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Finnish housing and rental law reforms

Updated 4 times since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

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2026-09-30 07:14 UTC → 2026-10-03 13:21 UTC · added removed

Finland is implementing legislative changes to the housing sector. In September 2026, new rental laws took effect that automatically prohibit smoking inside rental units and on balconies unless specifically permitted in the lease agreement. This change applies to existing contracts and is expected to affect hundreds of thousands of tenants. Future proposals may also allow housing companies to ban balcony smoking via a two-thirds majority vote. Concurrently, the Finnish government has proposed a new Housing Sales Act intended for implementation the following spring. This reform introduces mandatory construction monitors for new residential projects to protect buyers and housing companies by ensuring buildings are completed according to contract. The proposal also mandates stricter inspection regulations, including annual and post-inspections. While the Finnish Real Estate Federation acknowledges potential improvements in construction quality, it has warned that these reforms may increase construction costs and new home prices. Further reforms to rental housing laws are scheduled for early As of October 2026. 1, 2026, new residential rental legislation has officially come into effect. These changes reforms aim to facilitate faster evictions by allowing landlords to terminate agreements immediately for ‘extremely weighty reasons,’ such as serious violence that compromises modernize the peace legal framework and security of neighbors. Regarding apply to existing agreements. Key adjustments include notice periods, periods: for tenancies lasting over two years, the landlord's notice period will be has been reduced from six months to four months. For new rental agreements lasting less than two years, the landlord's notice period will be set at three months, while the tenant's notice period remains at one month. In early October, Additionally, any rent increases must now be communicated via written advance notice at least one month in advance. The updated law also formally recognizes hybrid contract models, allowing a tenancy to begin with a fixed term and subsequently transition into an indefinite period. Further reforms to rental housing laws scheduled for early October 2026 aim to facilitate faster evictions for ‘extremely weighty reasons,’ such as serious violence. An amendment to the Housing Companies Act also takes effect, providing expanded tools to address residential disturbances. According to Kiinteistöliitto, disturbances have evolved to include like drug-related activities and activities, ‘hoarding apartments’ that pose fire safety risks. Under the new law, management takeovers may be initiated due to short-term rentals causing nuisances, violations of smoking bans, apartments,’ or harassment in common areas. nuisance-causing short-term rentals.

Versions

  1. 2026-10-03 13:21 UTC Finnish housing and rental law reforms
  2. 2026-09-30 07:14 UTC Finnish housing and rental law reforms
  3. 2026-09-30 04:41 UTC Finnish housing and rental law reforms
  4. 2026-09-27 06:22 UTC Finnish housing and rental law reforms
  5. 2026-09-25 06:42 UTC Finnish housing and rental law reforms

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