Picture the viewing: a quick look at the sauna, the balcony and the storage cellar, a few questions from the landlord, and an application sent from your phone before you reach the street. Renting in Finland is strictly regulated, and the rules tend to be applied as written once you have signed.
This guide covers the lease types, the deposit, notice, the rules that changed on 1 October 2026 and the support you may claim.
How does renting in Finland work, and what do you sign?
You sign a written vuokrasopimus (lease). Without a written lease, the arrangement is considered open-ended. The Act on Residential Leases (481/1995) governs the contract. Two lease types exist:
- an open-ended lease (toistaiseksi voimassa oleva), which continues until someone gives notice;
- a fixed-term lease (määräaikainen), which ends on the agreed date.
Read the duration before you sign. A fixed-term lease generally cannot be ended early by you or the landlord, apart from cases the law foresees, so a new job in another city does not release you. Since 1 October 2026, more than two successive leases of up to three months with the same tenant count as an open-ended lease.
Where do you look, and what does a landlord ask for?
You search listings under the keyword vuokra-asunto, or approach public landlords in your municipality. Using an agency is optional; if you do, its commission must be agreed in writing in advance, according to InfoFinland.
Prepare a file: identity document, often your personal identity code or your registered right of residence, your latest payslip or tax decision, and sometimes a credit check. A new arrival with a personal identity code on its way can ask whether the lease can start first. See the Finnish personal identity code.
Comparing a lease clause you do not understand, or unsure what to answer when a landlord asks for a deposit up front? Moovy can read the terms with you, flag what the law limits and draft a polite reply in Finnish or Swedish. A lawyer or a tenants' organisation can advise on a dispute.
How much is the rental deposit in Finland?
The law caps the deposit (vakuus) at three months' rent, and a clause asking for more is void (Act 481/1995, section 8). InfoFinland says the practice is two months. It cannot be used to pay the last months' rent. Do not pay it before you have seen the flat and signed the lease, and keep the receipt. Keys are normally handed over after payment.
On leaving, the landlord must return the deposit or justify any deduction in writing no later than 14 days after the lease ends, a rule in force from 1 October 2026 (per our fact sheet; check the amended Act).
How do notice periods work for tenants and landlords?
You as a tenant: one month's notice on an open-ended lease, counted from the end of the month in which you give notice. To leave on 30 November, give notice by 31 October. Notice on 1 November takes effect only at the end of December. Give notice in writing, in a way you can prove.
The landlord: since the amendment of 1 October 2026, three months if the tenancy has lasted less than two years, four months if it has lasted longer, and the notice must be in writing with the reason. For leases signed before that date, the previous rule applies unless you agree otherwise: three months, or six months after a year of tenancy.
What else changed on 1 October 2026?
Landlord Heka's summary of the amended Act lists several changes that matter to tenants:
- Occupant notification. You must tell the landlord in writing how many people live in the flat and on what grounds. For each adult you give name, date of birth and contact details. Report each arrival or departure as well.
- Smoking. Smoking is now banned by default in the flat, on balconies and terraces, in shared areas and in yards, including e-cigarettes, even if the lease says nothing.
- Electronic notices are valid if you and the landlord have agreed to them.
- If a sole tenant dies, the lease ends two months after the end of the month in which the landlord learned of it.
Check your own lease against the amended Act, since the changes also affect existing tenancies.
What running costs come on top of rent?
Electricity is in your name and at your expense. Water is often billed per person or by meter. Heating is usually included with district or communal heating. Sauna, laundry and parking may be charged separately by the housing company. Buy home insurance (kotivakuutus) before you move in: most landlords require it and the lease may say so.
Can you get help paying rent?
Two systems exist.
General housing allowance from Kela covers up to 70 per cent of recognised housing costs, within municipal ceilings, depending on household income and assets. It is not paid under €15 a month and can be backdated only one month. Kela generally treats people as living in Finland permanently after a year, with an earlier route for EU, EEA and Swiss citizens who came to work; students generally cannot claim it. See Kela in Finland.
State-subsidised rental housing (Varke, formerly ARA) has capped rents. You apply to the owner, a municipality or non-profit, not to Varke. Gross monthly income limits since 1 January 2025 are, for example, €3,540 for one person, €6,020 for two adults, and €6,670 for two adults and a child. Each municipality sets its own asset limit. Varke says only Finnish citizens "or equivalent" may apply; citizens of the EU, Nordic countries, Liechtenstein and Switzerland with registered residence count, as do other foreigners with a residence permit of at least one year. British citizens need a permit valid for at least 12 months. See moving to Finland from the UK.
What do you check when renting in Finland on moving in and out?
Record the condition of the flat with dated photos on arrival. Declare your address to the DVV, sign an electricity contract and add your insurance. Declare other occupants to the landlord. On leaving, give notice in writing, clean, return keys and keep the proof. If you cannot agree about the deposit, ask the landlord for the reasons in writing, then consult a tenants' association or a municipal housing adviser.
How competitive is the rental market?
It varies between cities and between years, so check the current situation in your target city rather than relying on a general claim. Public landlords and non-profit housing companies publish their application procedures, and private listings move fast. Having your documents ready, including a recent payslip, your identity document and your registration papers, makes a difference when a landlord compares applicants. Ask for the lease in a language you understand, and if you do not, ask a tenants' association or a municipal housing adviser to read it with you.
What changes on Åland?
Åland has its own tenancy law, the hyreslag of 1999. The Finnish Act of 1995 and its October 2026 amendments do not apply there. Åland's law caps the deposit at three months' rent and sets notice for an open-ended lease at one month for the tenant and three months for the landlord, six months if the tenancy has lasted two years, counted from the end of the month. Our fact sheet cites these figures; check the Åland government's model lease. See moving to Åland.
Which mistakes should you avoid?
Signing a fixed-term lease without noticing. Paying a deposit before the viewing. Forgetting insurance. Giving notice on the first of the month. Counting on Kela's housing allowance from the first week.
Renting is also the sensible first step before buying. For the next stage, read buying property in Finland.