Residents’ democracy

Residents’ democracy refers to the means by which tenants can have a say in matters related to their residency. According to the Act on Joint Management of Rental Buildings, which regulates residents’ democracy, the purpose of residents’ democracy is to provide residents with the authority and opportunity to influence matters pertaining to their own living, increase the comfort of living, and promote the maintenance and management of rental buildings. Most of VAV’s properties are subject to the act in question. In addition, VAV has its own resident administration regulations in place.

In VAV houses, there are several ways in which residents can influence the relevant decision-making and improve the comfort of living. Each resident has the opportunity to participate in mutual decision-making. Mutual matters are discussed in the residents’ meeting held each spring, to which all residents are invited.

The residents’ meeting involves making decisions pertaining to the property and electing a tenant committee or person elected to a position of trust to represent the residents. Residents’ democracy reaches all the way up to the board of directors of VAV Asunnot Oy, to which resident representatives are elected.

Most VAV houses have a tenant committee or a person elected to a position of trust whom the residents can contact, or ask about a property or resident activity. You can find the details of these resident activists on your building’s noticeboard.

You can find further information on the principles of resident activity and its practical applications (in Finnish) here.