A tenancy agreement that is valid until further notice may legally be terminated, either by the tenant or the landlord. A tenancy agreement must always be terminated in writing. The period of notice is calculated from the last day of the calendar month in which the agreement ha been terminated. When the tenant terminates the tenancy agreemetn, the period of notice is one month.
Deposit
When leasing an apartment the tenant has to pay the deposit fee to the landlord (usually two month's rent) It will be returned to the tenant after termination of the tenancy agreement only if the tenant has returned the keys of the apartment, the apartment is in a normal condition and cleaned, and there are no outstanding payments or other unfulfilled obligations.
Insurance
It is common for a landlord to require that the tenant purchase insurance on the apartment.
Rent
Rent and utility charges are to be paid in advance once a month to an account provided by the landlord.
Rent increase
Any procedure for adjusting the rent must be agreed upon when drawing up the tenancy agreement. The tenancy agreement must also state the basis on which the rent may be increased and the landlord must provide advance written notice of the rent increase.
Normally, a tenant is not entitled to transfer his tenancy agreement to another party.
For More information, check out Marja Saviaro's Book, Expat Guide to Finland
About the Author
Marja Saviaro has an M.A. in Adult Education. She is a Director and Consultant in Return Ticket Company, a company established in 1997; which offers training and advice on the personnel aspects of internationalisation. General objectives are to increase corporate readiness to meet the challenges faced by personnel management in relocating and adjusting employees and their families to new cultural surroundings and later back home.
Saviaro lived and worked in Zambia for seven years, first as an accompanying spouse and later working in the Finnish Embassy. After returning back home she worked in the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland, Training Section, for seven years.