Housing advice secures housing

What is Housing Advice?

Housing advice professionals can provide advice on issues related to housing. The goal of housing advice is to reduce rental arrears, housing disturbances and evictions, as well as to ensure the continuation of housing. A housing advisor can assist in situations such as the threat of eviction, dealing with rental arrears, or applying for housing.

Housing advice is usually short-term, low-threshold guidance and advice. It is often implemented at the municipal level or in rental housing companies.

A Cost-Effective Service

Housing advice has proven to be a successful preventive service in reducing rental arrears, housing disturbances and evictions, and ensuring the continuation of housing. It is a cost-effective service that saves money for municipalities, rental housing companies, and the state, while helping residents before problems escalate.

The Centre also sees housing counseling as a significant promoter of housing security and residential satisfaction. Financial counseling should also be included as part of housing counseling.

Centre for State-Subsidised Housing Construction Supports Housing Advice Activities

Since 2009, the Centre and its predecessors have supported municipalities, rental housing companies, and non-profit organizations in initiating and developing housing advice. Our housing advice grant is available annually and is applied for one year at a time. The grant involves contract negotiations and an obligation to report annually to the Centre.

The benefits of housing advice are intended to extend to all residents, regardless of their housing type. With the housing advice grant, a municipality can provide the service by itself or build a network of different actors in the area to provide the service to various target groups.

The grant aims to improve the availability of housing advice and ensure the continuity of existing housing advice services. The goal is that all residents in need of support for their housing, including those in private rental and owner-occupied homes, have access to housing advice.

Network of Housing Advisors

Housing advisors often work without a team or partner, and the amount of peer support is limited. A network of housing advisors has been established for peer support, and is coordinated by the Centre.

The network is intended only for professionals who work as housing advisors. Through the network, housing advisors receive new tools for their work and up-to-date information from the field of housing advice.
 

For more information contact our housing advice team

Sina Rasilainen
Senior specialist

Vilja Kamppila
Project coordinator

Email: asumisneuvonta.varke@gov.fi