How to find a rental apartment?

A table, which has a smart phone and a flower on it

You can find all the notable landlords online. Using the keyword “rental apartments” in a Google-search gives many search results. You can find a listing of landlords from our Where to find a rental apartment? - page.

The landlord can rent their apartment by themself or use a real estate agent.

1. Landlord rents the apartment by themself

The landlord rents the apartment often by themself. The landlord knows the apartment well and they can answer the tenant's questions considering the apartment building. The landlord has the information considering what kind of renovations has been made to the apartment. The landlord is also a shareholder in the condominium and is aware of any future renovations that are planned for the apartment building. Even though the landlord knows a lot about the rental apartment the landlord might not be an expert when it comes to renting an apartment. There are many useful guides and different advising services to help both of the parties of the rental contract. While making the rental contract it is advisable to use pre-existing forms so that the rental contract will be fair for both of the parties.

Suomen Vuokranantajat
Suomen Vuokranantajat give advice to their members considering condominiums, renting and taxation. www.vuokranantajat.fi

Kiinteistöliitto
Kiinteistöliitto has a commercial phone service that is open for everyone. Kiinteistöliitto gives information and advice especially considering condominiums. They also have a phone service for their members which is free of charge. www.kiinteistoliitto.fi


2. Hiring a real estate agent

The landlord can hire a real estate agent to rent out the apartment on landlords' behalf. It is also possible for the tenant to hire a real estate agent. The real estate agents' job is to take care of showing the apartment for possible tenants, get the parties of the rental contract together and help make the rental contract. The real estate agent must behave professionally, carefully and consider interests of both of the parties. The landlord or the tenant can make a written commission to the real estate agent. Under the current legislation the person who has done the commission is responsible for all the fees and payments that may come from the commission. There is a law that regulates the operation of the real estate agents and agencies. It is called Laki kiinteistöjen ja vuokrahuoneistojen välityksestä 1074/2000. 

FINLEX ® - Ajantasainen lainsäädäntö: 15.12.2000/1074


3. The tenant, choosing the rental apartment and seeing the apartment

The tenant rents the apartment to use it as their home. Important things to notice in the apartment is the condition, the amount of rent and safetiness and stability of the rental contract. In accordance with good manners the landlord should tell the tenant about any future renovations that the landlord knows of. In this way the tenant can consider if they wish to move into the apartment even if there were some renovations coming soon. It is advisable for the tenant to inquire and find out if there are renovations coming to the apartment or if the apartment is meant to be sold in near future. Some of the renovations that will affect the use of the apartment are for example facade renovation, balcony renovation and pipe renovation.

The tenant should also pay attention to other things besides just the apartment and its utilities. These kinds of things include for example public transportation connections and the distance for different services from the rental apartment. It is advisable to get to know the neighborhood and find out the locations of grocery stores, schools, daycare centers etc.

When discussion the amount of the rent, the condition of the apartment and the condition of the apartment building should be noted. Whether or not the apartment building has a laundry room, drying room, storages, parking spaces or internet connections can make a big difference.

While seeing the apartment it is advisable to go through every room. When showing the apartment, the landlord or the real estate agent should make sure that the apartment is well alight. Usually the household appliances, for example the fridge and freezer, are part of the rent and the tenant can assume that the household appliances work. The tenant can ask for the user manuals, if there are household appliances in the apartment that the tenant doesn't know how to use. Especially in new apartments the technology of these appliances may need some advanced know how. It is the duty of the landlord to help with the appliances if needed. 

While seeing the apartment it is advisable to pay attention if there are different sounds audible to the apartment. It is also possible that there are some smells nearby the apartment that can be smelled from the apartment. If there are roads or highways near the apartment the sound of traffic may be audible to the apartment even in nighttime.

The market for rental apartments is mostly online. Nowadays it is even possible to rent the apartment online without even seeing the apartment first. This is when the information in the ad for the rental apartment and the information it holds comes to a bigger purpose. The information that is given in the ad must be truthful and the pictures must show the condition of the apartment as it is.

As a tenant you should find out if the rental includes storage spaces outside the rental apartment. A tenant cannot assume that there is storage space. Other things a tenant should make sure is whether there is a bike storage, laundry room, sauna, parking space or a garage in the apartment building.