Health Hazard Inspection of Homes

• Ventilation systems, floor drains and water seals are cleaned. They should be cleaned regularly 
• Ventilation system is open and functions 
• The home is cleaned. For example, dust gathered on high surfaces such as shelves can cause odor or health hazards.  
• The recommended indoor air temperature is 20–22 °C (minimum requirement +18 °C, maximum +32 °C). 

If you cannot fix the issue on your own, contact the apartment/property owner or manager. For apartment buildings and row apartments, contact the manager. Primarily, investigating and removing hazards is the owner’s responsibility. The resident has a duty to inform the apartment/property owner of defects, damages or other conditions causing issues to residency. 

If the apartment/property owner or manager cannot resolve the issue, you may ask for advice from a health inspector. You may contact 

• Environmental Health Control advice service tel. 044 703 6700 (on weekdays 9.00–15.00) or 
• by e-mail ymparisto@ouka.fi or 
• by filling the Environment Office health hazard evaluation request form (to initiate a resolution to the issue) (in Finnish) 

The resident may request a home inspection. 

If the inspection is requested by someone else than the resident – i.e. the inspection is done against the resident’s wish – the request must be made in writing. The matter will be initiated only if there are justifiable suspicions of serious health hazards being caused to the resident or neighbors. 

Health inspectors will decide if a home inspection is needed to investigate the health hazard. 

If a possible health hazard is suspected and cannot be avoided without a home inspection based on the interview with the resident, the matter will be initiated. In connection with the initiation, the resident’s information will be recorded in the Environment Office’s data registry. 

Before the inspection, the health inspector contacts the apartment owner or manager and inquires whether the owner will take action to fix the possible defects. In this case, the matter will not necessarily lead to a home inspection.  

In the home inspection, the indoor air quality and condition of structures are evaluated mostly with sensory information. Most attention will be paid to indoor air quality, sufficiency of ventilation and structural damages. A representative of the property owner has the opportunity to participate in the home inspection.  

The health inspector compiles an inspection report about the inspection. The report will be delivered to the resident, apartment owner or manager and the possible third party causing the hazard. The hazard prevention actions will be chosen by the party responsible for causing the hazard. The actions must remove the health hazard.