Housing health
Apartments
The indoor conditions of the dwelling must be such that they do not cause any harm to health. The owner of the building must maintain the building and the occupant must use the dwelling in such a way that the occupant’s health is not adversely affected.
If an indoor air problem is suspected, the building owner must identify the causes of the problem and correct the factors that are causing health problems. The first point of contact should be the property manager in the case of a housing association and the owner or manager in the case of rented accommodation. The building society or the owner of the apartment should investigate the matter. If the housing association or landlord does not take action, you can contact the environmental health inspector. The environmental health inspector will give advice and, if necessary, can carry out an inspection of the dwelling to identify any factors that may be causing health problems
Smoking bans in housing associations
The housing association, i.e. the owner of the building, can apply for a ban on smoking on the balconies of the dwellings, in the dwellings’ own yards and inside the dwellings. The ban is applied for from the environmental health services. The housing association itself can ban smoking in the communal outdoor areas of the housing association. Individual residents cannot apply for a smoking ban.
For more information on how to apply for a smoking ban, click here
A fee is charged for processing the application in accordance with the environmental health fee schedule.
Public spaces
The municipal health protection authority monitors the health conditions of public premises such as schools, nurseries and old people’s homes, sports facilities and beauty parlours. This monitoring is carried out annually in accordance with an approved environmental health monitoring plan and on the basis of any complaints from customers. The monitoring will focus on issues such as the adequacy of facilities, the condition of structures such as possible mould and moisture damage, good indoor air quality and ventilation.
The occupation of public premises and the above-mentioned workplaces must be notified to the environmental health inspector. In the first instance, the notification must be made electronically via the national environmental health notification service ilppa.fi. You can also use the notification form. The notification forms can be found here.
Indoor air problems in schools and day-care centres are investigated together with municipal indoor air teams. Expert advice is obtained, where necessary, from consultants specialising in the analysis of dampness problems and from specialist institutes.
If you suspect an indoor air problem in a school or nursery, contact the head of the nursery or the school principal in the first instance. In case of health problems, you can also contact the environmental health inspector.
Information on smoking bans in public places can be found here
Contact
– Housing health monitoring
– Surveillance of public premises
– Meeting rooms
– Accommodation establishments
– Nursing homes and other social work establishments
– Children’s homes and child protection units
– Schools and colleges
– Cosmetology apartments
– Control of public premises
– Kindergartens
– Gym and sports facilities
Pests
In matters concerning vermin, you can also contact any of the following environmental health inspectors
More information at
Housing Health Regulation 545/2015
Housing Health Valvira
Obligation to notify-Valvira