The Act on Residential Leases (AHVL) will be reformed as of 1 October 2026. The purpose of the reform is to clarify the rights and obligations of landlords and tenants and to reduce interpretation issues and disputes related to tenancy agreements.

Current legislation (in finnish)

This notice highlights the most important changes from a tenant’s perspective. The amendments will take effect on 1 October 2026. As a rule, the revised legislation will also apply to existing tenancy agreements entered before the reform came into force.

Further information is available on the Ministry of Justice website. (in finnish)

Tenants Must Notify the Landlord of Persons Living in the Apartment

  • If you share your apartment with other persons, you must provide the landlord with written information about the number of occupants and the basis of their right to live in the apartment.
  • You may freely describe each person’s basis for residence (for example, spouse, child, or subtenant).
  • For adult occupants, you must also provide their name, date of birth, and contact details.
  • If information about other occupants was already provided when the tenancy agreement was signed and remains up to date, any changes must be reported to the landlord without delay.
  • If such information was not previously provided, notification must be submitted without delay after receiving information about this obligation from the landlord, and thereafter whenever circumstances change.

The landlord has a legitimate need to know who resides in the apartment and on what basis. This information is relevant for property management, supervision of the use of the premises, investigation of disturbances, communication with residents, and compliance with the landlord’s legal obligations.

Failure to comply with the notification obligation may result in termination of the tenancy agreement.

Residents of Porvoon Kodit will receive more detailed information after the new legislation enters into force.

Smoking Will Be Prohibited in Apartments and Related Outdoor Areas

  • The smoking ban applies to both existing tenancy agreements and those entered after the legislation takes effect.
  • The ban also applies to e-cigarettes and other tobacco-like products.
  • The ban covers the apartment interior, balconies, and any indoor or outdoor spaces connected to the apartment.
  • Tenants are responsible for ensuring that other residents and visitors also comply with the smoking ban.

At Porvoon Kodit, smoking rules vary by property:

  • Designated smoking area: Smoking is allowed only in the designated smoking area.
  • No designated smoking area: Smoking is permitted in outdoor courtyard areas while being considerate of neighbours.
  • Smoke-free property: Smoking is prohibited throughout the entire property. (Specified in the tenancy agreement.)

Violation of the smoking ban may result in termination of the tenancy agreement.

Electronic Notifications May Be Used

  • Notices and communications related to the tenancy may be delivered electronically, such as by email, if the landlord and tenant have separately agreed on this in writing.
  • The reform clarifies the use of electronic notifications and expands their scope, while traditional postal delivery remains available.

We will provide separate information regarding the introduction of electronic notifications later.

Changes to Notice Periods

  • The landlord’s longer notice period will be reduced from six months to four months.
    • The longer notice period will apply only if the tenancy has continued uninterrupted for at least two years immediately before the notice is given.
  • The landlord’s shorter notice period remains three months and applies to tenancies that have lasted less than two years.
  • The tenant’s notice period remains unchanged at one month.

This amendment automatically applies to tenancy agreements concluded after the legislation enters into force. It does not affect existing tenancy agreements.

Expanded Right of the Landlord to Terminate a Tenancy Agreement

  • A tenancy agreement may also be terminated based on another exceptionally serious reason.

Such a reason may include a situation where the tenant commits a serious violent offence in the apartment, residential building, or its immediate vicinity, thereby endangering neighbours’ sense of security and peaceful enjoyment of their homes.

Changes to the Moving-Out Date

  • In the future, the moving-out date will be the same as the tenancy agreement’s end date. However, the parties may still agree on a different moving-out date if necessary.

For tenancy agreements entered before the legislative reform came into force, the provisions of the previous legislation will apply, unless otherwise expressly agreed in the tenancy agreement.

Property Left Behind After the End of a Tenancy

  • If a tenant leaves property inside the apartment, on a balcony, or in another private indoor or outdoor space related to the apartment after the tenancy has ended, ownership of the property will transfer to the landlord without compensation after the statutory period.
  • The period is one month from the date on which the landlord has informed the tenant about the property and the transfer of ownership.
  • If the notification cannot be delivered, the period is four months from the date the tenant vacated the apartment or, if that date cannot be reliably established, from the date the landlord took possession of the apartment.
  • The landlord must take care of the property on the tenant’s behalf until it is collected or the statutory period expires.
  • However, waste and other clearly worthless property may be disposed of immediately, except for photographs, documents, and similar personal items.

Impact of the Reform on Existing Tenancy Agreements

The legislative reform does not require any action from residents. Existing tenancy agreements will not be amended. From 1 October 2026 onwards, the transitional provisions and mandatory provisions of the Act on Residential Leases (AHVL) will be applied when interpreting tenancy agreements.