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Frontpage Tenants Right to occupancy

Right to occupancy

In order to qualify for housing at Hoas, the tenant must be a full time degree student in a school of higher education. When you graduate or your studies interrupted, your right to occupancy also expires.

Criteria for right to occupancy

In order to qualify for housing at Hoas, the tenant must be a full time degree student in a school of higher education. When you graduate or your studies interrupted, your right to occupancy also expires.

The tenant is required to notify Hoas of any important changes in their situation concerning studies or other details after the tenancy agreement was signed, such as changing to different studies, interrupting studies or graduating. When your studies are almost complete, you can either terminate your tenancy agreement with the usual one-month notice period, or you can notify Hoas housing services of the end of your studies. In that case, Hoas will terminate your tenancy agreement with the lessor’s notice period.

A fixed-term agreement or an agreement for an apartment with a limited occupancy time will not be extended, if the tenant is not studying full time.

You must prove your status as a full-time student during a verification of the right to occupancy. The regulations governing this are confirmed by Hoas’s Board of Directors or a body authorised by it.

The tenant agrees to present proof that the basis for the tenancy agreement still exists, if necessary, and allows the lessor to acquire information about his/her studies from the school. Giving false information or refusing to supply information can lead to the termination or dissolution of the tenancy agreement.

Required study credits

Students in universities, universities of arts and universities of applied sciences must earn at least 20 study credits per calendar year or 40 study credits per two calendar years. 

The study credit limits required by Hoas have been set low enough to allow students to temporarily earn fewer credits and still be within the limits. It is Hoas’s policy to calculate the study credits primarily over two calendar years. The aim of this policy is to guarantee the students flexible time limits for completing their degree (thesis work, for example) and to temporarily slow down in case of health problems.

Check of right to occupancy

Hoas usually asks some students to verify their right to occupancy at the beginning of the year. The verification round in the spring aims to free up apartments for students starting their studies in the autumn by terminating the agreements of those who have graduated or interrupted their studies. Hoas has a right to carry out the check of right to occupancy also at other times. Such checks may for example be carried out in properties scheduled for basic renovations.

  1. If the student cannot earn the required numbers of study credits due to working on their thesis, work experience, military/civil service, or maternity/paternity/parental leave, the student must provide proof of this (for example a statement from the supervising teacher indicating the duration and scope of the thesis work and an estimated completion date). Hoas expects students on child care leave to accumulate study credits according to the rules.
  2. A full-time engagement in the boards of those student unions in the capital area (HYY, AYY, METKA, HELGA, LAUREAMKO, O´Diako, ASK, HUMAKO, SHS and the University of the Arts Student Union) that are behind Hoas, can also be considered a valid reason for lower study credits. In such cases, you must provide a certificate signed by the general secretary or chairperson of the relevant organisation.
  3. Any extra holidays, trips, family engagements or student exchanges / work experience that are not study-related, are not acceptable reasons for not earning the required number of credits.

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