Both the tenant and the landlord are obliged to sign a written tenancy agreement that specifies the following information:
- How much rent the tenant must pay
- The condition of the property
- The duration of the tenancy (either fixed or non-fixed term)
- Date and method of payment
- Potential adjustment clauses
- Security deposit
Duration of the tenancy
All tenancy agreements in Finland are either for a fixed or an unlimited period of time. If the agreement is written for a fixed term, both parties are bound to the agreement for the time period agreed and stated in writing. Fixed agreements may only be terminated under special circumstances.
On the other hand, for unlimited tenancies each party must give sufficient notice of termination of the agreement. The notice period must be agreed and stated in the agreement, but is typically around 1 month for tenants and 3-6 months for landlords.
Tenants' responsibilities
The tenant is responsible for paying the rent and maintaining the property throughout the duration of their stay.
The rent must generally be paid no later than the second working day of each month, unless otherwise agreed with the landlord.
The tenant is also liable to pay for any damage to the property caused deliberately or through negligence. It is the tenant’s responsibility to notify the landlord of any damage incurred immediately.
Termination of the tenancy agreement
Tenants are entitled to challenge the landlord’s decision to terminate a rental agreement. They may also claim up to three months’ rent for the inconvenience, as well as compensation for the inconvenience.
If the tenant has severe enough difficulty in finding an alternative place to live following the termination of their agreement, the Finnish courts may rule that the removal date be postponed by anything up to a year, though this can only be done once.
A landlord may terminate the tenancy agreement if the tenant fails to pay the rent and/or creates trouble serious enough to warrant eviction. Failure to pay the rent for four consecutive months will automatically be seen by the courts as a serious enough offence for the landlord to terminate the agreement.