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In 2025, POAS experienced an unusually high number of water damage incidents in addition to fire damage, which rendered many apartments uninhabitable and resulted in repairs costing several thousand euros.
The most common causes of damage have been improper installation of dishwashers, incorrect cleaning practices, and excessive water usage. We want to remind all tenants about proper cleaning and home maintenance by highlighting water damage incidents that have occurred in various apartments and detailing the costs incurred as a result.
Case 1
What happened?
Water damage has been detected in the apartment, caused by a leak originating from the dishwasher. Drain water leaked into the kitchen base cabinet from the connections of the dishwasher’s drain trap. As a result of the leak, the back and bottom panels of the kitchen cabinet have been damaged. In connection with the damage caused by the dishwasher, separate water damage to the floor structure has also been detected in the apartment. The damage is estimated to have been caused by the large amount of water used during cleaning. The floor was mopped, and more water than usual accumulated on the floor, causing moisture to be absorbed into the floor structure. As a result of the events, moisture damage has occurred to the apartment’s structures, costing thousands of euros.
Main points:
- Total repair costs: 10 450€
- The tenant had home insurance, but only approximately 2000€ of the damage was covered, as the tenant had caused additional damage through their own actions.
- The tenant was therefore left to pay 8450€
Case 2
What happened?
According to the tenant, the sewer pipes in the apartment building were being cleaned, and tenants were instructed to plug the floor drains in their apartments during that time. It was the tenants’ responsibility to remove the plugs from their own apartments once the cleaning was complete. The plugs were not removed, and damage occurred when the faucet in the bathroom was turned on and the water could not flow freely into the drain because the plugs had not been removed. As a result, water spread outside the bathroom into the hallway. Once the water had spread outside the bathroom into the hallway, it was mopped up with a floor mop and swept onto the balcony.
Main points:
- Total repair costs 15 366 €
- The tenant had home insurance, but only approximately 2000€ of the damage was covered, as the tenant had caused additional damage through their own actions.
- Total cost to the tenant 13 366 €
- The tenant did not report the damage to the on-call service
Case 3
What happened?
In the first part of the “Avoid accidents!” campaign, we explained how grease buildup can cause water damage. In one apartment, the floor drain in the bathroom flooded due to a clogged sewer, and water had spread throughout the entryway and into the kitchen. Water flowed from around the drain onto the lobby floor and spread from there throughout the apartment, into the stairwell, and elsewhere in the building.
Main points:
- Total repair costs 20 103 €
- The tenants filled out a notice of defect when the drain began to overflow
- A notice of defect should have been filed as soon as the drain blockage was noticed. When the damage occurred, the tenant should have called the maintenance company’s on-call service.
- No home insurance
Case 4
What happened?
In addition to water damage, other defects are sometimes found in apartments, resulting in a deterioration of the apartment’s condition during the tenancy. In such situations, the tenant is liable for compensation if the landlord was not notified of the defects or alterations in a timely manner. For example, in this apartment, the plastic flooring in the bathroom was warped and moisture levels were elevated, indicating a long-standing problem. Due to these defects, extensive renovations had to be carried out in the apartment, even though the tenancy had lasted only about four years. The lease agreement you signed states: “The tenant is obligated to notify the landlord without delay of any defects or deficiencies that arise in the apartment under their control. If the tenant fails to fulfill this obligation, the landlord has the right to arrange for the necessary cleaning and repair work in the apartment and bill the tenant for the costs.”
Main points:
- Total repair costs 11 476 €. This amount does not include the new water damage
- No reports of defects in the apartment
- No home insurance
- The total cost to the tenant 11 476 €
What can you do to prevent any water dammages or accidents?
Small actions can prevent major damage. By taking the following steps, you may save yourself a significant amount of money.
- If you notice a water leak, call and report it to maintenance immediately
- Remember to keep your home insurance up to date! POAS does not cover temporary housing if the apartment is uninhabitable due to the damage. Depending on its coverage, your home insurance may cover temporary housing
- The tenant is responsible for paying for water damage they cause, as well as any damage resulting from failure to report the incident
Dishwasher
- Use a leak guard (drip tray) under the machine. These cost 20–30€ depending on the store. Install the tray first, then the machine
- Have a professional install the dishwasher. Insurance may not cover a self-installation
- Have a professional check the condition of the hoses (especially if the machine is not new), the tightness of the connections, and the proper installation of the drain hose.
- Use only detergents intended for dishwashers
- Do not leave the machine running when you leave the apartment or overnightMonitor the machine during operation to ensure there are no leaks or unusual noises
- If you notice any problems report the issue immediately
- In the event of a leak, turn off the water and act quickly
- When moving out properly cap the connections
Bathroom
- Do not attach anything to the bathroom walls or floors
- As a tenant, you are obligated to report any issues with the apartment. Failure to report defects may result in liability for damages
- If the toilet is leaking or dripping, file a notice of defect
- Do not place any type of bathtub in the bathroom or on the balcony
- Do not pour any type of grease down the drains! If the drains are clogged, file a notice of defect.
Remember:
Prevention is the best defense. Regular inspections and careful attention to everyday tasks are an effective way to prevent damage and enhance the safety of both you and others living in the building.
Throughout April and May, you might spot the POAS bus on the streets.
To celebrate our anniversary, we’ve wrapped one of our Nysse buses, and it really stands out on the streets! The bus usually runs on Route 8, so keep your eyes peeled!
To celebrate, we’re hosting a small-scale bus spotting contest.
When you spot the POAS bus:
📸 snap a photo
📩 send it to us via Instagram DM
We’ll raffle off 2 x €50 S-Group gift cards among all participants!
⏰ The bus will be on the road until June 5
💙 Follow our account @poaskoti
❕ You do NOT need to be a POAS resident to participate
👌 Winners will be notified personally, and the gift card will be sent by mail
❗ Instagram is not affiliated with this giveaway in any way
Wishing you a sunny spring,
The POAS staff
Would you like a free bucket? Now you can get one, because we’re hosting a little contest to celebrate spring. The prize is this very bucket, filled with cleaning supplies, plus a fresh bouquet of flowers. You don’t even have to wait in line for the bucket, as it will be delivered right to the winner’s doorstep along with the bouquet💙
Enter the contest by completing a few simple tasks that will take less than 5 minutes in total:
1️⃣ Follow @poaskoti on Instagram
2️⃣ Window task:
Find out what size window needs support when opened (side-hinged window). You can find the answer by Googling it.
Send your answer tosiivous@poas.fi.
3️⃣ Code word chase:
Find two code words on our website that are hidden on the “Take care of your apartment” tab. You can identify the code words because they are written in ALL CAPS and are bolded.
Send both code words to the same address: siivous@poas.fi.
💡 Just a reminder: the cleaning email is for tenants! You can contact us, for example,
- For questions regarding apartment cleaning
- For clarification and advice
- To report an issue
- For matters related to final cleaning
- Regarding the cleanliness of common areas
🎁 The contest runs until April 30. Three identical buckets filled with flowers will be raffled off among all participants.💐 Winners will be notified personally, and prizes will be delivered right to your doorstep. NOTE! To win, you must be a POAS resident and complete all the tasks.
Join in and welcome spring into your home with a cute bucket and beautiful flowers! ✨
What is a tenant committee?
A tenant committee is a body composed of the tenants of a building or property, whose purpose is to promote a pleasant living environment, a sense of community, and tenants’ ability to influence matters related to their own living environment. It acts as a link between tenants and the landlord and provides a concrete channel for raising development proposals, feedback, and concerns.
The tenant committee can be elected from among the tenants at a tenant meeting. Committee members are volunteers, and their role is based on a shared desire to improve daily life and the atmosphere in the building.
The tasks of the tenant committee may include, for example:
- Representing tenants in matters concerning the building
- Monitoring the use and order of common areas
- Implementing proposals to improve living comfort (e.g., purchasing shared items)
- Communicating information between residents and the landlord
- Organizing community events and volunteer work
- Providing input on building repairs and projects
- The tenant committee does not make decisions on financial or administrative matters on its own, but it plays an important role in bringing tenants’ opinions and views to the fore. Its activities are based on openness, cooperation, and giving equal consideration to all tenants.
The cooperation body is a step up from the tenant committee:
The cooperation body operates on a broader level than the tenant committee of a single building. It consists of tenant representatives from several housing complexes(one representative per property) and works in cooperation with the landlord on matters affecting the entire organization.
The purpose of the cooperation body is to ensure that tenants have the opportunity to influence decisions affecting them on a broader scale as well. It addresses, among other things, issues related to rent setting, financial matters, repair plans, and housing development.
The key tasks of the cooperation body are:
- Participating in the review of rent setting and financial planning
- Issuing statements on significant repair and investment projects
- Monitoring the implementation of tenant democracy
- Making development proposals to improve housing services
- Supporting tenant committees and strengthening the flow of information
- The cooperation body engages in dialogue with the landlord and promotes transparency in decision-making. Through this, tenants have the opportunity to receive information about financial and operational policies and to voice their views before decisions are made.
Why is tenant participation important?
Tenant democracy is based on the idea that tenants have the right to influence their own living environment. When tenants participate in decision-making and development, the following results:
- Better communication
- More equitable decision-making
- Greater sense of community
- Higher quality of life
- Proactive problem-solving
- Active participation benefits both residents and the landlord. Cooperation builds trust, streamlines operations, and helps develop housing in the long term.
How to get involved?
All tenants can attend tenant meetings and run for the tenant committee. Members of the cooperative body are usually selected from among tenant representatives, and participation offers the opportunity to have a broad impact on the development of housing.
Participation does not require any special expertise; an interest in shared issues and a desire to act constructively are sufficient. Join the tenant committee for your building!
Our new residential property will be completed in the lovely Hatanpää neighborhood at the end of April and will be ready for occupancy from the beginning of May. Boijenkatu 3 B offers comfortable and functional living right next to the Arboretum’s green outdoor areas and summer flowers. The area combines the peace of nature with excellent transport links, making it the perfect place for those who want to live close to the city center but appreciate being close to nature. A tram line is also scheduled for completion in 2027, which will further improve transport links.
The housing complex will have 38 apartments and they are designed for smooth everyday living, space, and modern comfort. Each home has a dishwasher, a glazed balcony, and the option of a laundry tower. The project will include spacious 32.5-33m² studios, 40m² one-bedroom apartments, and 61m² two-bedroom apartments. Rents range from 555€ to 592€ for studios, 642€ to 675€ for two-room apartments, and 857€ to 899€ for three-room apartments. Water is billed according to consumption, and tenants sign their own electricity contracts. The property will also have shared facilities for residents, such as a sauna, laundry and drying room, community/club room, outdoor equipment, pram and storage room, and a bicycle workshop where you can service and store your bike.
The bedrooms have plenty of storage space thanks to wardrobes with practical shelves and hanging rails. In the studios, the alcoves are complemented by overhead cabinets, which provide additional storage space without compromising on the use of space.
Applications open on Tuesday, February 24, 2026. Fill out the application and you can soon start your summer next to Tampere’s beloved summer environment.
In the early 1960s, Tampere became aware of a problem that was familiar to many growing cities in Finland. More and more young people were moving to the city to study, but there was little affordable housing suitable for students. The housing shortage made everyday life difficult, and student housing was not yet organized or systematically planned.
Can you guess what was the most common solution for student housing in the 1960s? Before the construction of actual student housing, accommodation was mainly arranged through private landlords or sublandlords. Students lived as subtenants, often in cramped conditions, and finding a place to live was largely based on acquaintances and connections. Stable and predictable housing was something one could only dream of and this inevitably affected the progress of studies.
However, even back then, student housing was centered around the same idea as it is today: the need for affordable and safe homes that support studying and everyday life. For many students, their first home meant independence, new beginnings, and lifelong memories.
POAS was known as Peltolammin opiskelija-asunnot Oy (Peltolammi Student Housing Ltd) when it was founded, as the first student apartments were built in Peltolammi. In 2003, following a corporate merger, the name was changed to its current form, Pirkan Opiskelija-asunnot Oy. This marked the beginning of a development that has grown and expanded over the decades to meet the changing needs of the student community. Today, we have dozens of properties across Tampere, and we are widely known by the acronym POAS.
However, our goal has remained the same since our founding: to promote the idea of affordable, functional housing that meets the needs of students. We want to do our part to ensure that students can focus on their studies and provide them with homes that are easy to live in, grow in, and enjoy.
In honor of our anniversary, we want to be even more involved in the everyday lives of our partners and tenants and organize something special for our tenants. This is our way of thanking all for making POAS more than just a housing provider. Our tenants have created a community with which we have been able to share a journey for several decades.
In 2025, POAS had an unusually high number of near misses related to fire safety. The most common hazards were caused by the incorrect use of saunas and stoves or ovens in apartments. In this article, we remind all residents of the importance of fire safety by highlighting real near misses in their own context and explaining the costs they incur.
Case 1
What happened?
According to the tenant, they were cooking and left the stove on. They fell asleep and woke up to a fire. There was food in a pot on the stove, and next to the pot were a carton of eggs and a roll of baking paper, which caught fire. According to the resident, he did not have home insurance. The fire alarm was not working due to a broken battery. There was also a smell of burning in the stairwell.
Main points:
- Total cost of damage repair: 17 500€
- Tenant’s smoke alarm not working
- Tenant did not have home insurance
- Tenant did not report the damage to the emergency services
Case 2
What happened?
According to the resident, they had been drying towels on top of the sauna heater guard rail. For some reason, the heater had been left on and the towels had caught fire. The fire spread from the towels to the protective railing of the sauna heater, the wall panels, and the door. The resident extinguished the fire himself but did not report it to the emergency services.
Main points:
- Total repair costs 4200€
- Tenats’s smoke alarm not working
- Tenant does not have home insurance
- Damage not reported to POAS; maintenance worker noticed damage during separate visit
Case 3
What happened?
In one property, grease had been poured down the drain in several apartments, causing a major blockage in the sewer system. In such cases, there is a high risk of sewage rising from the sewers into the apartments, causing water damage.
What can you do to improve your own safety and that of others?
Small actions can prevent major damage. Familiarize yourself with the most important safety instructions and check that your home is safe every day and every holiday.
1. Working smoke alarm – the most important safety device in your home
- A working smoke alarm gives you crucial minutes to escape safely.
- Test your smoke alarm regularly; testing smoke alarms is the responsibility of the tenant.
- If your smoke alarm is broken, missing, or out of batteries, report it to POAS immediately.
2. Sauna use and safety
- The sauna must not be used for storage!
- Nothing may be dried near the sauna heater.
- Always turn off the stove after use and make sure that it does not remain on.
- Children must not be left unattended in the sauna.
- Ensure adequate ventilation and compliance with the safety distances around the stove.
- Do not use the sauna to heat the apartment!
3. Oven and heating
- Clean the oven and stove regularly, as grease residues can catch fire.
- Do not leave the stove or oven unattended, even for a short time.
- Do not dry laundry on heating appliances.
- Do not use the oven to heat your home!
4. Additional heaters
The use of additional heaters is not recommended. Only use additional heaters in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions. Their thermostats may interfere with the temperature measurement and heating system, which distorts the indoor temperature data and increases electricity consumption
- As heating costs rise, rent may also increase.
- Never cover the heater or place it too close to textiles or furniture.
- Always turn off the heater before going to bed or leaving home.
- Check that the cord is not pinched or damaged.
5. Fire safety is especially important during the winter and holiday season
- Do not leave candles burning unattended. Place them on a non-flammable surface.
- Choose LED candles
- Christmas lights must be intact, CE marked, and intended for indoor or outdoor use as appropriate.
- Be especially careful when cooking food
- Oil or grease left on the stove can easily catch fire!
Do not pour grease down the drain! Hot grease can cause drain blockages and even a fire hazard in your home and on the premises. Collect the grease in a container and dispose of it as bio or mixed waste according to the instructions.
Remember:
Prevention is the best remedy. Regular checks and carefulness in everyday tasks effectively prevent fires and increase the safety of you and others living in the building.
Follow our Instagram channel @poaskoti and take part in our Christmas calendar competition!
As usual, POAS’s Christmas calendar will be published on our Instagram channel from December 1 to 24, 2025. A new calendar window will be published every day. This year, each window will contain a question related to POAS.
You can enter the draw for the day’s surprise prize by commenting your answer on the post! The competition is open to everyone, and you don’t have to live at POAS to participate. Some of the questions are based on information that can be found on our website and may require a little detective work. Some are completely guesswork questions. Correct answers are not required to participate in the draw.
The door for each day opens on our Instagram channel every morning, and a daily prize, such as movie tickets and various product prizes, will be raffled off among all those who respond to the day’s post. In addition, all participants in the Christmas calendar will be entered into a draw for the grand prize of a 50€ gift card to Partioaitta! The grand prize draw will take place by January 2, 2026, and the winner will be contacted personally on Instagram.
Daily prize draw prizes:
- Finnkino movie tickets
- POAS product prizes
Prizes vary depending on the day. All prizes will be delivered to the winners electronically or by mail, so there is no need to visit our office to claim your prize.
The main prize is a 50€ gift card to Partioaitta! The amount loaded onto the gift card can be used in parts or all at once. The gift card can be used to pay for purchases in Partioaitta stores and online. The gift card is valid for 12 months from the date of purchase. The gift card cannot be returned or exchanged for cash.
Instructions, rules, and data protection:
- Competition period: December 1–24, 2025
- The competition is open to everyone, and participation does not require living in POAS.
- To enter the prize draw, comment on the Instagram post according to the instructions on the door.
- The daily prize draw will take place on the working days following the opening of the door. The daily prize will be drawn from among those who have participated in the competition for that door on the same day. For example, if the competition is published in the morning, those who comment on the post by 11:59 p.m. on the same day will be entered into the draw. Participation in the draw does not require a correct answer.
- The grand prize will be drawn by January 2, 2026. The grand prize will be drawn among all those who have participated in the daily draws.
- POAS will announce the correct answer to the daily competition question and the results of the draw by replying to the comment thread for each day’s door on Instagram. PLEASE NOTE The draw may not necessarily take place on the following day due to public holidays, but we will always announce when the draw has taken place for each day’s door.
- The winner will be notified personally via Instagram message about winning the prize draw and the delivery of the prize. Prizes will be delivered to winners either electronically or by post.
- POAS collects and processes the personal and contact information provided by participants for the purpose of conducting the prize draw, contacting the winners, and delivering the prizes. The personal information provided will not be used for direct marketing or disclosed to third parties. The personal data collected will be destroyed in a secure manner after the draw has ended.
- Each participant must release Instagram from all liability. Instagram does not endorse or administer the campaign in any way.
- Participation in the draw is free of charge. The prize cannot be exchanged, returned, or converted into cash.
- By participating in the competition, the participant accepts these rules.
More information:
POAS Marketing
markkinointi@poas.fi
Personnel changes
Nelli Jokelainen (on the left), who has worked as Marketing Specialist since 2019, will take temporary sabbatical leave starting from October. Anna Nguyen, who has been working at POAS for several summers, will take over from Nelli. Like Nelli, Anna will handle POAS’ marketing and rent supervision. Good luck Anna!
