Housing advice

Contact social counseling

Contact Vantaa and Kerava wellbeing services county’s social counseling, or directly your own social worker, if you have one. You can also submit a huoli-ilmoitus (“concern report”) on your situation through the Maisa service. Concern reports are handled within seven weekdays.

Maisa
https://www.maisa.fi

Social counseling's service advisors will help you clarify your situation, apply for benefits, find services supporting housing, as well as refer you to emergency lodging, when required.

Vantaa’s social counseling
https://vakehyva.fi/fi/palveluhakemisto/toimipiste/sosiaalineuvonta-vers

Make a move notification

Everybody is obliged to submit a change of address notification to the Digital and Population Data Services Agency whenever their address changes. It is important to keep your address information up to date so that, for example, Kela (The Social Insurance Institution of Finland), social welfare, or other authorities can reach you.

In case of becoming homeless, many people temporarily transfer their address to their friends or relatives’ address. If you do not have a permanent address, you can choose a Poste restante address as your new address. Using a Poste restante address is a sign to lessors that you are in urgent need of housing.

You can make a move notification on the Digital and Population Data Services Agency’s online service or by visiting a post office. You will find additional information and instructions for making a move notification on the Digital and Population Data Services Agency's website.

Digital and Population Data Services Agency
https://dvv.fi/muutto
 

Acquire a Poste Restante address

You can also receive mail to your Poste restante address. Mail sent to your Poste restante address will be sent to the post office you choose where you can fetch it upon showing your ID. The mail is available for fetching for fourteen (14) days.

The service is only available at some post offices. Vantaa’s Poste restante address is located at the Tikkurila post office.

Poste restante
01300 Vantaa (Tikkurila)
Street address: Asematie 4

Find out about temporary housing

If you have become homeless, it is best that you start looking for a new apartment without delay. The process may take time, and you may not necessarily be able to find a home immediately. Find out whether it is possible for you to temporarily live or keep your belongings, for instance, at a relative or friend’s place.

Housing services for the region’s homeless may provide you with temporary housing. Moreover, some organizations in Vantaa offer services for the homeless.

Contact Housing Services, when required

The operators listed below offer temporary housing in Vantaa, Kerava, and Helsinki. Be sure to check up-to-date information from the service provider.

Koisorannan asumispäivystys, Vantaa
https://vakehyva.fi/fi/palveluhakemisto/toimipiste/koisorannan-palvelukeskus

Vuorelan ensisuoja, Kerava
https://sininauhakoti.fi/tuetun-asumisen-yksikot/vuorela-sotelli/

Yökeskus Kalkers, Helsinki
https://www.vvary.fi/yokeskus-kalkkers
 

Seek other support and guidance, when required

Nuoli – Nuorten tuki- ja kohtaamispiste, Helsinki
https://sininauhasaatio.fi/arjen-tukea-ja-kohtaamisia/nuoli-nuorten-tuki-ja-kohtaamispiste/

SPR Nuorten turvatalo, Rekolan Kartano, Vantaa
https://rednet.punainenristi.fi/turvatalovantaa

Vantaan turvakoti
https://ensijaturvakotienliitto.fi/vantaanturvakoti/

Begin looking for a new apartment

Even if your situation looks hopeless, begin looking for a new apartment as soon as possible. Your activity will be rewarded.

You can start looking for a new apartment by checking out state-subsidized rental apartments. Typical examples of state-subsidized rental apartments are municipal rental apartments, as well as rental apartments managed by various foundations, associations, and congregations. State-subsidized rental apartments try to ensure reasonably priced housing for those in urgent need of accommodation and for those with low income. Usually, the applicant’s need for accommodation, income, and wealth affect the selection of residents for state-subsidized rental apartments.

When filling out the accommodation application, be sure to describe your situation as specifically and honestly as possible. Enter into your application any support service at your disposal, such as outreach youth work or a social advisor that will help you to begin living at your new accommodation. This may convince the lessor and promote your gaining an apartment.

You may get a state-subsidized rental apartment regardless of a payment default entry. Nevertheless, if you have unpaid rent, it may make it more difficult for you to get even state-subsidized housing. Describe your debt situation honestly in your application. This proves that you are aware of the situation.
 

Apply for state-subsidized rental accommodation

The lessors below, among others, rent state-subsidized rental apartments in Vantaa:

Vuokra-asunnot Vantaa VAV
https://vav.fi

Y-Säätiö
https://ysaatio.fi/asunnot/

M2-Kodit
https://m2kodit.fi/

Setlementtiasunnot
https://setlementtiasunnot.fi/

Nuorisoasuntoliiton NAL Asunnot
https://www.nalasunnot.fi

Vantaan seurakunta
https://kirkkovantaalla.fi/apua-ja-tukea/asumispalvelut/
 

Apply to private lessors for accommodation

Apply also to private lessors for an apartment. You may find ready-to-move-in rental apartments on many different websites and social media channels.

Oikotie
https://asunnot.oikotie.fi/vuokra-asunnot

Etuovi
https://www.etuovi.com/

Qasa
https://qasa.fi/fi

Seek help at Housing Advice

Housing Advice may help you find a new apartment and fill out application forms. In Vantaa, both the City of Vantaa and Vantaa and Kerava wellbeing services county provide housing advice.

Vantaa housing advice
https://www.vantaa.fi/fi/palveluhakemisto/palvelu/asumisneuvonta

Tel. 09 839 50410
asumisneuvonta@vantaa.fi

Vantaa and Kerava wellbeing services county's housing advice https://vakehyva.fi/fi/ajankohtaista/ajankohtaista/tarvitsetko-neuvoa-asumisen-kysymyksissa-asumisneuvonta-auttaa

Tel. 040 192 7766
asumisneuvonta@vakehyva.fi
 

Familiarize yourself with housing support offered by organizations

The following organizations in Vantaa may also provide you with help with homelessness, searching for housing, and beginning of housing:

Sininauhasäätiö
https://sininauhasaatio.fi/tukea-asumiseen/

In addition to housing advice, Sininauhasäätiö has a limited number of supported housing units and rental apartments meant for independent living in Vantaa. Sininauhasäätiö provides housing advice also in English, Dari/Farsi, Kurdish , Sorani, and Somali.

Moniheli ry
https://moniheli.fi/katto/

Moniheli ry offers housing advice in Finnish, English, and Arabic.

Vailla vakinaista asuntoa ry
https://www.vvary.fi/

Vailla vakinaista asuntoa ry’s housing advisor is available on Wednesday at 10:00-16:00 at Vantaan Verso, address: Vernissakatu 8 C, 01300 Vantaa. Make an advance appointment by phone or email:

Tel. 050 443 0102
asumisasiat@vvary.fi
 

Check out your possibilities of gaining supported housing

If you feel that you are not right now able to live completely independently, address the matter of supported housing at social counseling. Supported housing is meant for people whose living facilities have weakened due to, for instance, substance-abuse or mental-health problems. You must always apply for supported housing through social welfare’s assessment of the need for services. For more information, contact Vantaa and Kerava wellbeing services county.

Vantaa's social counseling
https://vakehyva.fi/fi/palveluhakemisto/toimipiste/sosiaalineuvonta-verso

Check your rights to different support forms and benefits

If your financial situation is tight, and the reason for your homelessness is financial trouble, find out whether you have already applied for all the benefits and assistance you are entitled to.

Check your right to basic social assistance. You always apply to Kela for basic assistance. If your homelessness is a consequence of rent debt, you can also apply for supplementary or preventive social assistance, granted by the wellbeing services county, to pay your rent debt.

If you want to store your possessions in a warehouse subject to a charge for the duration of your homelessness, you can apply to Kela for assistance for the storage costs, as well. The assistance is usually granted for 1-3 months.

In a crisis situation, you may not necessarily have enough money to cover everyday costs. You can get help from the organizations, congregations, and associations operating in your area. You can check the local food-distribution points and shared meals online at:

Ruoka-apu.fi - Enemmän kuin ruokaa
https://ruoka-apu.fi/?viewType=list&page=1&startDate=2025-04-16&city=157

Apply for housing allowance and relocation assistance for your new apartment

If you have received housing allowance for your previous apartment, your right to housing allowance ends when you stop living there. Wrongly paid housing allowances are always collected. When you find a new apartment, you can apply for Kela's housing allowance for your new apartment.

When the moving day draws near, you can also apply to Kela for assistance for costs arising from the move, such as renting a moving van or, when required, using the services of a moving company.

In many cases, you must pay a rent deposit amounting to the sum of 1-3 months’ rent before moving in. When you receive an offer for an apartment, you can apply for Kela’s promissory note for the rent deposit. Be sure to never sign a lease before your rent-deposit application has been approved.

Note also that Kela has municipality-specific limits to housing costs accepted in basic social assistance. Housing allowance or rent deposit will not necessarily be granted if the rent of the new apartment is not within the municipality-specific limits. You can check the limits on Kela's website:

Municipality-specific housing costs accepted in basic social assistance
https://www.kela.fi/toimeentulotuki-mihin-menoihin#asuminen-ja-muutto

Make a payment agreement on your old rent debt

An old and outstanding debt makes getting a new apartment significantly more difficult. In many cases, it is the obstacle to gaining a new apartment. Try to make a payment plan for your rent debt with your lessor. Always attach a clarification of your rent debt and potential payment plan, as well as documentation on following the plan, to your housing application.

Even if your rent debt was old and transferred to passive collection, remember that the debt is still visible in your credit information register. A default entry always results from eviction.
 

Check your credit data

Demonstrate your awareness of your financial situation in your housing application. You can check your credit data for free once a year either on Suomen Asiakastieto's website or Bisnode's website. Checking the data online requires strong authentication by bank identifiers or mobile ID.

Bisnode Oy
https://my.bisnode.fi/data

Suomen Asiakastieto Oy
https://www.asiakastieto.fi/omatieto/fi/omien-tietojen-tarkastus

If strong authentication online is not possible for you, you can check your credit data by sending an email to Suomen Asiakastieto Oy (omatieto@asiakastieto.fi). You must attach a copy of your ID to the message.

You can also visit Asiakastieto’s office:

Suomen Asiakastieto Oy
Hermanninrantatie 6, 00580 Helsinki

Check their service hours online:
https://www.asiakastieto.fi/web/fi/ota-yhteytta.html

Financial and Debt Counseling

Financial and Debt Counseling will help you clarify your financial situation. You can ponder on different financial solutions and make payment agreements with the help of a professional. The financial advisor can also help you with issues related to debt consolidation loans and debt management, but you cannot get financial assistance or money from Financial and Debt Counseling.

Financial and Debt Counseling, Vantaa office
https://www.oikeuspalveluvirasto.fi/yhteystiedot/talous-ja-velkaneuvonta-vantaan-toimipaikka/

In addition, Takuusäätiö's services may help you manage your finances. Takuusäätiö’s free-of-charge Debt Helpline gives you advice and guidance about managing your own finances.

Takuusäätiö
https://www.takuusaatio.fi/

Takuusäätiö's Debt Helpline
Tel. 0800 9 8009 (free of charge)

Check the service hours on Takuusäätiö’s website.

Wellbeing services county's substance-abuse and mental-health services

Homelessness may be due to a number of reasons, but most often it is an immense crisis. Don’t be alone with your situation. You can seek help, for example, by contacting the wellbeing services county's mental-health and substance-abuse services, or by visiting a Miepä center.

Vantaa and Kerava wellbeing services county’s substance-abuse and mental-health services

Check the up-to-date service hours and contact information online:
https://vakehyva.fi/fi/terveyspalvelut/paihde-ja-mielenterveyspalvelut

Vantaa and Kerava wellbeing services county’s Miepä centers

The services provided by Miepä centers are targeted at adult residents in the Vantaa and Kerava wellbeing services county's area who have no existing contact at substance-abuse and mental-health services. You can visit the centers with or without an advance appointment. Miepä centers serve residents in accordance with health centers’ area division.

Check the up-to-date service hours, contact information, and instructions for appointment on the wellbeing services county's website:
https://vakehyva.fi/fi/palveluhakemisto/palvelu/mielenterveys-ja-paihdeasemat-miepa-asemat

Organizations’ and congregation’s services in crisis situations

You can also get help for substance-abuse and mental-health challenges from your local organizations and the congregation’s social work. Mieli ry’s national crisis helpline serves around the clock.

MIELI Ry, Crisis Helpline 
Tel. 09 2525 0111 
Service hours: 24 hrs. 
https://mieli.fi/

Vantaa's congregations Social work 
https://www.vantaanseurakunnat.fi/apua-ja-tukea/diakonia

Remember to terminate the lease for your current home. In case of leases that remain in effect until terminated, the notice period is often one full calendar month. A month means an entire calendar month. For example, if you terminate your lease in March, you will still need to pay rent for April.

Check the move-out day in your lease. If no move-out day has been specifically mentioned, it is the next workday after termination of your lease.

Submit a Muuttoilmoitus, that is, a Change-of-address notification. The joint service provided by Posti and the Digital and Population Data Services Agency allows you to conveniently notify both organizations at the same time. Submit the change-of-address notification no earlier than one month before your move and no later than one week after moving. Remember to check that your workplace or school, for example, gets your up-to-date address.

Remember to also notify your property manager of your move or make sure that your lessor informs the property manager.

If you use moving assistance, such as a professional moving company or a rented moving truck, book the service well in advance, since the last weekend of the month is usually the busiest time.

Stores often provide free cardboard boxes that work well as moving boxes. 

You can also rent or purchase moving boxes.

Update your electricity agreement, home insurance, as well as internet service. Cancel your existing agreements or transfer them to your new address. Moving is also a good opportunity to put your agreements out to tender.

If you receive housing allowance from Kela, remember to inform Kela about the changes in your living arrangement, for example, on the OmaKela e-service.

As a lessee, you are responsible for the careful final cleaning of your apartment. You may also choose to hire a cleaning company to do the work. Empty the apartment and any storage unit of all personal belongings. Clean the entire apartment carefully and take photographs as evidence of its condition.

Remember to return the keys to your old apartment.

Inspect your new home carefully and take photographs of any defects or incomplete cleaning. Report any issues to your lessor as soon as possible. Reporting problems promptly also helps establish that they did not occur during your tenancy.

Notify your property manager of your move or make sure that your lessor informs the property manager.

If you need a parking space or would like to reserve a sauna time slot, inquire about availability from your lessor or the property manager.

Describe your situation clearly in your housing application. Explain why you need an apartment.

If you are applying for a government-subsidized rental apartment (for example, a VAV apartment), avoid including too many requirements or preferences. The more restrictions you place on your application, the harder it is to receive an apartment offer. For example, if you are searching for an apartment in a single area, you can only be offered an apartment in the area in question. This can increase the waiting time to a significant extent, even if your housing need is urgent.

If you have particular wishes concerning the location of the apartment (area/neighborhood), size, or features, explain the reasons for those preferences.

In the selection process for government-subsidized rental housing, the most important factor is the need for housing. Therefore, clearly explain in your application why you need housing.

If you have a credit default record or rental debt, tell about it honestly in your application. If a payment plan has been arranged for the rental debt, include information about the plan and any documentation showing payments already made.

Apply for an apartment whose rent is suitable for your financial situation. A too expensive apartment may cause difficulties with paying the rent and result in debt.

Kela specifies municipality-specific limits for housing costs. If the rent exceeds the limit approved by Kela, Kela may not necessarily cover the whole rent. This means that you have to pay part of the rent yourself. Rent that exceeds the municipality-specific limit may also affect your eligibility for social assistance for a security deposit or moving expenses.

Please note that housing costs accounted for in housing allowance are not the same as the housing costs accounted for in basic social assistance.

You will find up-to-date information on Kela's website at: https://www.kela.fi/toimeentulotuki-mihin-menoihin#asuminen-ja-muutto

Government-subsidized rental apartments are not assigned on a first-come, first-served basis. The applicant’s need for housing, wealth, and income constitute the grounds for the selection of tenants. The homeless and others with urgent need for housing, the most disadvantaged, and the most low-income applicants are prioritized.

The income of the applicant for a state-subsidized rental apartment must not exceed the income and wealth limits.

You may receive an apartment offer faster if you apply to several different areas, avoid overly restricting your housing preferences, and clearly explain your housing need in your application.

Housing Advice cannot affect VAV’s tenant selections.

You can apply for an apartment even if you have a default entry. A default entry does not always prevent you from getting an apartment. This applies to government-subsidized rental apartments in particular.

You can apply for an apartment even if you have credit defaults. A credit default record is not necessarily an obstacle to obtaining housing, especially in government-subsidized rental housing.

Honestly describe your debt situation in your housing application. If the default entry is due to rental debt, see the next question.

You can check your own credit records. You can check your credit records free of charge twice a year through Suomen Asiakastieto Oy (omatieto.fi) or Dun & Bradstreet Finland Oy (https://my.bisnode.fi/data).

Rental debt can make it much more difficult for you to obtain a new apartment. If you have rental debt, it is best for you to apply for government-subsidized rental housing. However, unresolved rental debt may also make it more difficult to obtain housing from government-subsidized lessors.

It will be much easier for you to get a new apartment if you have made a repayment plan with a collection agency, enforcement authorities, or your former lessor. Include any repayment plan and proof of payments with your housing application.

Be extra careful if the lessor asks for money before showing you the apartment.

Common signs of fraud consist of:

• you are not allowed to view the apartment
• the lessor requests payment in advance
• the lessor says they are currently abroad
• you are asked to send money overseas or to a suspicious account
• you are asked to make payments through a third-party service.

Do not pay a security deposit or any other money to a lessor before a written lease agreement has been signed.

A legitimate lessor will always provide a written lease agreement.

Housing offers are usually sent via email, so be sure to check your email regularly. You must usually respond to the housing offer within a few days. Be sure to always respond to a housing offer even if you did not want the apartment.

You can agree on a possible viewing once you have received a housing offer. In connection with the housing offer, you may be asked to submit attachments, such as a pre-completed tax return or an Incomes Register extract.

A lease agreement must be terminated in writing in a way that can be verified. If you terminate the lease by email, ask the lessor to confirm receipt of the message. If the lessor uses an online service portal, lease termination can usually be done there.

If the tenant cancels the lease, the period of notice is usually one month. This means that the notice period begins on the last day of the month in which the lease is terminated. For example, if you terminate your lease in February, the lease will end on March 31.

Remember to take into account the notice period when you are moving to a new apartment. Otherwise, you may have to simultaneously pay rent for both the old and the new apartment.

Kela usually grants housing allowance for one apartment at a time.

If you have a small income and if the move is necessary, you can apply to Kela for social assistance for the security deposit.

The rent for the new apartment must be reasonable, because Kela will not necessarily grant a security deposit if the rent exceeds the municipality-specific limits, if you move to a more expensive apartment, or if the reason for the move is convenience. Check Kela’s website for the rent levels considered reasonable in your municipality.

The security deposit is provided as a payment commitment. Money is not paid directly to you or to the lessor.

Attach a written apartment offer to your application. Do not sign the lease agreement until Kela has made a decision on the security deposit.

You can apply to Kela for social assistance for costs related to the move if there is a justified reason for the move. You can, for example, receive assistance for transportation of your belongings.

The amount of the assistance depends, among other things, the length of the move and the size of your family.

If you have difficulties with paying the rent, immediately contact the lessor. You may be able to agree on postponing the deadline for the rent or on making a payment plan. At the latest, you should take action when one month’s rent remains unpaid.

Check whether you have applied for all the Kela benefits you are entitled to and consider whether your housing costs are on a sustainable level.

See the instructions provided by the City of Vantaa and Vantaa and Kerava wellbeing services county for how to handle this situation: What to do when you cannot afford your rent?

If you are about to be evicted, act as fast as possible. Even if the eviction process has already begun, the lessor may still cancel the eviction if a solution can be found. Taking an active role in resolving the situation is worthwhile, even if the situation feels hopeless.

See the instructions provided by the City of Vantaa and Vantaa and Kerava wellbeing services county for how to act in case of a threat of eviction.
What to do in case of a threat of eviction?

If you are at risk of becoming homeless, start looking for new housing immediately and review the available instructions for what to do if you become homeless.
When you become homeless

If there are changes in your life situation, check what Kela benefits you may be entitled to. You may be entitled to, for example, general housing allowance, sickness allowance, rehabilitation allowance, unemployment benefits, or basic social assistance.

If you become unemployed, immediately enroll as a job seeker at employment services.

When required, start looking for a more affordable apartment.

A lessor cannot charge cleaning or repair costs without justification. If your security deposit is withheld or you receive a bill, the lessor must be able to show what deficiencies or damage existed in the apartment and what the cleaning or repair work cost.  If the lessor intends to withhold all or part of the security deposit, they must notify you in writing.

If you disagree with the bill or the withholding of the deposit, first contact the lessor.  Ask to see all relevant information and documentation. If the issue is not resolved, you can submit a written complaint.  If the written complaint does not help, you may receive help from consumer advisory services. When required, you can submit the matter to be resolved by the Consumer Disputes Board after you have first contacted consumer advisory services.

You can prevent disputes by:

• inspecting the condition of the apartment when moving out
• taking photographs of the apartment when moving out
• taking photographs after completing the final cleaning when moving out
• reporting defects or damage to the lessor as soon as they are discovered.