Tenants are selected solely based on apartment applications, including in internal exchanges. You cannot reserve an apartment without an apartment application.

Several factors determine the need for an apartment, such as:

  • getting a job or study place in Savonlinna
  • separating from or moving in with a partner, changes in family size
  • gaining independence
  • living costs at the current apartment are too high in relation to income
  • the current lessor has terminated the rent agreement
  • the current apartment is permanently or temporarily uninhabitable or it is inadequately furnished.
  • homelessness

The tenant selection process is based on ARA’s tenant selection guidelines, which you can read about here. According to ARA’s guidelines, grounds for selection are the need for housing, wealth, and income. Priority is given to homeless applicants and other applicants who are in urgent need of housing, applicants with limited means, and applicants with a low income.

There are no limits on income when selecting tenants. Tenant selection is nevertheless affected by the applicant’s income in that an apartment that is too expensive will not be offered. The maximum limits for housing costs used by Kela and for basic social assistance must be considered.

We will check the credit details of all applicants when we process their apartment application.

Apartment applications are processed every weekday and approved applications are valid for 3 months at a time. An apartment application can be renewed by telephone or email if the applicant’s information has not changed. Applications should be renewed before the 3 month period ends, otherwise the system will automatically cause the application to expire and it will no longer be possible to renew the application by telephone or email. If an application expires, the customer must send a new apartment application.

If there are several applicants for the same apartment, we will select a tenant based on the need for housing and on ARA’s tenant selection guidelines. In such cases, applicants are not put on a waiting list and if the selected applicant withdraws, another tenant will be selected on a case-specific basis.