Other practical matters

There are several insurance companies in Finland that offer insurance to individuals. The most common are home insurance, motor insurance, Kasko car insurance and health insurance. Home insurance is often a condition for renting an apartment. Motor insurance is compulsory for all motor vehicle owners.

The most common insurance providers include If, LähiTapiola and OP. It is worth comparing insurance providers to ensure you get the best price.

When living in a detached house, you need to arrange water supply and be connected to organised waste collection. An electricity contract usually must be made separately for both rental and owner-occupied housing. In a rental apartment, the landlord or maintenance company knows which contracts are included in the rent and which you must arrange yourself. You can make an electricity contract with any electricity supplier, but electricity transmission in the grid is always handled by the local network company. If necessary, you can also contact the electricity, water and waste companies directly. Examples of regional service providers are shown below:

In Finland, it is recommended to sort waste at home before taking it to the collection bins. Many apartment buildings have separate containers for different types of waste. Proper sorting saves natural resources and reduces the amount of waste. The most common waste categories are biowaste, paper, cardboard, glass, metal, plastic, mixed waste, and waste electrical and electronic equipment. When waste is sorted correctly, the materials can be used to make new products.

Biowaste includes food scraps, fruit peels, and coffee grounds. Biowaste is used to produce compost, and in some municipalities it is also used to make biogas, which can generate electricity and heat. Paper recycling includes items such as newspapers and advertisements. Cardboard recycling includes milk cartons, cardboard boxes, and paper bags. Glass packaging, metal packaging, and empty plastic packaging should be sorted into their own collection containers. Mixed waste consists of waste that cannot be sorted into other recycling categories. Mixed waste is usually burned in power plants to produce energy.

Old electrical and electronic devices, such as mobile phones, computers, and household appliances, must not be placed in regular waste bins. They should be taken to specific (SER) recycling collection points. These collection points can be found, for example, in many large grocery stores.

In Finland, stores often have bottle return machines. You can return empty bottles and cans to these machines. You will receive a deposit refund for the returned items. The receipt can be used to pay for purchases or exchanged for cash at the checkout.

You need a bank account to receive your salary, pay bills, and manage your everyday finances. Online banking credentials are also used for electronic identification in most Finnish online services. To open a bank account, you need a valid identity document, proof of your right to reside in Finland, and a Finnish personal identity code. In Kotka, banking services are available, for example, from Nordea, OP, and S-Bank.

There are several telephone and network operators in Finland, and there can be significant differences in subscription prices. It is worth comparing prices. Operators offer different options, such as monthly and prepaid subscriptions. The largest telecoms operators in Finland are DNA, Elisa, Telia and Moi.

You can share internet access to your home either via your phone (mobile broadband) or with a separate fixed broadband connection. The choice of your home network connection depends on factors such as where you live and how many people or devices use the network at the same time. The data transfer speed of an internet connection is described by the term download speed. Mobile broadband enables mobile internet access to a mobile device, which can be a mobile phone, router, handset or smartwatch.

In Finland, mail is delivered directly to your mailbox. In apartment buildings, mailboxes are usually located inside the building, while in detached and terraced houses they are often placed near the roadside.

Postal services are versatile and cover both letter and parcel services, provided mainly by the state-owned Posti Group Oyj. Ordinary letters, postcards and payment letters can be sent domestically and abroad as basic items or as faster services such as Plus-marked items. Parcel services have grown with the popularity of e-commerce, and Posti offers delivery options such as pick-up from parcel terminals, branch offices or home delivery. Vending machines have become more common and are often located in shops, petrol stations or other public spaces, offering an easy way to pick up and send parcels. When a parcel arrives, you will receive a notification telling you where to collect it. If needed, you can also arrange for the parcel to be delivered to your home.

Posti also offers special services such as registered mail, insured mail, courier services and scheduled deliveries for important or valuable items. In addition, Posti provides the delivery of newspapers and magazines. It has offices throughout Finland and many kiosks, petrol stations and shops act as its agents. You can also buy stamps, cards, packing materials and other postal products through them. Outgoing letters and cards with a stamp already attached can be dropped into the yellow mailboxes along streets and in shopping centres.

There are several large grocery stores (for example Prisma, K-Citymarket and Lidl) in the area where you can buy food, household items, and international products. There are also a few Asian grocery stores nearby.

Fruit, vegetables, and some bakery products are often weighed before going to the checkout. The items are placed in a bag, weighed on a scale, and a price label is attached to the bag.

Customers can use shopping carts or shopping baskets. Shopping carts are usually released from the cart line with a coin or a token. Product prices are displayed on the shelf edges, and discounted items are usually marked with colored labels.

At the checkout, you can pay by debit or credit card, mobile payment, or cash. Many stores also have self-service checkouts.

Grocery stores are usually open from morning until evening, including weekends. Opening hours may be shorter on public holidays.

Finnish grocery stores offer a wide range of products for special diets, including gluten-free, lactose-free, and vegan options. These products are usually marked with clear symbols.

In Finland, the sale and use of alcohol are regulated by law. Alcohol can only be purchased by adults. People aged 18 or over can buy mild alcoholic beverages, while strong alcoholic beverages can only be purchased by people aged 20 or over.

Grocery stores sell mild alcoholic drinks. These can only be purchased between 9:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. Stronger alcoholic beverages are sold by Alko.

Alcohol can also be purchased in restaurants and bars. Drinking alcohol in public places is often prohibited, or it must not cause a disturbance to other people.

In the Kotka-Hamina region, you can live in a rented, owner-occupied or condominium apartment. You can find accommodation on the private market or directly from your employer. Read more about finding accommodation here.

The Immigrant Guidance and Counselling Service provides free information on important everyday matters, such as how to function in Finnish society and the services available in your city of residence. The service is not affected by the reason for your arrival or how long you have lived in Finland. The service can help you with these things, for example:

• social security and benefits (Kela)
• training opportunities
• housing
• leisure

With these instructions, you can prepare for changes in the security situation of society and for various disruptions in everyday life. Clear and easy‑to‑understand guidance helps you act calmly and correctly, even when the situation changes quickly.

In a fire safety self-assessment, residents or property owners check whether their home is safe from fire hazards. The assessment is carried out using guidelines provided by the rescue services.

Sauna is an important part of Finnish culture. Many buildings have a sauna, and in apartment buildings residents can often book their own sauna time. People use the sauna to wash and relax.

Remember in the sauna: book your sauna time in advance, wash yourself before entering, use a seat cover when sitting on the bench, be considerate of other users, and leave the sauna clean when you leave.

Many people in Finland live in apartment buildings or terraced houses that belong to a housing company. Housing companies have shared facilities, such as yards, saunas, and laundry rooms, and residents are expected to follow the building rules.

Quiet hours are usually from 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. During this time, residents should avoid making noise. Waste should be sorted into the correct recycling bins according to the housing company’s instructions.

Finnish homes often have a dish-drying cabinet above the kitchen sink. Apartments are usually warm throughout the year. Rental apartments typically include a stove, an oven, and a fridge-freezer.

Many housing companies also have shared laundry facilities, saunas, and storage spaces for residents. Shared facilities should be used according to the rules and left clean after use.