoking is allowed indoors. In many homes, smoking on the balcony is also forbidden.

112The emergency number is 112. Call the number in case of emergency, i.e. when your own or someone else’s life, health, property or environment is in danger, e.g. in case of ¥re. The call is free of charge. No area code is required.

The law requires that all accommodation has a functioning ¥re alarm. If there is no ¥re alarm in your �at, you yourself must get one. Every month, check that your ¥re alarm is functioning. Replace smoke alarm batteries if �at.

Buy a ¥re blanket for your home, whereby you can extinguish small ¥res. Hang up the ¥re blanket e.g. on the kitchen wall.

The maintenance company must always be immediately informed of any leakage or moisture damage.

Safety and emergency situations

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The tenant’s rights and responsibilities

You have the right to domestic peace and comfortable housing. You have the right to have an impact on matters within your home building.

A tenant must comply with the rules and regulations of the house. That way, all occupants have a comfortable environment and good neighbourliness is maintained. The tenant is also responsible for having his/her visitors comply with the rules of the house. The tenant must see to maintaining the �at in good condition. Should the tenant intentionally break something, he/she must pay for its repairs him/herself.

If damage is caused to the structure of the building, the landlord must be immediately noti¥ed.

It is advisable for you to take out home insurance with an insurance company, to provide security for your �at and for your belongings. By means of home insurance, it is possible to obtain reclamation for broken goods. The landlord may require that you take out home insurance.

If you do not pay the rent, the landlord may cancel the tenancy agreement. This may also occur, if you cause disturbance or damage. You must, in that case, move out from the apartment.

If an occupant does not look after his/her apartment or disturbs others, he/she will ¥rst receive a warning. If the tenant does not pay his/her rent, the landlord has no obligation to issue a warning before an eviction. Eviction means the requirement to move out immediately.

Housing allowance

If the family has a low income, the State may pay for a part of the rent in the form of a housing allowance. The allowance may be applied for from Kela (The National Social Insurance Institution). Kela’s contact information can be found on the back page of this guide. Ask for help as required.

Keys

Take good care of your keys. Do not keep the key in the door.

If you are locked out of your house without a key you may call the maintenance company and a representative will come and open the door. A charge is applied for the opening service. The door shall only be opened to the occupant of the �at.

Advise your landlord if any house keys are lost. In most cases, the tenant will need to pay for the new lock as well as for changing the keys. Changing the lock costs hundreds of euros.

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Electricity and water

You must enter into an electricity contract together with the electricity company. The contact information for the electricity company of Tampere can be found on the back page of this guide.

The water taps provide cold and warm water to the homes. The water is clean and potable. If no warm water comes out of the tap, contact the maintenance company. The maintenance company must be noti¥ed of any leakages and problems with drains.

Electricity or water should not be wasted. When you reduce consumption of electricity, your electricity bill will be lower. The water charge may be separate or included in the rent. Either way, wastage of water will increase residential costs.

The fuses must be replaced by the occupant. If a fuse blows, you must buy a new one. If a power point is damaged, advise the maintenance company. A power point must not be overhauled by the occupant.

Ventilation and heating

In Finnish houses the ventilation occurs by means of valves and tubes. The valves must be kept clean. Ventilation must not be obstructed.

The room temperature is usually between 20°C and 22°C.The windows are equipped with seals that prevent the cold air from getting in. If the windows steam up, or are a«ected by frost or ice, contact the maintenance company.

The windows have small ventilation windows. Ventilate the indoor air quickly, especially in winter. Do not leave the windows open, when you leave the �at. Keeping the windows open in cold weather will be expensive for you and the housing company.

The heat comes into the rooms through radiators. The temperature of the radiators is adjustable by the thermostat provided on the radiator. If the radiator does not get warm, notify the maintenance company. In summer the radiators are not heated.

The radiators may not be completely covered.

A sauna or a stove is not meant for heating the �at.

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Cleaning

Finnish houses are not equipped to deal with copious amounts of water, so do not pour water on the �oor. No water must be sprayed on the walls or windows.

Detergents must be selected according to the surface and material.

The �oors shall be washed with a damp cloth or a mop.

The ceiling may be cleaned with a vacuum cleaner or by brushing it lightly.

Wallpapered walls may not be washed. They may be vacuum cleaned, or lightly brushed. Painted walls may be wiped with a damp cloth.

Stains may be removed with an all-purpose detergent. Thereafter, the detergent shall be wiped o« with a damp cloth. Vinyl �oorings / lino may be vacuum cleaned, and wiped with a damp cloth.

If a light in your house breaks, you must buy a new one, to replace it.

Kitchen

In the kitchen there is a mains connection, a stove and a fridge. Any defects should be brought to the attention of the property manager or the maintenance company immediately.

In Finnish kitchens there are cupboards and drawers for storing kitchen appliances.

You will also ¥nd a dish draining closet and some sort of cutting board. The kitchen worktops may be used for preparing food and for storing objects. Do not place hot dishes directly on the worktops.

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In the toilet there is a mains connection, a toilet with seat, and an adjacent hand shower. The toilet and bathroom are often ¥tted in the same space.

Only toilet paper may be disposed in the toilet bowl. Do not throw sanitary towels, diapers, cotton, hair, litter, food or other waste into it.

If the drain of the toilet seat becomes obstructed, notify the maintenance company immediately. Also let the maintenance company know if the tap or the toilet bowl leaks. Clean the �oor drain once a month. The seal of the washbasin shall be cleaned by the occupant, as necessary.

Turn o« the washing machine when you leave the house. Keep the connected water tap closed when you are not using the washing machine. The water hose may detach and cause water damage if the tap is left open.

A ventilator is located above the stove. You should clean the �lter of the ventilator at two-month intervals.

Keep the fridge clean. Clean the oven, stove and the hotplates, so that dirt will not stick. The oven should be pulled out once a year and the back of the oven cleaned.

A dishwasher may only be installed by a quali¥ed mechanic who must be ordered for the job. Keep the tap closed when you do not use the dishwasher. If you leave the tap open and the water tap comes o« this may cause water damage.

If you have a sauna in your apartment, keep it clean. Warming the sauna uses a lot of electricity. You must not pour anything other than water on the heated stones. Do not use the sauna for drying laundry or keeping it for storage.

Toilet and bathroom

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Balcony

The balcony must be kept clean. In winter, the balcony must be cleared of snow. The drainage channels located on the balcony must be kept clean.

You may dry your laundry on the balcony. Keep the laundry on a rack within the balcony. Dusting and airing of carpets and other textiles must be done in the yard.

Common areas: stairwells, yards and lifts

The stairwells, hallways and the yard are common areas. No noise or smoking is allowed in these common areas. Goods may only be stored in the spaces reserved for them. Keeping objects out in the corridors constitutes a ¥re safety risk. Prams may not be kept on the stairwell.

Keep the stairwell clean.

Keep the door of your �at closed. Ventilation of the stairwell is not allowed. Children must not play in the lift, stairwell or storage area, but at home or in the yard.

There may be furniture, plants, as well as play areas for children in the yard. Damage to objects or the recreational areas will not be tolerated. Notify the property manager if any furniture, trees, bushes and �owers situated in the yard are damaged.

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Utility rooms

The housing company has a general television antenna, or it belongs to the cable network. The aerial lead shall be connected to your personal plug, as well as to the TV or digibox.

If you want to have an additional or a parabolic antenna on the terrace, ask for the property manager’s authorization. An authorization is not always available.

There are many types of Internet connections. Usually the Finnish residential buildings have a quick Internet connection already in place. You must, however, take up a contract with the operator. You may ask your landlord for a recommendation.

Sauna

The occupants take their own turns in the sauna facilities of the housing company. You can reserve your own weekly turn from the property manager.

Only take a sauna when it is your turn and keep the dressing room and other spaces tidy. Dry the �oor of the washroom before leaving.

Laundry

The laundry room must be reserved for your turn before you do your washing. After using the laundry or drying room you must always leave them clean. You should bring your own detergents and softeners. The drying room is intended only for drying laundry. Sometimes a turn must also be reserved for the drying room.

There is usually a common storage area for bikes and prams. In addition, there may be a small storeroom for each �at. You may buy a lock for the door of your storeroom, to safeguard your belongings. Keep bicycles locked in the bicycle rack or the bicycle garage.

TV and telecommunications

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Waste and recycling

RepairsRenovation work or repairs to the �at are not allowed without the prior permission of the landlord. The upkeep of rental �ats is the responsibility of the tenant, whereas the maintenance company or property manager is responsible for minor repair jobs.

If you wish to repaint or otherwise decorate the house, ask for the authorization of the property manager ¥rst. A rental �at may only be repaired with the permission of the landlord.

Trash bags may not be stored on the terrace or staircase, even temporarily.

Household waste and other refuse must be taken to the sorting containers located in the yard. The waste must be sorted by content to the di«erent bins. Individual bins for paper, cardboard and compostable waste are provided in the yard of the housing company. There may also be individual sorting containers for plastic, glass and metal.

Do not put food oil or leftovers down the drain, as they will choke it.

The “biowaste” is for decomposable articles, such as co«ee and tea grounds, paper towels, fruit peels, etc.

Wastepaper is for old newspapers and magazines, advertisement �yers and other paper waste.

For disposal in cardboard bins are sorted milk and juice cartons, cardboard, paper bags and cardboard packaging.

Metal waste shall take all household metal objects and packages. Glass objects may be placed in a glass recycling bin. Empty bottles can be taken back to the shops. You may get some money for their return.

Place food oil in a closed container for miscellaneous waste, and treat solid grease as organic waste. Place rotting food with organic waste.

Do not leave furniture or electrical appliances in the yard or in the waste container area. These items must be taken for recycling or to a land¥ll. Place the waste already at home into di«erent bins and take them to the appropriate containers.

Batteries, �uorescent lights and chemicals are hazardous waste and must be taken to proper collection points or a recycling centre.

Old electrical devices or electrical waste shall be taken to the recycling centre, home electronics stores or to a rubbish station.

Parking

Some dwellings provide a parking place or it may be rented separately. An agreement is drawn up in writing. The rent for the parking place is paid in conjunction with the rent of the �at.

Car parking is only allowed in places reserved for the purpose. You may receive a ¥ne for a parking violation.

In very cold weather the car may be plugged into an electric socket at the parking spot. The electric socket must be kept locked.

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LIVING TOGETHER

Tenant democracy

All tenants have the same rights and responsibilities. All tenants may jointly have an in�uence on issues in their building, and its comfort.

In blocks of �ats or terraced houses, tenant activities may be organized. A building often has a Tenants Committee of its own. It may e.g. organize voluntary work where the yard and common areas are maintained. The Tenants Committee may also organize other activities and clubs.

Rules and regulations

Everyone has the right to live in his/her own home in peace, and to feel safe there.

Every building has its own rules and regulations. They may vary a little from one to another. All tenants must comply with the rules and regulations. They concern the common rules of the building. They describe what is agreed to in common areas and the ways the other residents should be taken into consideration.

Normally there is silence between 10 pm and 7 am. Neighbours must be allowed peace during the nocturnal hours. No noise that disturbs the neighbours should be heard during these hours. Visitors may not make any noise either. The tenant is responsible for the behaviour of his guests.

If the noise emanating from the neighbour’s is disturbing, you can notify the property manager. Pets may not disturb the neighbours. Keep your pets on a lead when you walk with them on the stairway and in the yard. The yard is not an area for walking pets. Place your pets’ excrement in a waste container.

Relations with neighbours and domestic harmony

Greet your neighbours. Finns are, compared with other nationalities, a bit shy and reserved. Finnish neighbours may keep a distance at ¥rst but that does not mean that they are rude or angry.

Finns do not always chat with their neighbours, and nor do they expect that from you. It is, however, good to be polite and honest, as these are qualities valued by Finnish people.

As neighbours, Finns respect common rules. Most Finns consider that e.g. the quiet hours are observed the way the rules and regulations prescribe.

If the noise coming from your neighbour disturbs you, you can talk about that with him/her in a friendly way. If the situation is threatening or scary, contact the property manager or the police. If the disturbing behavior persists, inform the property manager.

If your neighbour makes a complaint about you, contact the property manager. Normally the matter can be taken care of through discussion. Get in contact especially if you think the complaint is unjusti¥ed.

If you are having e.g. a birthday party and you expect it to be noisy, you can warn your neighbours about it beforehand. You may leave a note in the stairway saying that you will be organizing a party. Do remember, however, that no noise is allowed during the quiet hours.

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MISCELLANEOUS

Travel and guests

If you are travelling abroad for more than two months, please advise the property manager. The rent must also be paid during the period of your trip.

If you have guests at your place, they must comply with the same rules and regulations as the others. If your guest stays for longer than two weeks, you must notify the property manager.

Pests

In the �ats or in the common areas of the housing company there may sometimes be pests or insects that cause a nuisance. The pests may also cause health issues, damage textiles in the �at or even in the structure of the building of the housing company. Sometimes, extermination of pests requires that the entire building must be treated with pesticide.

So pests should be taken seriously. If you observe them, get in contact with the maintenance company. You may prevent pests by regular cleaning, by taking care of hygiene in your home and by taking the waste out of the �at.

Asuntotori – Housing Market Place

Asuntotori provides you with information on rental dwellings located in Tampere. The housing associations owned by the city of Tampere have their own service points at Asuntotori.

www.tampere.¥/asuminen-ja-ymparisto/asuminen/asuntotori.htmlSähköposti asuntotori@tampere.¥puhelin 020 127 7215osoite Puutarhakatu 8

CONTACT INFORMATION

Housing associations

Tampere Tenement Foundation, VTS homes – VTS Kodit www.vts.¥Email palvelukeskus@vts.¥Telephone 0201 277 277 Address Puutarhakatu 8 A, katutaso, 33210 Tampere

Tampere Rental Dwellings -Tampereen Vuokra-asunnot Oy www.tampereenvuokra-asunnot.¥Telephone 03 565 66263 Address Puutarhakatu 8 A, 1. krs, 33210 Tampere

M2 Homes - M2-Koditwww.m2kodit.¥Email m2.asiakaspalvelu@ysaatio.¥Telephone 09 7742 5500Tampere local o¤ce: Kirkkokatu 5, 33100 Tampere

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SATO Rentals and Sales - SATO Vuokraus ja myynti www.sato.¥/Email asuntopalvelu.tampere@sato.¥ Telephone 0201 34 4470Address Satakunnankatu 18 B, I krs, 33210 Tampere

VVO Home Centre - VVO-kotikeskus www.vvo.¥/Tel. rental dwellings 020 508 5000 Address Kyllikinkatu 15 B Postal address P.O.Box 752, 33101 Tampere

YH Homes Oy Ltd - YH Kodit Oy www.yhkodit.¥/Telephone rental dwellings 010 227 3022Address Aleksis Kiven katu 26, 33200 Tampere

Advertisements for rental dwellings on the internet

Vuokraoviwww.vuokraovi.com

Oikotieasunnot.oikotie.¥

Tori.�www.tori.¥/pirkanmaa/asunnot

Other important contact information

KELA (Social Insurance Institution) www.kela.¥ Telephone: housing matters - asumisasiat 020 634 2550Tampere o¤ce, Aleksis Kiven katu 1833210 Tampere

Infopankki.� Website where you can ¥nd important information on Finland in di«erent languages.

Migration Info Centre Mainio Multi-lingual guidance service in all topics of everyday life. www.tampere.¥/maahanmuuttajainfo Email maahanmuuttajainfo@tampere.¥Tel. 040 806 2526 ja 040 806 2527Tuomiokirkonkatu 12P.O.Box 487, 33101 Tampere

Centre for Community Mediation Preventing and mediating con�icts in communities and between neighbours www.naapuruussovittelu.¥/ Tampere Regional Coordinator Hanna VuorinenEmail hanna.vuorinen@naapuruussovittelu.¥Telephone 045 120 9046Address Salhojankatu 42, 33500 Tampere

Tampere Electricity Company An electricity company from Tampere, with whom who can make an agreement on electricity and transfer of electricity. www.tampereensahkolaitos.¥Email sahkopalaute@sahkolaitos.¥Telephone 03 5653 4500Address Voimakatu 17, 33100 Tampere