A tenant's notice period in Finland is one month, counted from the last day of the calendar month in which you give notice. If you give notice on an open-ended lease at any point in October, the tenancy ends on 30 November. A fixed-term lease cannot be terminated early unless the landlord agrees. The reform of the Finnish tenancy act that took effect on 1 October 2026 did not change the tenant's notice period, but for leases signed from that date onwards the moving day and the deposit return follow new rules. Below is the whole move-out in order.
Notice: one month from the end of the month
The notice period does not start on the day you send the message but on the last day of that month. The exact date therefore only matters to the month: giving notice on the 1st or on the 30th ends the tenancy on the same day. If you want out of your old rent as soon as possible, give notice the moment your new home is confirmed. Waiting past the turn of the month costs you a full month's rent.
| You give notice | Tenancy ends |
|---|---|
| 1–31 Oct 2026 | 30 Nov 2026 |
| 1–30 Nov 2026 | 31 Dec 2026 |
| 1–31 Dec 2026 | 31 Jan 2027 |
Check your own dates in seconds with the notice period calculator.
Give notice in writing, for example by email or in your landlord's tenant portal, and keep the confirmation. A written message proves the date. Include the address of the flat, the tenants' names, the date the tenancy ends and your bank account (IBAN) for the deposit refund. If there are several tenants on the lease, the clearest option is that all of them sign the notice.
A fixed-term lease (määräaikainen vuokrasopimus) ends on the agreed date and cannot be terminated by notice. If you have to leave earlier, propose ending the agreement to your landlord and offer to find a new tenant. For many landlords a ready replacement beats an empty month. Agree on the termination in writing.
What changed on 1 October 2026
Finland's act on residential leases was reformed in October 2026. The new rules mainly apply to leases signed on or after 1 October 2026. If your lease is older, the old rules largely still apply unless you and your landlord agree otherwise. The differences that matter when you move out:
| Rule | Lease signed before 1 Oct 2026 | Lease signed from 1 Oct 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Tenant's notice period | 1 month | 1 month |
| Landlord's notice period | 3 months, or 6 months if the tenancy has lasted at least a year | 3 months, or 4 months if the tenancy has lasted at least two years |
| Moving day, unless agreed otherwise | the first working day after the tenancy ends | the day the tenancy ends |
| Deposit return | no fixed deadline in the law | within 14 days of the end of the tenancy or the handover, or notice of a deduction within the same time |
Always read your own lease too. It may set a different moving day or deposit terms than the default rule in the law.
Moving day: book the truck for the right date
For older leases the default is that the moving day is the first working day after the tenancy ends. On that day you hand over half of the flat to the landlord or the next tenant, and the whole flat the following day. If the tenancy ends on Sunday 31 January 2027, the moving day is Monday 1 February 2027.
For new leases signed from 1 October 2026 the moving day is by default the day the tenancy ends. The flat must then be empty on the last day of the lease, so book the move for that day at the latest. A day or two earlier is better, because the final clean can only be done in an empty flat.
The turn of the month is the busiest time for movers, as most tenancies end on the last day of a month. Book two to four weeks ahead if your date falls on it. Our hourly rate is the same every day, including the turn of the month and weekends: €90/h for two movers and a truck.
If the new lease starts before the old one ends, you pay two rents for a couple of weeks, but you gain breathing room: the move is not tied to one day and the old flat is cleaned empty without a rush. A two-room flat typically takes us 3–5 hours to move and about 4 hours to clean.
Final cleaning: what the inspection checks
You return the flat in the condition you received it, allowing for normal wear and tear. Inspectors look at the same spots almost every time. A poor final clean is the most common reason for deductions from the deposit, and cleaning ordered by the landlord usually costs more than your own.
- Oven, trays and hob, including under and beside the cooker
- Cooker hood grease filter washed
- Fridge and freezer defrosted and dried, doors left ajar
- Cupboards and drawers inside and on top
- Shower walls, floor drain, toilet and mirror cabinet
- Windows on the inside and window sills
- Floors, skirting boards, doors and light switches
- Balcony and the cellar or attic storage emptied
Cleaning is done once the flat is empty, so schedule it for the afternoon of moving day or the next morning. Move-out cleaning booked through us costs €40/h, and a two-room flat typically takes about 4 hours, roughly €160. The cleaning is done by our partner Puhda.fi. If something needs fixing at the inspection, we sort it out.
Move-out cleaning can qualify for the household tax credit (kotitalousvähennys) when it is invoiced separately from the moving work. Transport and carrying do not. The details are in our guide to moving and the household tax credit.
Inspection and handing over the keys
Arrange the inspection so that you are there yourself. Walk through the flat together, write down any remarks and ask for a copy. Take your own photos of every room, the appliances and the bathroom. If the flat had marks already when you moved in, dig out the move-in inspection report or your own photos from that time.
Return all keys, including the cellar, mailbox and garage keys, and ask for a receipt stating how many keys you returned. A missing key can mean the lock is re-keyed at the tenant's expense, and it is one of the most common surprise deductions.
Getting your deposit back
A landlord may only deduct actual, justified costs from the deposit: unpaid rent, damage beyond normal wear, missing keys or the cost of an inadequate final clean. Ordinary wear, such as faded walls or worn flooring along walkways, is not a reason for a deduction.
If your lease was signed on or after 1 October 2026, the landlord must return the deposit or notify you of a deduction within 14 days of the end of the tenancy or the handover of the flat. For older leases the law sets no fixed deadline, so check what your lease says and ask about the refund in writing if it does not arrive. If you disagree with a deduction, ask for a written breakdown. Free help is available from the consumer advisory service (kuluttajaneuvonta), and the dispute can be taken to the Consumer Disputes Board (kuluttajariitalautakunta).
Timeline for the month before you leave
| When | Task |
|---|---|
| As soon as the new home is confirmed | Give written notice on the old lease and ask for confirmation |
| 3–4 weeks before | Book the move and the move-out cleaning, order moving boxes |
| 1–2 weeks before | File the change of address (muuttoilmoitus), move your electricity contract and home insurance, agree on the inspection time. See the moving checklist |
| The day before | Empty the fridge and freezer and let them defrost, close the last boxes |
| Moving day | Empty cupboards, wardrobes, the balcony and the storage unit |
| Cleaning and handover | Final clean of the empty flat, photos of every room, joint inspection, keys against a receipt |
Frequently asked questions about ending a lease
What is the tenant's notice period in Finland?
For an open-ended lease the tenant's notice period is one month. It is counted from the last day of the calendar month in which notice was given, so notice given in October ends the tenancy on 30 November.
Can I terminate a fixed-term lease early?
Not unilaterally. A fixed-term lease ends on the agreed date. You can only leave earlier by agreement with the landlord, for example by finding a new tenant. Agree on the termination in writing.
When do I have to move out of a rental flat?
If your lease was signed on or after 1 October 2026, the moving day is by default the day the tenancy ends. For older leases it is the first working day after the tenancy ends, when half of the flat is handed over, and the whole flat the following day. The lease can set a different day.
How quickly must the landlord return the deposit?
For leases signed from 1 October 2026 the landlord must return the deposit or notify you of a deduction within 14 days of the end of the tenancy or the handover of the flat. For older leases the law sets no fixed deadline, so check the terms of your own lease.
What can a landlord deduct from the deposit?
Only actual and justified costs, such as unpaid rent, damage beyond normal wear and tear, missing keys or an inadequate final clean. Always ask for a written breakdown of any deduction.
How much does move-out cleaning cost?
Booked through us, move-out cleaning costs €40/h with one cleaner. A studio takes about 2–3 hours, so €80–120, a two-room flat about 4 hours, roughly €160, and a three-room flat 5–6 hours, €200–240.
Moving and cleaning in one booking
Tell us the moving date and the size of the flat. We book the move and the final clean back to back, so the old flat is ready for the inspection on time.