Moving in and moving out

 

Moving into or out of a Kuopas apartment? Read this article!

 

In this article, we go through the process of moving into and out of a student apartment. Student apartments are much more than just spaces. They are communities, places of learning, and for many, the first step towards independent living. We focus on providing concrete tips and guidance to help you with a smooth moving process. We will look at how you can prepare for the move, what all needs to be remembered, and how to make the move as easy as possible. Additionally, we include the views and thoughts of the apartment inspector on the processes of moving in and out, shedding light on this important part of the living experience. Whether it’s your first move into a student apartment or your last move out, we strive to ensure that every stage is smooth and trouble-free for everyone.

 

A new tenant should carefully inspect the apartment

Before picking up the keys from our office, it’s important to remember to send your student certificate to our customer service. All degree and PhD students must provide the study certificate before collecting the key. If you are an exchange student, you don’t have to send us your study certificate.

You can collect the key from our office from 12:00 on the day of the start of the tenancy agreement or on the following business day. If the start date of the tenancy agreement is a holiday or weekend, the moving day is the next business day. Remember to bring a photo ID (such as a driving license or passport). If you are unable to pick up the key yourself, you can authorize a friend or relative to pick up for you. For authorization, it is sufficient to send the name of the person you authorize to our customer service by email (customerservice@kuopas.fi).
Our office is open on weekdays from 12 PM to 3 PM and on the first day of every month from 12 PM to 3:30 PM.
You can also pick up the key in the evening or on weekends through our maintenance duty service for a fee of 70 €. In this case, you need to call our maintenance duty number 044 764 0760 and arrange a schedule with them. But please remember, that you can collect the key from the maintenance duty after your tenancy agreement has started.

When you move into a Kuopas apartment, it’s advisable to conduct a move-in inspection. You have 14 days to do the inspection, but we recommend checking the condition of the apartment as soon as possible. You can fill out the inspection form on our website here. Write down any defects and faults you observe on the form. The move-in inspection is particularly important because by completing it, you ensure that you are not held responsible for any damages possibly caused by the previous tenant. Remember to also fill out a separate fault report if you notice any defects that need repairing in the apartment.

When the apartment inspection is conducted during the last five business days of the agreement, there are often still tenants and their belongings in the apartments. In such cases, traces or other possible defects in the apartments, such as marks on the floor surfaces or walls, may not be immediately visible. Therefore, these possible defects should be reported immediately with a fault report, and any cleaning deficiencies should be immediately reported to the maintenance duty number”, our apartment inspector Riina reminds.

During the move-out inspection, we always point out any potential cleaning needs. During the busiest months, there can be up to 300 inspections, so we may not always be able to check all the apartments afterward. In such cases, it is possible that the final cleaning of some apartments has been inadequate.

If the apartment has not been cleaned well enough by the previous tenant, call our maintenance duty number +358 (0) 44 764 0760 immediately so we can clean the apartment.

In addition to the documents and forms to be submitted to Kuopas, movers often need to remember other important things, such as making a moving notification, registering with DNA (Internet connection provider), making an electricity contract, and home insurance. We have compiled a moving checklist for this article.

Moving involves a lot of things to remember, but carefully going through the instructions helps a lot in managing moving matters.

So, in summary:

1. Submit a student certificate before collecting the key.
2. Collect the key on the first business day of the tenancy agreement or any day after that with your ID.
3. Do a move-in inspection within 14 days of picking up the keys.

Read all the instructions for moving in here: Moving in Quick Guide

 

Moving out is easier with a careful move-in

The process of moving out starts well before the moving day. According to the Finnish law, the notice period for terminating a tenancy agreement is calculated “from the last day of the calendar month during which the termination is made” (Act on Residential Leases, Chapter 7, Section 52).
In other words, for example, a tenancy agreement ending at the end of December must be terminated by the last day of November at the latest. The lease is valid until the last day of the month.

If you make your termination before the 15th of the month, your contract will be among the first in the deposit refund process, so the deposit is usually refunded within two weeks of your move.

You can terminate the lease by using Electronic authentication here or with a printable form, which you can download here.

If you have graduated or are about to graduate, it is the tenant’s obligation to inform the landlord. Generally, Kuopas terminates the lease of a graduate with a statutory notice period of three (for contracts less than a year) or six (for contracts longer than a year) months.

Our apartment inspector Riina performs the move-out inspection during the last five business days of the tenancy agreement. If the key is returned before the last five days, the inspection can also be done before this. Before the move-out inspection, all repairable defects in the apartment should be reported to our maintenance with a fault report.

The apartment must be cleaned for moving out so that the new tenant does not have to clean it when moving in. You can find the cleaning instructions at this link.

It is recommended to do the moving cleaning before the move-out inspection, but we understand that this is not always possible.

In shared apartments, tenants rarely move out at the same time, leaving the apartment empty at once. When one tenant moves out of a shared apartment, it is the responsibility of each tenant to ensure that the common areas of the apartment are kept clean. Each tenant moving into a shared apartment commits to not only cleaning up after themselves but also to maintaining the cleanliness of the common areas. This Kuopas cleaning checklist can help in maintaining cleanliness and sharing cleaning responsibilities.

If you encounter challenges in moving cleaning, it is always advisable to take pictures of the cleaning and surfaces in the common areas. The pictures should be detailed enough, as pictures taken from a distance do not show the quality of the cleaning.

“If there are tenants remaining in the apartment after one has moved out, and there are cleaning deficiencies, we leave a cleaning order for the tenants. It lists all the points that still need to be cleaned. We want to give the tenants a chance to fix the noted issues. The purpose of the cleaning order is to ensure that the new shared tenant has a nicer experience moving into a clean apartment”, Riina explains.

If the apartment needs to be cleaned by Kuopas, we will charge the tenant or all shared tenants for the cleaning. The cost of the cleaning services are determined according to the actual billing. Any possible cleaning bill will be deducted from the departing tenant’s deposit or invoiced separately.

We will refund the rental deposit you paid at the beginning of the tenancy to the bank account you provide within a month of the end of your tenancy agreement.

The last step in the move-out process is the return of the keys. All the keys to the apartment and any possible parking spaces lent to you at the beginning of the tenancy must be returned to our office to our customer service staff or in the mailbox by the backyard door with your name and the apartment’s address written on the envelope or bag. Please return the key of your apartment by 10:00 on the business day following the end of your tenancy. Kuopas internal movers must return the key of the former apartment by 16:00 on the day of the new tenancy agreement. If the new tenant picks up their keys to the apartment before this, the move should be done in the morning by mutual agreement.

“Kuopas has about 3,000 residents, and turnover is high, as students typically live in student apartments for a shorter period than in many other rental apartments. We appreciate our residents’ flexibility for this reason. For our part, we always do our best to make the moving process as smooth as possible”, Riina reminds.

In summary, also about moving out:

1. Terminate the apartment at least one calendar month before moving out.
2. The move-out inspection is done in the apartment during the last five business days.
3. Remember to thoroughly clean the apartment and go through Kuopas’ move-out instructions carefully, point by point!
4. In shared apartments, all tenants clean the common areas together if one tenant moves out.
5. Always return the key/keys to Kuopas’ office to our customer service staff or in the mailbox with your name and the apartment’s address.

 

You can find a lot of information on our website, but you can always contact us

Finally, we want to emphasize that every moment spent in a student apartment is unique and meaningful for both the tenant and us as the landlord. We want to support you in your new phase of life when moving into a student apartment, but when you leave, we ensure that your move-out goes smoothly. This article aims to increase knowledge about the processes related to moving in and out. However, if you have any questions left unanswered, you can always contact us.

“If something is still on your mind, don’t hesitate to contact us! You can send us an email or call – and even send a message via Facebook or Instagram”, Riina reminds.

You can find our contact information here: Kuopio Student Housing Contact Details

We warmly welcome you to Kuopas student housing! If you are moving out, we hope that your time living with us was pleasant, and we wish you all the best for the future!