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Information for tenants moving out

Taking care of the apartment is a shared responsibility of the tenant and the landlord.

Moving inspection

After you have sent a notice of termination, an inspection of renovation needs will be performed in the apartment. The inspection will be carried out usually with a master key, between 8:00-16:00., and the visit does not need to be agreed separately with the inspector nor does the tenant need to be present.The apartment does not need to be cleaned for this inspection. If you have a pet in your apartment, or you do not agree to the use of a master key for some other reason, you can make an appointment for the inspection with the inspector. Please note that the apartment should be inspected as soon as possible after sending the notice of termination.

If you have given a permission to inspect your apartment using a master key but prevent the inspector accessing the apartment, or if you have agreed on a time for the visit but are not present at the agreed time, an invoice for € 35 will be sent to you due to the unnecessary inspection visit.

The apartment’s renovation needs will be reviewed during the inspection. The apartment’s cleanliness level will also be inspected. Often, the tenant is still living in the apartment at this point and the moving-out cleaning has not been done, which will be taken into account during the inspection. A report will be left in the apartment after the inspection, detailing the matters that the tenant needs to rectify before moving out. The inspection report reflects the situation at the moment of the inspection and, as such. The tenant has the duty to take good care of the apartment until the end of their rental agreement and they must perform the final cleaning.

If you live in a shared apartment, please remember to tell your flatmates you are moving out and that the apartment will be inspected. Please also take care of the final clean-up of the shared premises.

Moving day cleaning

After you move out, the apartment must be clean and completely clear of your belongings.

Moving day cleaning includes:

  • cleaning the oven, stovetop and cooker hood
  • wiping the floor under the oven and the wall behind it
  • cleaning the refrigerator and freezer, thawing them and cleaning behind and under them Switch off their power and leave the doors open (in shared apartments only if all tenants are moving out)
  • wiping the ventilation valves
  • wiping cupboards and drawers
  • washing the toilet and the bathroom (walls, floor, door and all fixtures), cleaning the floor drain
  • wiping the floors and baseboards with a damp cloth. The walls must also be cleaned if necessary.
  • taking out all rubbish
  • washing the windows (washing from the inside is enough during the winter). You can get a window key from the Housing Office during office opening hours.

An untidy apartment will be cleaned and its costs will be charged from the tenant/tenants moving out.The cleaning cost is about € 35 per hour, minimum charge is one hour. In shared apartments, all tenants have a collective responsibility of the tidiness of shared areas.

Returning the security deposit

The security deposit will be returned to the tenant’s bank account entered to Tenant Pages about 4 weeks after the rental agreement has ended, if there are no issues concerning the tenant’s move. The bank account must be in the IBAN format, and if you have a foreign bank account, you should also report the BIC code. If you do not have an IBAN bank account, enter your account number, name of the account holder, the bank’s name and address and the bank’s SWIFT code. The tenant is responsible for the accuracy of these data. Contracts which commenced on 1.1.2020 are not subject to a security guarantee, and therefore no security is returned for these contracts.

A check-list for tenants moving out

  • Send a notice of termination through the Tenant Pages at least one full calendar month before moving out.
  • Make sure that the inspector is able to inspect the apartment, either by using a master key or during a time you have agreed on.
  • Reserve enough time for packing and arranging the move.
  • Submit a notification of change of address through https://www.posti.fi/changeaddress/
  • Please report all faults you observe in the apartment well in advance before moving out by filling in a fault report.
  • The moving day is the next weekday following the end of the agreement.
  • Clear out and clean the apartment. If you agree with the new tenant that you will leave some of your belongings for them, remember to report this to TYS or label these items clearly in the apartment.
  • Remember to also clear out your possible storage locker and balcony/terrace.
  • If you have a dishwasher, it is important that you plug all the connections after disconnecting the machine.
  • You can return the keys to the office during its opening hours or to the return hatch during evenings/weekends.
  • The new tenant will receive the keys on the moving day at noon and may then start moving in.
  • The old tenant may move out at the same time as the new tenant moves in, so remember to be flexible!
  • If you have paid a deposit, it will be returned to you within a month of the agreement’s end.

Keys

The apartment keys must be returned to the TYS office or handed over directly to the apartment’s next tenant with a key transfer agreement. Keys need to be returned to the TYS office latest on the mid-day on the first working day of the month. Please return the keys through the key return slot on the left side of the office’s windows. Put the keys in an envelope and write your name and the old apartment’s address on it. You can find envelopes in the light-coloured mailbox near the key return slot, if you need them. Please remember to also return the key to your parking space and storage locker, if you have them.

Acquiring keys directly from the tenant moving out

It is also possible that the tenant moving in and the tenant moving out will agree on key transfer between themselves. In this case, a key transfer agreement must be made. We recommend that the tenant moving out confirms in advance who is moving into the apartment by contacting the Housing Office. Both parties must sign for the key transfer agreement by signing the printed form. Please note that you can only transfer the apartment keys to the next tenant; any parking space or storage locker keys must always be returned to the office.

Agreement on returning the keys

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