How do rental contracts and deposits work in Finland in 2026?

InfoFinland and KKV both state that almost every Finnish tenancy asks for a rent security deposit. The legal maximum is three months' rent. In practice many Helsinki, Tampere, or Turku landlords ask for one or two months. Pay by the date in the contract; keys usually follow only after that transfer.

KKV is clear that the deposit is not the landlord's money to spend. The landlord must keep it safe and return it when the lease ends if the flat is in good condition and agreed payments are complete. The deposit can cover unpaid rent, damage beyond ordinary wear, and poor final cleaning when the lease says so. It cannot be used as your last month's rent: you still pay vuokra through the end of the notice period. See How to rent home and Avoid rental scams.

There are two main Finnish lease shapes. A toistaiseksi voimassa oleva vuokrasopimus (tenancy valid until further notice) continues until either side gives notice. A määräaikainen vuokrasopimus (fixed-term tenancy) ends on the stated date without separate notice. InfoFinland stresses that a fixed-term lease cannot be terminated during its validity period by either tenant or landlord in the ordinary way. Choose fixed-term only when you truly need that end date.

For until-further-notice leases, the tenant's notice period is always one calendar month. Notice usually starts from the end of the month in which you give it, so timing matters if you want to avoid an extra rent month. Always give notice in writing and keep proof it reached the landlord.

For the landlord, notice depends on how long the tenancy has already run: three months when the lease has been in force for less than one year, and six months when it has run for more than one year. Tenant-friendly notice rules do not erase your duty to pay vuokra on time or leave the flat in proper condition.

At move-in, create a written condition note with dated photos of walls, floors, kitchen, bathroom, windows, meters, and keys. Both parties should keep a copy. The same discipline at move-out is what protects your deposit when the landlord claims damage beyond ordinary wear.

Note meter readings and who holds which keys. For a furnished let, attach a furniture list. Vague "as seen" chats are weak evidence if money is later withheld. If a refund dispute stalls, KKV points tenants toward Consumer Advisory Services for next-step guidance, with limits when the landlord is a private person.