The cost of owning a flat: charge, loan share and leased land
By Lumi · Updated: Jun 16, 2026, 12:00 AM
What a flat's monthly costs consist of in Finland: maintenance and financing charge, loan share, transfer tax and leased land explained.
Important: Always compare the debt-free price, not the sale price — a low sale price can hide a large company loan.
A flat's real cost isn't just the sale price. The monthly charge, your share of the company loan and any land rent decide what you're committing to.
The charge: maintenance + financing
The company charge (vastike) consists of the maintenance charge (running costs, benchmark about €5.5/m²/month for blocks of flats, Tilastokeskus 2025) and the financing charge (repaying the company loan). Land rent may come on top.
Debt-free price and loan share
Debt-free price = sale price + your share of the company loan. A low sale price can hide a large loan share, repaid via the financing charge — always compare the debt-free price.
Taxes and the plot
Buying housing-company shares carries a 1.5% transfer tax (Verohallinto, 2024); the first-home exemption was abolished on 1 Jan 2024. If the plot is leased (often a long city lease in Helsinki), the land rent is part of your costs and can rise sharply when the lease term ends — check the end date and revision terms.
Frequently asked questions
- What does the company charge cover?
- The maintenance charge covers the building's running costs; the financing charge repays the company loan. Together they're the key recurring cost.
- What is the loan share?
- Your portion of the housing company's loan. It's paid via the financing charge or settled in one payment.
- What is leased land (vuokratontti)?
- A plot the housing company leases. The land rent sits in the charge, and the lease terms are worth checking.
Sources
See also
This guide is general information, not personal advice. Verify figures and rules from official sources.