Photo: Anni Savolainen / Str / Lehtikuva
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Helsinki City Housing Company (Heka) will raise its average monthly rent to €14.66 per square metre in 2026. The company announced a 1.9 percent increase across its standard rental housing portfolio.
The decision was approved by Heka’s board on 24 September. Tenants will receive individual rent notifications by the end of October. The new rents take effect on 1 January 2026.
Maria Aspala, CEO of Heka, said the adjusted rent level will still remain significantly below Helsinki’s private rental market.
“After the increase, the average rent in Heka apartments will be around 35 percent lower than the average market rent in Helsinki,” Aspala said.
Heka operates on a cost-based model and does not generate profit or pay dividends. All rental income is used to cover expenses related to construction, maintenance, repairs, and administration.
The company said most rent increases will range between 1 and 2 percent. In some cases, adjustments will be as low as 0.1 percent or as high as 2.4 percent.
For a 40-square-metre flat, the increase means an additional €11 per month. For a 70-square-metre flat, the rise equals about €20 per month.
Heka said the moderate increase is made possible by a slowdown in rising costs. Interest expenses have stabilised, and other operating costs are expected to grow more slowly than in previous years.
A capital injection from the City of Helsinki for 2026 will also help reduce pressure on rent levels.
Despite this, Heka noted that the price of goods and services is still expected to increase, which may lead to further rent adjustments in the coming years.
The company also pointed to a high supply of rental housing in Helsinki, which is expected to affect occupancy rates in 2026.
HT
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Source: www.helsinkitimes.fi
