Residential health and apartment inspection

Indoor climate refers to the building's environmental factors that affect human health and comfort, such as building cleanliness, smoking, ventilation, heat and humidity conditions, radon, lighting and noise. Remember to keep the apartment clean, check that the ventilation is working, use low-emission building materials, check that there is no moisture and mold damage in the building. Noise (caused by ventilation devices, elevators, footsteps, etc.) can also be disturbing. The local environment can also cause health problems. The sound of music from a nearby restaurant can be very disturbing or other noise from the workplace. Due to poor hygiene, odors can penetrate from the neighbor, or even cancer cells can be transported.

According to Section 27 of the Health Protection Act, if there is noise, vibration, smell, light, microbes, dust, smoke, excessive heat or cold or moisture, radiation or other similar things in an apartment or other living space, in such a way that it may cause health harm to the person staying in the apartment or other space , measures to find out, eliminate or limit the harm and the factors that led to it must be taken without delay.

If the nuisance is caused by the building's structures, insulation or basic systems that are the responsibility of the building owner, the owner of the building is responsible for removing the nuisance, unless otherwise provided by law. However, if the health hazard is caused by the use of the apartment or other living space that is not usual, the owner of the apartment or other living space is responsible for removing the health hazard.

Apartment inspection

If you suspect a health hazard from the apartment, contact the owner of the apartment or his representative (building company manager, chairman of the board, landlord). If the owner of the apartment or his representative does not take the necessary investigation and repair actions despite the contacts, the resident can contact the environmental department. The environmental engineer in charge of the matter gives instructions and advice, and if necessary initiates the matter by asking the resident to fill out the apartment inspection request form.

The statement of the property manager, the landlord and any other interested parties is requested for the inspection request, and they are given the opportunity to be present at the inspection.

The official who performs the apartment inspection, an environmental engineer, decides on possible measurements and other investigations based on the inspection.

For the inspection, measurement, sampling, research and investigation related to the investigation of the health hazard or ensuring the elimination of the hazard, a fee according to the environmental healthcare fee rate is collected from the owner or holder of the property or someone else who is responsible for the health hazard.

However, the official's first inspection to investigate suspected health hazards and the associated determination of the need for further research is free of charge.

The municipal health protection authority can oblige the person who is responsible for the harm to take the necessary measures without delay to find out, eliminate or limit the health harm and the factors that led to it.

If the health hazard is obvious and there is reason to suspect that it causes an immediate danger, the hazard cannot be remedied, or if the order of the health protection authority to remove the hazard has not been followed, and other measures in accordance with this law are not considered sufficient, the health protection authority may prohibit or limit the use of the apartment or other living space.

It is not necessary to use the form, but it makes it easier to find out.

The form can be requested from health supervision by phone or email health controlimatra.fi.