When you are finished using the kitchen:

• Clean the work surfaces, the sink, the cooker and the oven
• Take out any garbage
• Wash up your own dishes and put them away
• Empty the work bench of your groceries
• If you cook food with strong odor, take all the remainings to the garbage outside the apartment right away

Fridge and freezer

• Cleaning the inside back wall the fridge of ice and keeping the water exit hole open.
• Keeping the freezer frost free and defreezing it if necessary.
• A regular defrosting of the refrigerator is important, since an icy refrigerator uses a lot of electricity and does not function effectively. When removing the ice, do not use force or sharp tools. Older refrigerators should be defrosted every few weeks, whereas newer refrigerators defrost automatically.

Cleaning Instructions for Ceramic and Induction Cooktops

Please do not drag uneven or dirty cookware across the surface of the ceramic cooktop, as it may scratch the surface. Scratches can also be caused by rough cleaning tools, such as steel wool or abrasive sponges.

• To keep the surface clean and intact, wipe the cooktop after use with a damp cloth moistened with mild dish soap. Afterwards, rinse and dry the cooktop thoroughly.
• If sugary substances, plastic, or aluminum foil get on the warm ceramic cooktop, remove them immediately with a metal scraper. Otherwise, the surface may become permanently damaged and cleaning it later will be more challenging.
• If gray marks from aluminum-based pots and pans appear on the ceramic cooktop, they can be removed using a special cleaner designed for ceramic cooktops. Always follow the cleaner’s instructions carefully.

If you detect anything missing or broken in the kitchen, e.g. taps running or cracked surfaces, file a fault report.

Balcony

Clean the balcony and shovel the snow away during the winter. Clean the balcony’s water outlet openings and keep them open.

• Clean the bathroom sink after each use.
• Clean and dry the shower wall and curtain after each use.
• Clean the floor drain at least once a month.
• Regularly clean the drain traps.
• Wipe the ventilation valve between the plates once a month.
• Remove lime stains from water fixtures, floors, and walls.
• Regularly inspect the surfaces of wet areas in your apartment and report any defects to maintenance.
• If you notice leaks in the taps or toilet, contact maintenance.

Floor drain

Like the regular cleaning of the ventilator openings, the cleaning of the bathroom floor drain is also the tenant’s responsibility. A floor drain quickly builds up with hair and other residue which does not pass through the drain trap, and eventually it blocks the drain. An easy way to clean the drain is to lift the grating and to scoop up out the waste by hand. It may feel a little messy, but it is mostly just your own hair. You can also use a rubber glove. Finish up with clean water and perhaps with a drop of washing-up liquid and replace the grating.

In the floor drain there is a cleaning hole, which is sealed by a plug. If this plug becomes loose or comes off, some odours may pass through the air lock. If this should happen, fill in a fault report.

Sink drain traps

The cleaning of the drain traps in the sinks is done in almost the same way as the cleaning of the floor drain. Bathroom sink`s drain trap comes off usually by unscrewing it, which makes it is easy to clean. All deposits can then be removed from the pipe with, for example, the tip of a knife or some other sharp tool. However, you should not attempt to clean the drain trap in the kitchen sink. Leave it to our maintenance personnel.

If you are uncertain of what to do, fill in a fault report.

Wet room surfaces

Observing the wet rooms’ condition in the apartments and informing Kuopas about discovered faults by filling in a fault report.

Here are some tips for using or installing a dishwasher and washing machine:

• Removing and reattaching the dishwasher cabinet, as well as installing the dishwasher, is not part of Kuopas maintenance.
• Please note that only a licensed plumbing professional can install or disconnect a dishwasher. We also recommend using a professional for installing washing machines.
• A safety tray must always be placed under the dishwasher.
• If you have agreed to sell the dishwasher to the next tenant upon moving out, provide proof or a receipt of the dishwasher installation to the new tenant. Ensure together that the dishwasher cabinet is kept safe while the machine is installed.
• After removing the machine, the connections must be properly capped to avoid severe water damage.
• It is always advisable to have home insurance, especially when using a dishwasher or washing machine.
• Do not leave dishwashers and washing machines running unattended!

If you buy a dishwasher from a previous tenant, make sure to get the installation proof/receipt with the machine. If you do not receive a receipt, ensure the proper installation by a plumbing professional. When you buy a dishwasher from a previous tenant, you are responsible for the machine.

A part of ecological living is a working garbage disposal as well as recycling and conservation of energy. Problem waste (batteries, light bulbs, solvents, fuel, glue, paint, etc.) should not be thrown in with other waste. They must be taken to the appropriate collection stations. Find out the problem waste collection stations that are near your residential location. Medicine which are past their “best before” date should be taken to the pharmacy to be disposed of. There are waste sorting instructions in the waste containers.

You can find Jätekukko’s (waste management company in Northern Savonia) collection stations from this link (in Finnish): Collection stations

Waste sorting guide:

• Paper: newspapers, magazines, ads, envelopes, copy paper, books
• Carton: milk and juice cartons, biscuit boxes, pizza boxes, cardboard boxes (NOTE! Flatten! Dirty ones to mixed waste)
• Glass: glass jars, non-refundable glass bottles
• Metal: metal cans, caps and lids, aluminium foil, other small household metals
• Plastic: plastic food packages, detergent and shampoo bottles, plastic carriers, bags and wrappings
• Biowaste: fruit and vegetable skins, food leftovers, coffee grounds with filter paper, tea bags and napkins
• Mixed waste: all other waste, which cannot be sorted into other containers or hazardous waste
• Hazardous waste: e.g. remnants of liquid paint, glue and varnish, solvents, tin, vehicle batteries, oils, plant-protective agents and pesticides, wood-protective liquids and impregnating agents, and also toxicants and disinfectants.

Always sort the waste into the correct containers and keep the lids closed. Waste must not be left in the corridors or in the yard. Unclean and overflowing waste containers, and waste left somewhere else are a health risk and attract mice, rats and birds, which spread the waste around and carry diseases.

• Waste must always be sorted into the appropriate waste containers. All Kuopas’ buildings have waste collection bins.
• The tenant is responsible for recycling non-household waste. Do not leave furniture or other large items in the waste collection area.
• Environmentally harmful waste (batteries etc.) should be taken to the designated collection stations. Do not leave environmentally harmful waste to Kuopas’ waste collection bins.

You can read Jätekukko’s waste sorting guide here.

The buildings’ room temperature is set at + 21°C (+/- 1°C). Heating of the buildings begins in August depending on the outside temperature and ends in June. It is forbidden to use your own electric heaters in Kuopas apartments.

If your room is cold:

• Check that your radiator thermostat is wide open. You can regulate the temperature yourself by scale 1 to 5. You have to turn the thermostat very carefully, don’t use force. If the radiator doesn’t warm up, contact to our service man immediately. If the thermostat has been broken by using too much force, Kuopas is going to invoice a price for a new thermostat from the tenant.
• The thermostat in the radiator reacts to the outside air and controls the temperature of the water circulating in the radiators accordingly. In this way, it keeps the room temperature constant at all times. This means that the radiator may not always feel warm to the touch if the thermostat has detected the right room temperature.
• Thick curtains or furniture in front of the radiator will prevent warm air from entering the room.
• Check that there is minimum 20 cm of space between the radiator and any furniture.

Also remember:

• Only Kuopas’ maintenance service can vent the radiator.
• Do not close the air vents in the windows, you can adjust them if it’s possible.
• Do not adjust the vents inside your apartment, for example in the bathroom.
• In Autumn as the weather gets colder at night time it may feel cold inside because the daytime temperature is higher, and the radiator doesn’t give heat all the time.

If these instructions don’t work, please fill in Fault report from our website.

All our buildings are equipped with a mechanical ventilation system. According to building standards, the air in an apartment must change at least once every two hours on average. This is done with extractors, the operating times of which are timer-controlled between maximum and half speed. Therefore, the tenant cannot adjust the apartment’s ventilation theirselves, because it works automatically. The exhaust air is sucked from the kitchen and the bathroom, i.e. from rooms where odours and dampness build up. Obviously, the air changes in all the other rooms as well.

Supply air

The air which is sucked out by the extractor is replaced by fresh supply air.

In older buildings this happens through special gaps on the tops of the window frames, which are deliberately unsealed. In newer buildings there are air vents in the window frames, or on the walls, specially made for this purpose. Unsealed gaps and vents have to be left open. If the flow of incoming air is obstructed, the apartments become like bottles, out of which the extractor is trying in vain to suck out the increasingly damp, unhealthy, and bad air. And as the supply air forces its way in from all possible gaps, usually at floor level and at high speed, it can result in a feeling of draught.

Indoor air quality

If the indoor air feels stuffy and/or the windows steam up, you should first examine the ventilator openings, clean them, and check that the vents for the incoming air are open and that there is nothing obstructing the flow of air.

After this you can try to see if the ventilator opening for exhaust air holds an A4 sheet of paper by suction, as it should. If it does not, and the air still feels stuffy, fill in a fault report.

Cleaning the ventilators

The regular cleaning of the ventilator openings, which can be found in the bathroom and in the kitchen above the cooker, is the tenant’s responsibility. Especially the ventilator in the kitchen quickly builds up with greasy dust, which blocks the vent. An easy and simple way to clean the ventilator openings is to, for example, wet a cloth with washing-up liquid and wrap it around a knife, and wipe the gap around the vent with it. To finish up, give a wipe with a clean cloth. Do not tamper with the vents or their adjustments.

• Observing the taps and the toilet for possible leaks (please make a Fault report).
• Keeping the air lock (under the sink) and the shower floor trap clean.
• Cleaning the inlet- and outlet valves (and inlet filter) of air conditioning in the apartment. Clean these with a moist cloth.
• Cleaning the ventilator above the stove and stove filter bulb.
• Buying and changing broken bulbs of the apartment. Special lamps (e.g. in the oven, bathroom and in the refrigerator) are to be informed to maintenance.
• Waterborne heating system’s thermostat will open and close the water’s circulation in the heater. This way the room temperature will remain stable. For this reason, the heater may sometimes be warm and sometimes cooler, if the thermostat has found the room temperature to be sufficient.

It is the tenant’s responsibility to purchase and replace light bulbs, fluorescent tubes, and starters for the lights in the apartment. If you don’t know how to change the light bulb in your fixture, ask your roommates or maintenance for advice, but do not try to forcibly open a difficult fixture. A broken or improperly used light fixture can be dangerous. If a special bulb (such as an oven or refrigerator light) needs to be replaced, please submit a fault report.

In buildings with stairwells, the exterior doors are kept locked around the clock for security reasons. Access is granted by ringing the apartment’s door buzzer. The door can be opened from the apartment by pressing the buzzer button. The ground floor buzzer panel displays the apartment numbers. Tenants’ names and corresponding apartment numbers can be found on the name list attached to the door. In newer buildings, there are also intercoms, allowing you to check the caller’s identity and purpose. Keep these devices in good condition, as they serve both you and your guests.

Fire alarm

In every Kuopas apartment there is at least one fire alarm/room (except housing with fire alarm system seen below). Check the fire alarm regularly. If the fire alarm batteries are running low or the alarm is faulty, please fill in a fault report. The acquisition and replacement of batteries, as well as fixing the faulty fire alarms will be handled by Kuopas.

There are fire detectors using both mains power and batteries in Samoilijantie 6, Taivaanpankontie 15, Ahkiotie 8, Särkiniementie 18, Rosokuja 3 and Hallikatu 13. If there are problems in the fire detectors of these addresses, please fill in a fault report.

Fire alarm system

• There is a fire alarm system in Kuopas housing: Särkiniementie 30, Satamakatu 26, Torikatu 15, Suokatu 14 and Katiskaniementie 6 building E. The system has been installed to these buildings as a requirement of rescue authorities to improve tenant’s safety. Kuopas cannot switch off the fire alarm system and we have to call teh authorities for testing the system periodically. Kuopas maintenance also will test the system every month. The system cannot be dismantled even if Kuopas or the tenant would want it.
• The fire alarm system transmits the alarm always to the Kuopas maintenance if there is smoke in the apartment caused by cooking/burning or defective buildinghold appliance. The tenant cannot quit the alarm. The purpose of the alarm is to prevent personal damages and also damages to the apartment or the housing. You can read more information on the building information board of your building about the fire alarm system and get instructions for what to do when you hear the alarm.
• If a tenant has caused the fire alarm by his/her action, the maintenance call will be charged from the tenant. It’s the same kind of situation as for example door opening fee. If the tenant has forgotten the key inside, he/she will pay the door opening payment. If this would not be the fact, the fees would be collected from other tenants.

Renovations

Kuopas takes care of the renovations in student apartments. If you believe your apartment needs renovation, needs a bit of painting, etc., please contact maintenance. Minor renovations are carried out as needed to keep the apartments in the best possible condition.

In student housing, we practice continuous maintenance. This means carrying out repairs whenever necessary, such as when tenants change. Apartments are inspected during move-ins and move-outs, and necessary painting and other repairs are done. All other facilities and equipment in the property are maintained according to the same principle. For example, sauna facilities are regularly updated as needed.

We encourage our tenants to use free-standing furniture, hang pictures on the hanging moldings located at the top of the walls, and avoid any kind of wall attachments. All attachments, drilling, painting, modifications, etc., to the structures are generally prohibited, and exceptions must always be approved by Kuopas maintenance.

Major Renovations/Improvements

Major improvements and renovations are carried out when buildings reach the end of their economic life. These improvements are always based on condition assessments and planned according to a specific improvement program for each property. Tenants will always be notified separately about the basic condition surveys. The level of renovated properties is raised to a like-new condition, which also means that the rent will be correspondingly higher after the renovation. Similarly, the rent of an individual apartment is increased to reflect the cost of repairs after major renovations.

During major renovations, we usually have to terminate the lease agreements within the legal deadlines. We always strive to arrange an equivalent apartment for the tenants in another student housing property during and after the renovation.

Own Repairs

Personal renovations are not allowed in the apartments. If exceptions are granted, they must always have written permission from Kuopas and agreed-upon work instructions.

A checklist of absolutely prohibited actions:

• The tenant must not make structural changes or paint without specific permission.
• Do not adjust the ventilation vents yourself, as this disrupts the building’s entire ventilation system and can cause moisture and health issues.
• Do not adjust or bleed the radiator valves for the same reason as the ventilation.
• Do not tamper with electrical devices, as most electrical installation work requires a permit and must be performed by a licensed electrician.
• Do not repair computer and antenna outlets, as this can cause network disruptions.
• Do not install a dishwasher yourself; the installation and removal of a dishwasher must be performed by a professional in the field of plumbing.