The City of Helsinki owns approximately 1000 non-subsidised rental apartments.
Non-subsidised rental apartments have a non-fixed-term lease agreement and do not require a rent security deposit. The rents of the apartments are market rents and slightly higher than those of Heka's rental apartments.
Non-subsidised rental apartments are located in different parts of Helsinki. They are usually individual apartments in regular housing companies (for example in Hitas buildings).
Applying for non-subsidised housing
Apply for a non-subsidised rental apartment through Oikotie. The apartment advertisement will contain a link to the application. After completing the application, prove your identity with online banking credentials or Mobile ID. Your co-applicant, if you have one, must also prove their identity through authentication and confirm the housing application.
If you cannot use strong authentication, please visit the rental apartment search customer service at Työpajankatu 8. Bring your passport or identity card with you. Your apartment application will not be included in the tenant selection process until after you have confirmed your identity.
As the main applicant, you must be of legal age and have a Finnish personal identity code.
If you wish, you can update your application, after which it will replace your previously submitted application. An expired application cannot be updated or copied - you must submit a new application.
Validity period
The application is valid for three months (90 days) after its submission or most recent changes.
There are no application or brokerage charges, and the recipient of an apartment is not charged any rent security deposit or other deposit.
Use the online service
Apply for a non-subsidised rental apartment
More detailed instructions for applying for non-subsidised housing
Start your search by browsing vacant apartments on Oikotie (in Finnish)(Link leads to external service). Select the apartment(s) that you would like to apply for. It is advisable to leave the information of the apartment(s) you have selected open in the browser or write it down (address, floor area and rent), as you will need the information to fill in the application.
You should also familiarise yourself with the frequently asked questions on this page and the residential areas(Link leads to external service) in advance.
Fill in the application for a non-subsidised apartment.(Link leads to external service) You can add apartments you are interested in to the application on the details of the apartment to be searched page (Haettavan asunnon tiedot).
Enter the your application a personal e-mail that nobody else uses.
Only private persons can apply for apartments – companies, for example, cannot apply.
The application is valid for three months. If you amend your application or submit a new one, it will replace your previous application.
Once you have submitted the application, you (and any co-applicant) will receive an e-mail confirming receipt of the application. Please note that you (and any co-applicant) must confirm your application through strong authentication with online banking credentials or Mobile ID on the Confirming the application page(Link leads to external service) before your application will be included in the tenant selection process. If you do not confirm your application right after the submission, you will receive a notification to your e-mail.
If you (or any co-applicant) are unable to prove your identity through electronic authentication, visit the rental apartment search customer service and prove your identity using an official personal identity document (passport or personal identity card). You will need a personal e-mail address for registration and to be able to prove your identity at the customer service. After proving your identity, you can review your application by registering for and logging into the rental apartment search service. You only need to prove your identity in person once, and you can use the same credentials to apply for all types of apartments.
Once you (and any co-applicant) have confirmed your application in the rental apartment search service(Link leads to external service), you must wait for a possible apartment offer.
If you want to add apartments to your application or if your situation or preferences change, you can make changes to your application in the rental apartment search service. Keep in mind that you and any co-applicant will still need to confirm the amended application.
Instructions for editing your application:
- Log into the rental apartment search service(Link leads to external service).
- Select the apartment application that you wish to modify.
- Select ‘Edit application’ (Siirry muokkaamaan hakemusta) at the end of the application summary.
- Review the application details and make the necessary changes.
- Check your details on the summary page and submit the application.
- For the application to be included in the tenant selection process, you need to confirm it through electronic authentication or by logging into the service again. Your co-applicant must also confirm the application.
Whenever you amend your application, its period of validity will be extended by three months. When you add more apartments to your application, the application will be updated and will be valid for another three months from the date of updating the application.
If your non-subsidised rental apartment application expires, you must submit a new application. You can also withdraw your application in the same service. In this case, your application will cease to be valid immediately.
Please note that only you can modify the details in your application – our housing advisers cannot do so.
If you are selected, you will receive an apartment offer in your e-mail and also an SMS notification.
When necessary, we ask applicants to provide a copy of their residence permit for at least 12 months or their certificate of registration.
With the apartment offer, you will get the lessor’s contact information so that you can schedule a showing of the apartment and signing of the lease agreement. You will have three weekdays to familiarise yourself with the apartment and decide whether you will accept it.
Frequently asked questions
Anyone with a Finnish personal identity code can apply for non-subsidised housing. The applicant must hold a residence permit for at least 12 months or a certificate of registration.
Please note that when making tenant selections, we are not able to take into account the applicants’ previous lease agreements or other commitments. For this reason, you may have to pay rent for two apartments for some time.
Tenant selections are made as soon as applications arrive and a suitable tenant is found.
No, you cannot. Non-subsidised rental housing can only be applied for through strong authentication using online banking credentials or Mobile ID.
As a rule, no. We will only ask you to submit your residence permit for at least 12 months or a certificate of registration of an EU citizen after you have received an apartment offer.
If you wish to change to another non-subsidised apartment, you can apply for an apartment by browsing the ads on Oikotie and filling in an application for a non-subsidised apartment. In non-subsidised housing, there is no separate application form for changing apartments.
You can contact the lessor. With the apartment offer, you will get the lessor’s contact information so that you can schedule a showing of the apartment and the signing of the lease agreement. You have three weekdays to familiarise yourself with the apartment and decide whether you will accept it.
Rental debt and other housing-related debts to the lessor may mean you will not be offered an apartment. Even if the applicant has housing-related debts, they can be offered accommodation on a 12-month fixed-term contract if they can prove a payment plan for the debt.
