Guide to housing association housing

They are contacted for urgent and practical matters, such as reports of faults, lost keys or property maintenance. The property manager is contacted for administrative and decision-making matters, such as notifications of renovations, billing or general meetings. In case of doubt, you can contact either of them – we will refer you to the right person.

Contact your building’s maintenance company for

• In case of a breakdown, e.g. if the lift is broken or the communal sauna in your building does not heat up.
• In case of damage, e.g. when you notice a water leak.
• For cleaning, winter maintenance or yard maintenance, e.g. if the front door does not open properly.
• In case of the threat of falling snow or icicles.
• When you need to open the door, e.g. when you have forgotten your keys.
• To make a notice to move house.

Contact the management company for the following

• You report extensive damage, e.g. water damage.
• You register your ownership in the register of units.
• You report a renovation.
• You need a landlord’s certificate.
• Your case is related to the charges.

The tenant/shareholder must report any defects, damage or pests in the apartment or in the common areas of the housing company as soon as possible. These problems should always be reported first to the person responsible for the maintenance of the building. This is usually the maintenance company or the caretaker. If necessary, the maintenance company will follow up with the management company.

The building management company’s maintenance details can be found at the front door, in the stairwell or on the notice board. You should save the emergency number on your phone for emergencies.

A non-urgent matter, e.g. a light bulb out, uncut grass, untidy staircase:
Make a report via the maintenance website or email.

Urgent issue, e.g. water leak or lift not working:
Call the maintenance on-call service immediately. If you get stuck in the lift, call the alarm number on the lift.

If you want to give feedback or make suggestions for improvements to the way your building’s maintenance is run or organised, or if you’re not sure who to contact, Fluxio’s customer service team can help.

If your company does not have a maintenance company, it should have an agreed policy on maintenance – especially urgent maintenance. Check with your board to see what your company’s policy is. The management and the maintenance company have different roles – the management does not provide property maintenance services or on-call outside office hours for any issues.

The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health has issued a decree (545/2015) on the health conditions of dwellings under the Health Protection Act. See the defined thermal conditions and the measures that are the responsibility of the occupant.

What is the right temperature for your home?
The action limit for the room temperature in a dwelling is +18°C to +26°C during the heating season. In general, housing associations aim for precise heat regulation and a temperature of around 21°C. This ensures the comfort of the occupants and keeps the energy consumption and costs of the housing association under control.

Measuring the temperature in the living quarters
The temperature should be measured with an indoor air temperature meter. The correct room temperature is obtained by measuring the temperature in the middle of the room at a height of about 1.1 metres.

Operation of the radiator
The radiator circulates water warmer than the internal temperature of the dwelling. The water in the radiator network heats the radiator, which releases heat into the indoor air. When the temperature in the dwelling reaches the target temperature of 21°C, for example, a thermostat in the radiator closes the radiator valve and the water stops flowing. When the radiator cools down, this is a sign that the thermostat is working correctly.

A feeling of draught
To prevent draughts, it is important that the compensating air valves are not blocked. When air enters the room in a controlled and planned way, there is no need for air to take the ‘easy route’ through windows or structural leaks.

If you are cold
The individual differences between occupants may cause some to feel cold, despite the building society’s precise and regulated heating. If necessary, each tenant can consider providing additional heat with a heater, with the cost allocated to each individual apartment rather than to the whole building.

Resident’s checklist of measures to be taken in the apartment
Check that the replacement air valves above the windows are in the winter position (both levers turned to point in the same direction).
Check that the locks on the windows are each turned closed.
Replace the window and balcony door seals if you feel cold or draughty.
Move furniture and curtains away from radiators and thermostats to prevent airflow.
Vacuum the spaces and gaps between radiators and thermostats to allow air to move unobstructed and heat transfer and control to work properly.

Different voices are part of normal living in a housing association and should be accepted. Examples of what is normal and acceptable are the sounds of babies and children. Perfect silence cannot be expected from residents, but good manners should be kept in mind by each resident.

In general, the rules of conduct of housing associations stipulate that between 22.00 and 07.00 hours, neighbours must be given the night peace. During quiet hours, neighbours must be considered and the volume of the noise reduced.

Behaviour is disturbing if the disturbance is continuous or repeated and causes nuisance to several residents. For example, music echoing in a stairwell is a disturbance. However, parties held in the home a few times a year, for example, do not count as a disturbance. Even then, however, the noise level must be reduced during the period of silence referred to in the rules of order. To be courteous, it is a good idea to post a notice on the notice board in the stairwell in advance, for example when a party or renovation is taking place.

If a neighbour regularly causes unreasonable disturbance, it is advisable to try to reach an amicable solution and raise the matter directly with the resident causing the disturbance. If it is not possible to agree on the rules of neighbourly life, you can contact the landlord and the board of the building society. On the basis of the report, they will assess whether the housing association should intervene.

It is a good idea to contact your neighbour directly yourself. As a rule, the party will be quiet if you ask for it. If the disturbance by a neighbour is repeated, keep a note of it, and ask a neighbour to confirm your observations. You can also ask your landlord for a template for a disturbance report. The confirmed observations will allow the management to take action if necessary. On the basis of a single report, the company has no grounds to intervene. You will note that in the case of serious
In cases of serious disorder, whether isolated or repeated, a report to the police is appropriate.

Residents of housing associations have a wide range of pets and are also allowed to keep a large dog, for example.

In public areas, dogs must be kept on a lead and dog waste must be collected by the owner in a well-maintained area. In urban areas, the best way to walk a cat is on a leash. Owners are responsible for the safety of their cats and any harm they may cause to the environment.

Guidelines for pet owners

• Please take care of your pet so as not to cause unnecessary disturbance to other residents.
• Cats and dogs must be kept tied up in the building’s yard and public areas.
• Please remember to collect your dog’s waste in a bag and take it to the bin.
• Please ensure that your dog’s barking does not disturb other residents.
• Your cat should have a litter tray in the apartment for when it needs to go out. The litter box should be changed often enough to prevent odours being carried through the ventilation system to other residents. Please also note that used cat litter belongs in mixed waste and not in the sewer, for example.
• Dogs and cats should be provided with a collar with the owner’s contact details. You can also get a microchip to identify the animal.

A renovation almost always requires a change notification. A tenant has a broad right to make alterations to the space under his/her control, but the tenant must still give written notice to the housing association if he/she intends to carry out renovations to his/her apartment (AOYL Chapter 5 § 8). This so-called “alteration notice” must be given before the renovation work is started, and the renovation work may not begin until the permit has been issued. Small surface repairs, such as painting or wallpapering, do not need to be notified.

A notification of alterations must be made to the company in the following cases, among others:

• Repair, replacement or removal of surface materials in the toilet, bathroom or sauna.
• Work that requires a water cut in the building.
• Any removal, installation or alteration of equipment connected to the basic systems (sewerage, water, electricity, heating and ventilation), including the installation of an outdoor unit for an air-source heat pump.
• Installation of a washing machine or dishwasher in a non-fitted connection.
• Installation of parquet, laminate flooring, etc.
• Alterations to lightweight partition walls (e.g. demolition, relocation, routing)
• Alterations to the locking, mail hatch and structure of the external door of the dwelling and to the finish visible from the outside of the dwelling.
• In addition to notification to the company, the following renovations also require structural design and permits from the authorities:Alterations to load-bearing partition walls.
  Change of use of the room, e.g. conversion of a cloakroom into a sauna.
  It is in the interest of the shareholder to notify the alterations

It is advisable to notify alterations whenever the renovation requires it. It is in the interest of the shareholder because if the company has no knowledge of the alteration and no way of monitoring it, the company’s liability is more limited in relation to the alteration. The building society also has the right to demolish unauthorised alterations at the expense of the shareholder.

There is no charge for making and receiving a notification of alterations, but there is a charge for any permit processing related to the alterations. The renovation can start after the notification has been processed and the permit for the alterations has been issued.

If you are unsure whether you need a permit for your renovation, please do not hesitate to contact us, we will help you with an assessment.

The notification and any subsequent inspection visit will be aimed in particular at identifying situations that have an impact on the functioning of the basic systems (sewerage, water, electricity, heating and ventilation) or on the waterproofing of wet rooms and kitchens (AOYL Chapter 5 § 7).

Please note the following for other occupants of the house:

• Please report any noise nuisance to other residents.
• Please be aware of any noise nuisance to other residents.
• Please be aware of the other residents who may be present during the work. For more detailed instructions, see the HSY website.
• Please do not obstruct escape routes in the yard with pallets, building materials, etc.

Read more about alteration notices here.

This includes, among other things, the management costs that apply to the entire housing company.
For the sake of equality, it is up to the shareholder to bear the costs of his/her own housing.
special requests, e.g. renovations and sale of the apartment.

The tenant can only carry out alterations or repairs in the rented premises with the permission of the owner. This includes painting, wallpapering and replacing fixed furniture or installing new furniture.

For repairs and alterations that require the permission of the building society, permission must also be obtained from the building society and agreed with the landlord. If the tenant is allowed to carry out alterations or repairs in the apartment, the content of the renovation must be agreed in writing beforehand.

Asbestos is a substance that was commonly used as a building material between 1922 and 1992. Asbestos is not dangerous when bound to materials, e.g. inside a wall, but it can cause cancer if the dust enters the lungs during demolition.

Since 1994, the use of asbestos has been completely banned. In houses built before that date, asbestos can be found, for example, as a fixing in linoleum and tile tiles, in sealants and paints, and in pipe insulation.

The new asbestos law entered into force on 1 January 2016. According to the law, all materials to be demolished must be surveyed for asbestos before renovation work can begin. For example, when removing tiles in bathrooms or kitchens, when demolishing walls and when dismantling glued parquet flooring. Minor works, such as drilling holes in walls, do not require an asbestos survey. The survey is paid for by the shareholder in the case of renovations carried out by the shareholder and by the building society in the case of projects carried out by the building society.

The person carrying out the asbestos survey must be familiar with the subject and have sufficient professional knowledge of asbestos surveys. Sufficiently qualified are e.g.:

1. A certified asbestos and hazardous substances expert (VTT Expert Services Oy).

2. a building health expert or indoor air expert (external expert according to the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health’s Housing Health Regulation).

3. A qualified asbestos survey company (Finnish Association of JVT and Drying Contractors / Damage Services).

4. a qualified asbestos removal or AV company (Association of Finnish Asbestos and Dust Remediation Companies).

If you are planning to renovate your apartment, you must have an asbestos survey carried out before the renovation. The survey report is submitted to the property manager and the board of the housing company, after which the application for renovation of the apartment can be approved. When planning a renovation, be sure to allow enough time for the asbestos survey, the processing of the report and any asbestos demolition work, which is slower and more expensive than standard demolition.

You can easily order documents via our website. We usually deliver them within a few working days, either electronically or by post. You can also get advice if you need documents, for example for a house purchase. Order >

In case of emergency, contact the emergency number of the maintenance company immediately, which can be found on the notice board and in the information leaflets. You can report non-urgent faults and repair needs via Fluxio. If necessary, we can also advise you on how to limit the damage before repair.

The company contribution consists of various charges, the most common of which are the management charge, the capital charge and the water charge. The capital charge, or finance charge, is the part of the general partner’s contribution that the housing company charges its members for repayments and interest on its long-term loans. In other words, a shareholder pays a capital charge when the housing company has taken out a loan, for example for a plumbing repair.

The amount of the capital contribution is estimated annually by the housing company’s accounts department as the amount needed by the company to meet the principal and interest repayments on the loan to the bank. It is therefore an estimate, not an exact amount. The general meeting also discusses and approves the capital contribution as part of the annual budget.

It is worth noting that the shareholders’ contributions to a building society loan are not the same as the personal loans of individuals. The building society loan is a credit agreement between the building society and the bank and the shareholders are not parties to it. The allocation of the loan to the shares and the tracking of the shares per apartment are the house society’s own internal accounting. Therefore, the capital charge may also change from one year to the next if it is found that an earlier estimate has resulted in, for example, an over- or understatement of the capital charge accrual. Another reason for a change in the capital charge is an increase/decrease in interest rates.

Each loan from a building society has its own repayment terms. As a general rule, loans have one or two days a year to pay off without additional charges from the bank, but practices vary from bank to bank and from loan to loan. However, a fee is always charged for paying off the loan, in accordance with the management company’s price list, to cover the accounting costs of the loan share calculation.

Please note that it may not be possible or sensible to pay off the loans when buying a house. In view of the outstanding principal amount of the loan and the conditions for repayment, it is advisable to agree at the loan negotiation stage how the corporate loan part of the apartment will be handled.

If you want to pay off all or part of the loan for your apartment, you must order a loan share invoice, which will be issued by your housing company’s accountant. The loan participation invoice will be accompanied by the reference payment details for the payment of the loan participation.

The charges added to the loan participation statement vary depending on the bank where the loan is held. Usually the charges are lower on the repayment and interest due dates, which are typically one or two per year. The costs associated with the preparation of the loan participation statement and any charges levied by the bank are charged separately.

You can check the best times and costs for paying the loan in advance with us at www.fluxio.fi/apua . Please include in your order the exact address and the apartment number of the loan unit for which you are subscribing. The invoice must be ordered at least 1 month before the repayment date of the building.

The simplest way is to accept the online bank’s proposal to switch to e-invoicing when entering a new counter invoice. You can also give your authorisation in the payment contract menu of your online bank. You can search for a biller by the name of the housing association or by account number. Please note that even if the authorisation takes effect immediately, the invoice will be generated two weeks before the due date. Authorizations made within that two-week period will not have time to generate the next month’s bill. For example, check on the 25th of the month that the due payment appears in your online bank.

The duration of a building society’s renovation projects varies from a few months to several years. Different words and terms are used in the projects. Here is a clarification of the terms:

Needs assessment (duration 2 – 3 years)
The first stage of a renovation project, which is to identify the need for renovation. The first phase of the renovation project, which consists of two or more phases (2 (2) and 3 (3)). The implementation of the renovation has not yet been decided at this stage.

Project planning (2 – 8 months)
Determines, among other things, the content and scope of the renovation and serves as the basis for the actual implementation plan. The project plan is approved by the general meeting.

Implementation planning (6 – 10 months)
Once the project plan has been approved, the designers draw up detailed technical and space plans.

Preparatory phase of the renovation work (2 – 6 months)
Once the plans are finalised, a call for tenders is issued to select the contractor. Once the contractor has been selected, a decision on the implementation and financing of the project is taken at a general meeting.

Repair phase (4 – 18 months)
The contractor will carry out the project as planned.

Guarantee (2 years)
During the guarantee period, the housing company ensures that the end result is what was ordered. The contractor will make the necessary repairs.

Developer
The company or entity that builds, in this case the housing company.

Project manager
Ensures the smooth running of the project. The project manager can be, for example, a developer’s consultant, a general designer or a technical manager.

Project planner
Draws up a project plan with experts, including repair options and cost estimates.

Principal designer
Responsible for the overall design.

Designers
Plumbing, electrical, structural designers, architects, etc.

Supervisor
Makes site visits to ensure that the work is carried out according to plan and on time. Participates in construction negotiations.

Safety Coordinator
Ensures that safety issues are in order for the housing association.

General Contractor
Carries out the work in accordance with the contract with the housing association.

Subcontractors
Act on behalf of the main contractor and are responsible to the main contractor for their work.

There are many stages in a plumbing renovation. First, the need for the renovation is identified, then the repairs are planned and finally the renovation is carried out. Each stage takes several months, or even longer. In between, the shareholders decide on the next stage of the renovation at a general meeting.

Clarification phase
For the survey phase, the board of the housing association needs, among other things, a condition assessment and condition surveys on the condition of the plumbing. A survey is carried out to determine the condition and functionality of the pipes and bathrooms in the apartment. With the help of professionals, the board will then consider the need for repairs and make a preliminary proposal for renovation.

The survey phase usually takes 1-2 years.

General Assembly
At the end of the study carried out by the board of directors, a general meeting is held at which the shareholders decide to start planning the renovation project.

Project planning
The project design will examine and compare different options, such as replacing the pipes or coating or grouting them. The plan is drawn up jointly by the HVAC, electrical and structural engineers and presented to the board. The board decides on the implementation method, which is presented to the general meeting.

The project plan is completed in 2 to 8 months.

General Assembly
The project plan is presented to the shareholders and the shareholders decide at the general meeting on the progression of the renovation to the actual implementation plan.

Implementation plan
The implementation plan contains the detailed plans for the renovation. On the basis of the detailed plan, tenders are invited from contractors and negotiations are held. On the basis of these negotiations, the Board of Directors selects the contractor to be proposed to the General Assembly. At this stage, the financing will also be clarified.

On average, it takes just over six months to draw up the implementation plan and negotiate tenders.

General Assembly
At the general meeting, the shareholders decide on the implementation of the renovation, the choice of contractor and the financing.

Implementation
The renovations requested by the building society and the shareholders are carried out. During the renovation, regular site meetings are held to discuss issues such as the adherence to the schedule and possible additional works.

At the end of the project, a final inspection is carried out. After the final financial statement, the loan contributions per share will be calculated.

Depending on the size of the housing company, the renovation can take from months to 1.5 years.

Guarantee period
The guarantee period for the plumbing work is two years, starting from the date of acceptance inspection. During the warranty period, any defects and deficiencies will be corrected. After the warranty inspection, the contractor is liable for a further eight years for defects caused by, for example, gross negligence or omissions.

You can send us your question via the website or by email. We will check the situation and get back to you as soon as possible. We will also guide you if the invoice is related to a change in the rent or a water bill, for example. www.fluxio.fi/apua

You must make an official notification of your move to the Department of Vital Statistics (DVV) within a week of the move, but you can do this a month before the move. The most convenient way to do this is electronically, using the online services of the Post Office or the DVV, so that the information is updated in both the Population Information System and the Post Office at the same time. You can also use a form available from the Post Office or the Population and Vital Statistics Office. The same declaration can also be used to register accompanying family members. For more information on how to register your move, please contact either of these services.

Please also notify the maintenance company of your move, as the information provided to the Digi- and Population Information Office does not automatically go to the maintenance company. Please notify the details of all the people moving in at the same time, as only the people on the list of tenants can, for example, be invited to open the door, so that in the event of an emergency all the tenants in the apartment are known. It is a good idea to give the maintenance company the telephone number of at least one person living in the apartment in case of sudden repairs. On the basis of this information, the maintenance service will change the correct names on the building’s name board, letterbox/box and buzzer.

Save the contact details of the maintenance company so that you can report all faults quickly and easily. The maintenance company details can be found on the notice board and/or at the front door of the building.

If you have bought an apartment and are moving in, the Land Registry will have been informed of the contact details of the owners at the time of the transfer. If, as a shareholder, you have given your consent to electronic communication before the transfer of the register of shareholders, your e-mail address has also been communicated to the Land Registry. In future, we will send notices of general meetings of shareholders to the postal or e-mail address notified to the Land Registry. In the event of any changes to your contact details, you must notify the Land Surveyor’s Office directly of the changes.

If the association collects water, sauna or parking fees, please notify your change to the management customer service. If the water charge is based on the number of persons, please indicate the number of persons in the apartment.

You can order a key using the form in the Order and Notify section. Identity is always verified and delivery time depends on the locking system. We will also help you if you need information on costs or delivery methods.

Order a key >

You can make your reservation through the online booking system, which you can access from the Fluxio website. You will always receive a confirmation email, and cancellations can be made in the same way. If necessary, we will help you find a free shift or seat.

Book/cancel a car park or sauna shift >

When you move out, remember to do the following when you move in:

Notification of the move to the Population Information System maintained by the National Population Information Office and to the Post Office. The most convenient way to do this is electronically on the Post Office’s website or on the DVV’s online service. With the move notification, the information can be updated in both at the same time.

Notification of removal to the maintenance company.

• Contact details can be found in the stairwell or on the notice board.
• If you do not have any payments to the housing company (rent, maintenance, sauna), you do not need to make a separate notification to the management office.
• Notification of the water meter reading to the management office if you have an apartment-specific meter (www.fluxio.fi/apua)
• Cancellation or transfer of the electricity contract with the energy company.

Notify the maintenance company of the change and the maintenance man will add the names to the company’s name board, letterbox/box and buzzer if necessary. The maintenance company also needs to know about the tenants in case a tenant forgets or loses the key. In case of an emergency, all residents of the apartment must be known.

If the housing company collects a water fee based on the number of persons, or if a new tenant wants a parking space, please also inform the management office of the change.

The information you need is usually the first and last name, date of birth, telephone number and e-mail address of the tenant.

The lists of shares in housing companies have been transferred to the housing information system maintained by the Land Surveyor’s Office. With the transfer, the responsibility for maintaining the register of shares has been transferred from Fluxio Isännönni to the Land Surveyor’s Office.

In the future, any changes to the share register or to the shareholders must be reported to the Land Surveyor’s Office. Registration of ownership Shareholders must themselves apply for electronic registration of their ownership with the Land Surveyor’s Office.

– If you own an apartment in a housing company: you must apply for registration within 10 years from the date of transfer of the share register. If you intend to sell the condominium before the deadline, the electronic registration can be left to the buyer.
– If you have bought an apartment in a housing company: the new owner must apply for registration of ownership within two (2) months of signing the deed of transfer or registering the ownership.

The Land Registry charges a fee per condominium for the registration of ownership.

If you authorise a bank to carry out the registration on your behalf, the bank may also charge a separate fee for the service.

We will send the notice of the general meeting to the postal or e-mail address provided to the Land Registry. If there are any changes to the contact details, the shareholder must notify the Land Surveyor’s Office directly of the changes.

If you wish to receive the association’s communications electronically, please provide the Land Surveyor’s Office with your e-mail address. Notices of general meetings and other official documents are always sent to the address entered in the housing information system. This will ensure that all important information reaches you quickly and reliably.