WHAT'S UP?

Easier to get involved

Resident activities create a sense of community. The law on joint management regulating them is being renewed to meet current needs.

Text Anne Hänninen

IIf you live in a house built with state support, you have a say in matters concerning your own housing. Residents have the right to know how their rent is determined, what repairs are being planned, and they can give feedback on the residents' needs.

Joint management has a more informal side, too. It can be outings for residents or keeping the yard in good shape.

The residents know best what needs to be fixed or changed in their house and area, so in the long term, they also help maintain the property's value.

Outdated law renewed

The idea behind the act on joint management is that the residents and property owner can put it into action how they deem best. "The minimum is one meeting a year. In practice, there are many ways to implement the law. A lot depends on the size of the company," says Senior Officer Sina Rasilainen from The Housing Finance and Development Centre of Finland.

One reason to change the law is the changes that have taken place in lessors. "The law came into force in 1990, and then rental building companies owned one or a few properties – now they can own thousands of apartments," says Jouni Parkkonen, CEO of KOVA, Finnish Affordable Housing Companies’ Federation.

One of the goals set for the new law is to enable electronic participation, such as hybrid meetings or e-voting.

"Electronic means would reach residents that do not attend meetings. There is a need for ways to activate young people in particular," says Rasilainen.

The renewed law is planned to come into effect in 2023.

In practice, the changes are probably not going to be big. E-participation will be possible, and roles between different parties will be clearer, but for the majority, life will continue as before.

For example, VAV provides an allowance for each property's resident activities. It can be used to buy food and drink for parties, garden furniture, or club room equipment.

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Lending a snow shovel

If you are surprised by a snowstorm, you can find shovels, snow scoops, and brooms in the shed in the yard. When you clear your balcony, make sure you don't dump the snow on anyone. Do remember to return the equipment to the shed afterwards.

DIY

Trainspotter from Korso

Onni Korpi shares videos on his KorsoTV channel and enjoys the green Korso area.

BORN AND BRED in Korso, Onni says Korso has everything he needs: nature, good connections and services, and history. "Vantaa is no just concrete like some seem to think. There are different kinds of areas, urban and rural."

1. Ankkapuisto Quiet and cosy outdoor area near that I often admire going by. In 2019 and 2020, it was the venue for Reflektor Korso light art festival. 2. Mikkola school I still meet my friends on the school yard, even though our numbers have gone down. Now, there is an outdoor gym next to the school; we train there every now and then. 3. Matarinkoski A refreshing place with a river winding through the forest, at times turning into rapids. There is a place for washing rugs next to the beach. 4. Korso railway station I travel on the train every day to high school in Myyrmäki and to Helsinki and Tikkurila. I have made trainspotting videos in Korso, e.g. of the M100 metro trains that pass by on their way to renovation. 5. Lumo library The library was renovated in 2018–2019 and is now spacious and light. You can lend books, movies, games, and records.

Have an eco-Christmas

LESS IS MORE It may feel strange to leave out some traditional Christmas foods, but if the herring is never eaten, you can leave it in the shop this year. To make your Christmas dinner more eco-friendly, favor vegetarian dishes and responsibly sourced fish.

EXPERIENCES AS GIFTS Immaterial gifts like services or giving to a charity often bring more joy than new things. Experience packages can be expensive, but the gift can just as well be an outing in the forest with a thermos and packed lunch. If you want to buy a traditional gift, plan well ahead and give the gift in a reusable gift bag.

CLEANERS FROM YOUR KITCHEN CABINET You can reduce the amount of chemicals you use by switching to cleaners from your kitchen cabinets. Vinegar makes your laundry fresh and removes hard water stains, but do not use it on grout, silicon, enamel, or marble, as acid damages them. The oven can be cleaned with a mixture of baking soda, salt, and water, and finish the work by rubbing a sugar cube on any embedded dirt.

?Is it enough for me to terminate the lease for myself and my spouse?

NO, IT IS NOT, if the lease is in both your names. Then both have to terminate the lease using an electronic termination form and your bank identifiers. If only one person terminates the lease, the lease will stay in force in the other person's name.

DNA tarjoaa VAV-asukkaille erittäin edullisen nopean netin

DNA offers VAV residents a very affordable high-speed internet

VAV-kodeissa on jo valmiina vuokraan sisältyvä maksuton DNA:n taloyhtiölaajakaista, 25 megan perusnopeudella. Se riittää hyvin netin peruskäyttöön, kuten nettisivujen selailuun ja pankkiasioiden hoitoon. Valitse netin nopeus käytön mukaan. Jos kodissasi opiskellaan, tehdään etätöitä, pelataan verkkopelejä tai katsellaan esim. Netflixiä, tarvitset nettiin lisää nopeutta. Pienen perheen sujuvaan leffojen katseluun riittää 100 – 200M netti. Suurempi perhe, joka käyttää nettiä ahkerasti, kannattaa valita netti 400 – 1000M nopeudella. Ota kotiisi kuuluva netti käyttöön osoitteessa dna.fi/vav. Samalla voit nostaa netin nopeutta VAV-asukkaiden erikoishintaan. Esim DNA Netti 100M vain 5,99 €/kk!!!

Your rent includes a 25 Mbps broadband connection. For you, Netti is practically free of charge. Activation is quick and easy. According to your usage, you can decide to go for an even faster broadband at very affordable prices. Just visit dna.fi/vav-english and enter your home address. You can also activate the subscription by calling DNA Customer Service, tel. 044 144 044 or by visiting your nearest DNA Kauppa store.