Renting in Finland: a deposit of one to three months, and one month's notice

Yes, as a newcomer you can simply rent in Finland. You find a private rental yourself, on the internet or in the local paper, and if you use an agent, you pay the agent's fee. Count on a deposit of one to three months' rent, paid before the keys are handed over. The finding is in the notice periods: you end an open-ended lease with one calendar month's notice, the landlord needs three or six months and a real reason. The pitfall is the fixed-term lease, which according to the consumer authority KKV you usually cannot terminate early.

What may a landlord ask of me?

A landlord chooses the tenant, and may ask you for documents to do so. The Finnish government lists them: proof of income (a payslip, a pension statement), a tax decision, an extract of your credit information, and for anyone from the EU the registration certificate from Migri plus a copy of your passport. The landlord must, however, be able to explain why something is needed, and it must be proportionate to your privacy.

For a Dutch citizen who has just arrived, the credit extract is the tight spot: you have no Finnish credit history yet. So put down what is on the list as completely as you can: your employment contract or pension statement, your Migri registration and your passport. Discrimination based on nationality is not allowed; the government page says so in as many words.

How high is the deposit, and do I get it back?

KKV calls a deposit of one to three months' rent usual. It is usually transferred to the landlord or to a separate deposit account, and can also be a personal guarantee or a service from a third party for which you pay a monthly fee.

The deposit does not belong to the landlord. It must be kept safe and may not be used for the landlord's own expenses. At the end of the lease you get it back, unless there is a reason to withhold something: unpaid rent, damage, or a final cleaning that falls short. Normal wear and tear is not a reason. If the landlord withholds something, it must be substantiated; the landlord's own observation alone is usually not enough in a dispute.

What you do not do: leave the last month's rent unpaid to offset it against the deposit. The rent runs until the lease ends.

How long are the notice periods?

Who gives notice	Period	Condition
You, open-ended lease	one calendar month	no reason needed; cannot be lengthened in the lease
Landlord, tenancy shorter than a year	three months	a valid reason
Landlord, tenancy of at least a year without interruption	six months	a valid reason; cannot be shortened in the lease
Fixed-term lease	no notice	only in special cases laid down by law

Unless agreed otherwise, the period starts on the last day of the month in which you give notice. Whoever gives notice at the start of January is out at the end of February. Notice is given in writing and verifiably: you must be able to prove that and when the other party received it. An oral lease is valid, but always counts as open-ended.

Do not sign up for a fixed period lightly. A fixed-term lease binds both parties for the whole term. Whoever wants out earlier usually pays compensation, and according to KKV it can amount to the rent for the remaining months. An open-ended lease may also contain a clause that you may give notice only after a year, often with a penalty. Read the lease before you sign.

How expensive is renting, and is it going up?

Amounts vary strongly per city, and a national average says little. What Statistics Finland does show: private-sector rents fell by 0.3 percent in the Helsinki region in the second quarter of 2026 compared with a year earlier, and rose by 0.4 percent in the rest of Finland. That is a calm market, not a tight one. Rents of state-subsidised homes rose faster, by 2.0 percent in the capital region.

What else does the law arrange for me as a tenant?

You are entitled to the home from the agreed start date; if the landlord is late, the landlord must compensate the damage. If the home is a health hazard, for instance through mould, or the landlord leaves necessary repairs undone, you may terminate the lease immediately. If part of it cannot be used because of a renovation, you can get a rent reduction. And the landlord does not enter your home without a special reason and without notice.

When you leave, a Finnish peculiarity applies: unless agreed otherwise you move out on the first working day after the end date, and on that day you already make half of the home available. The next day you hand it over empty and clean, with the keys.

And the order with the registration?

A lease is the address at which you register with DVV, and that address opens the rest. That is why the home comes before the registrations in the step-by-step plan. And as soon as you live somewhere, the Finnish moving rule applies: you report every move to DVV at the latest one week after moving day, and not earlier than a month before.

In Vertrekklaar this is phase 4 of 5 of the journey, step 4.1: the same steps, but for your situation — in your order, tickable, and with the deadlines watched. See the whole journey to Finland or go straight to step 4.1 in the open plan.