APPLYING
Exchange students can apply for shared apartments that have furnished rooms in Linna, Suviboxi, Olympia I and few apartments in Ahvenranta (houses J, L and M).
The tenancy agreement is made for the whole term;
Autumn term: from the 1st of August or September to 31st of December.
Spring term: from the 1st of January to the 31st of May.The agreement will be made for a fixed period and it cannot be terminated.
You are liable for paying rent for the whole duration of your agreement, even if you move out earlier. Processing fee for fixed term agreements (50€) will be added to the first rent.The furniture includes a bed (without a pillow, blanket or thin mattress pad), a desk and chairs, a lamp and a desk lamp, wardrobe, bookshelf and trash bin. There is a fridge, an oven and a stove in every VOAS kitchen, but no cutlery or curtains. Internet and electricity are included in the rent. Take a RJ45-cabel with you so you can get the internet to work (no WIFI).
Notice, there are basic cutlery in Linna kitchens!
Notice! Due to the big apartment demand for the autumn semester we can’t secure housing for all students. If you decline a housing offer we can’t ensure that you will have another one.
The furniture and materials vary in the apartments
PAYING THE RENT
The due date for paying the rent is always the 6th of each month and it cannot be postponed - even if you arrive in Finland later. The rent invoice and tenancy agreement will be sent to you by email when the security fee has arrived, or can be picked up at the office.
As you can’t pay rent at VOAS office nor at the Finnish banks, you should transfer the rent by an international bank transfer (online net banking). You can pay rent for many months in advance, if you like. Please notice that the rent account is different from the security account.
NOTICE! We recommend students to pay all rents together before arrival in case you live outside the European union to avoid high bank charges.
WHEN ARRIVING TO VAASAPlease sign and scan back the tenancy agreement which have been sent to you after the security fee payment has been processed. The keys cannot be retrieved, if the tenancy agreement is not signed. If your tutor offers to pick up the key on your behalf, please make sure to inform the housing office, who we will be allowed to give your key to. We will need your tutor's full name.
Please read through the info package which you receive with the key. Fill in the apartment card online or by paper and return it to VOAS within a week.
Laundry room and sauna are free to use, remember to make a reservation and respect the timetable.
A company called StudentSurvival provides "survivor kits" with different home essentials to exchange students. You can read more about their services from their webpage.
DEPARTUREYou have a fixed-term tenancy agreement with VOAS and it cannot be terminated by notice in the middle of the contract period. The apartment key should be returned at the latest in the last day of your tenancy agreement. Please return the paper Bank connection information to VOAS office for returning your security, at latest when you return the key.
FINAL CLEANING OF THE FLAT
Please remember that final cleaning is always the last step before handing over the apartment. The final cleaning done before handing the apartment over to the new tenant is not a very big task if you have cleaned the apartment throughout your tenancy:
• Sweep or vacuum clean the floors and wipe them with a damp cloth
• Clean all cupboards and their doors and tops
• Wipe off stains from walls and doors (fingerprints etc.)
• Wash the oven/cooker
• Defrost and clean the fridge/freezer. Please note! Do not use sharp instruments – a knife will easily break the freezer!
• WC/bathroom: wash the floors, walls, sinks and the toilet bowl
• Clean the windows (if the temperature is below 0 only the inner surface)
• Empty and sweep clean the balcony and storagePlease remember to close your room door when you leave! If someone makes a mess in the room after you have left, you will be held responsible for possible damages. If the apartment is left untidy VOAS will order professional cleaning and it will be charged from the tenants. Remember to return the key to VOAS office.
