So, I got an apartment. When can I move in?

After your tenancy agreement has begun you can move into your Kuopas apartment.

How do I get the keys to my apartment?

As a tenant you are entitled to receive a single key to your apartment. The key also lets you into the common facilities in your house. The key is your personal belonging and has to be kept with care.

You can get the keys from the Kuopas office at Torikatu 15, 70110 KUOPIO. We will ask for your ID-card and signature. It is possible that the previous and coming tenant make a written contract of transferring the keys. It has to be written in the contract who gives the keys for whom, and how many keys are being transferred. Contract of transferring the keys outside office hours.

You’ll get the keys free of charge during working hours:

• Monday to Friday at 8.00–15.00
• First working day in every month at 8.00–15.30

If you are not able to arrive at Kuopio during Kuopas office hours, you need to contact your tutor student, international office in your educational institution or a friend and ask them to get the key for you. Please inform us the name of the person whom is going to pick up hte key for you. It’s also possible for you to get the keys outside the office hours of Kuopas for the price of 70 €. In this case, you’ll need to have your ID-card with you. Please call to number 044 7640 760 if you want to get your keys outside office hours.

If you are changing your apartment within Kuopas and the 1st day of the month happens to be at the weekend or a common holiday, you can pick up the new key from our office between 8:00-9:00 free of charge and without a need to inform us about it. Also, if changing apartments within Kuopas, you only need to return the key of the old apartment until 12:00 of the first day of your new tenancy contract. As an example, if your tenancy agreement ends on 31.1 and the new one starts on 1.2 you only have to return your old keys before 12:00 1.2.

What should I do first?

When you move in, you should fill in the Apartment checklist (within 7 days), a form which you should fill in as first thing when you go into your apartment and inspect the condition of it. You can fill in the apartment checklist here.

If you want, you can use scotch tape or a sticker to attach your name on your own door and mailbox.

Can I drill holes on the wall?

The student buildings are made versatile. This is both a benefit and a limitation, since the floor-plans are always a result of a bunch of compromises. A three-room apartment for example is not always functioning so well as a family apartment if it was originally constructed for three single students.

However, with a little imagination and your own furniture you can turn the empty rooms into your very own home. Some of our apartments are equipped with basic furniture.

The fast cycle of new and leaving tenants sets also its limits for furnishing as the walls and furniture have to last from one tenant to the next one. We therefore wish that our tenants avoid all drilling and other fixing that can cause damage to the apartment.

How to get a smooth start for living?

If you are already receiving Housing supplement from Kela, you’ll need to inform them about your new apartment.

By law, it is the tenant`s responsibility to notify the local registration authorities of a change of address. Visit www.changeaddress.fito make the fastest and most affordable notification of change of address around the clock. You can also do this by calling the register office or by filling in the form in our office and we will forward it to the registrar. This must be done a week after moving in at the latest.

If you need a parking space for your car, or if you want to your own sauna turn, please contact the Kuopas housing office, tel. 020 710 9740.

What kind of rules and regulations should I follow?

Make yourself at home… and let the others do as well.

Living in a student house means co-operating and consideration for your room mates and neighbours. Order regulations and other rules are meant to be followed. By using common sense and by also listening to the opinions of others in interaction with roommates and neighbours, you can positively affect your own as well as community’s enjoyment.

You can download the complete table of rules and regulations here.

Also note that as a tenant you are responsible for cleaning and minor maintenance work of your apartment. See more information here.

Do I need home insurance?

Yes, it might be a good idea. The real estate insurance taken by Kuopas does not cover the damages of your personal property or your own accidents.

Let’s say, if water damage takes place in an apartment near you and damages your belongings, a home insurance is the only way to get compensation. Also, if your own dish machine, as an example, breaks down and leaks water to the floor, the repair work for the floor is expensive and insurance is a good thing to have.

Contact insurance companies for more information.