Residence|The Helsinki rental housing company has been evicting residents at an accelerating rate. The amount does not yet show a cut in housing allowance, which is why Heka’s manager fears the worst for the rest of the year.
The summary is made by artificial intelligence and checked by a human.
The number of evictions in the rental housing company of the city of Helsinki is increasing sharply.
At the end of September, the number of evictions is already approaching two hundred, while there were around 120 in the whole of last year.
Evictions are mostly due to unpaid rents.
Housing benefit cuts and Heka’s rent increases make the situation difficult for low-income residents.
Residents evictions from their homes has turned into a significant increase in the rental housing company of the city of Helsinki (Heka).
By the third week of September, the number of evictions is already approaching two hundred, while the number of evictions last year was around 120.
The eviction tells about the resident’s serious impasse.
Before the eviction, Heka pursues the resident several times. So it’s about people who haven’t had their rent paid even in situations where the rental housing company gives the residents the opportunity to negotiate the rent arrears payment schedule.
Compelling reasons are required for eviction, and a lifestyle that disturbs the neighbors has not been grounds for eviction except in very isolated cases.
Heka CEO Jaana Närö
“The vast majority of evictions are due to unpaid rent,” says Heka’s CEO Jaana Närö. According to Närö, there has been an increase in evictions throughout the current year.
“The situation seems worrying. People have difficulties and distress.”
Eviction Things are very boring at Heka, describes a Heka employee interviewed by HS.
He does not want to speak about the grievances by name, because the matter is sensitive due to his position. The employee’s identity and position at Heka are known to HS.
“When the entire property goes to the landfill, the resident is aware of the events if he can manage to open his mail,” says the employee.
According to Närö, residents who have fallen into financial trouble no longer always open debt collection letters or other attempts by Heka to make the resident understand that they will soon have to leave their home by force.
“We have now also sent them texts,” says Närö.
From two unpaid rent for a month entitles you to start the eviction process. First, the case is handled by the district court. Then the information about the eviction is transferred from Heka to the Bailout Office.
In the last phase, the resident has a few weeks to arrange another place to stay until the bailiff arrives, and according to the Heka employee interviewed by HS, the locksmith will change the lock at the same time.
“The next day, the apartment’s emptying permit will be issued, and then the items will be taken to the landfill. Sometimes evicted people get mercy and can retrieve their papers or memorabilia from the apartment,” says the employee.
In the employee’s opinion, dismissal should be more gentle. Those evicted from him should still be given the opportunity to contact the social worker and agree on the storage of their belongings.
“The bailiff usually, without exception, gives permission to take the goods to the landfill. But a person who has drifted into such a situation should be given another chance,” says the employee.
For low incomes residents are now affected by the Finnish government’s cuts to the general housing allowance, which came into effect in April. The decrease in support has been significant in Helsinki.
In addition, Heka’s repeated rent increases also discipline the residents’ finances. Heka has raised rents for two years in a row, this year the increases were on average more than 5 percent, the previous year the increase was on average around 8 percent.
The reason is the company’s difficult financial situation: Hekka has a loan of around 3.1 billion euros.
In addition, Kela is pressuring residents to move to smaller apartments. There are approximately 54,500 apartments in Heka, but the exchange of apartments has not been smooth for various reasons, and around 1,500-2,000 apartments are constantly empty.
The end of the year towards the number of evictions may accelerate. According to Närö, the cut in housing allowance has not yet been directly reflected in the number of Heka evictions
“But I fear the worst,” says Närö.
It is not easy for someone who has been evicted from Heka’s apartment to get a new apartment, because the eviction will be entered in the credit information. The city of Helsinki helps families with children, because according to Närö, children cannot be left without a home.
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