Can I rent out my flat on Airbnb in Finland?
Yes — and the rules just got clarified. Finland's new short-term rental rules take effect on 1 October 2026: letting your own permanent home to travellers stays free of day caps and permits, but an investment flat in a zoned area may be let in stints under 28 days for at most 90 days per calendar year without a permit — a municipality may allow up to 180 days in areas of its choosing. This is what people constantly mix up: the 90-day cap does not touch your own home. The EU short-term rental regulation also brings registration numbers and platform reporting duties from May 2026. And rental income is taxable capital income from the first euro — one weekend counts.
📋 The rules
- Short-letting your own permanent home (e.g. during your holiday) remains free of day caps and permits.
- Investment flats in zoned areas: from 1 Oct 2026, sub-28-day stints for at most 90 days per calendar year without a permit; municipalities may allow up to 180.
- Beyond the caps, or professional accommodation, requires a permit / change of use — it's then lodging business, not housing.
- The EU STR regulation (2024/1028) brings registration numbers and platform reporting from May 2026.
- Rental income is taxable capital income from the first euro — declare it; furnished short-let costs are partly deductible.
🔓 Exceptions
- A housing company can't ban ordinary short-letting outright, but continuous hotel-like operation has been held contrary to residential articles — disturbances can lead to possession takeover.
- Tenants need the landlord's consent to re-let the whole flat — Airbnb without it is a classic termination ground.
- Letting beyond the day caps, or otherwise professional accommodation, is no longer housing: it needs a permit and a change of use.
⚠️ Penalties
From 10/2026, exceeding the day caps without a permit can bring building-control prohibitions and penalty payments — and the activity being treated as licensable accommodation, which means a change-of-use process. Undeclared rental income leads to back taxes with surcharges, and it no longer stays hidden: the platforms' reporting duty delivers the data to authorities from May 2026. A tenant's unauthorised re-letting is a termination ground, and hotel-like use can end in possession takeover — losing you the very flat you meant to earn from.
📎 Sources
- Uusi Suomi · President signs: Airbnb laws in force 1 Oct 2026 →
- Finnish Government/Ministry of the Environment · Short-let provisions in the Building Act →
- Supermajoittaja · The new 2026 short-let rules →
❓ Frequently asked questions
Does the 90-day cap cover my own home?
No — short-letting your permanent home stays outside the caps and permits. The limit targets investment flats in zoned areas from 1 Oct 2026, and a municipality may raise it to 180 days in its chosen areas.
Can a housing company ban Airbnb?
Not by a simple decision — but continuous hotel-like use can conflict with the residential purpose in the articles. Disturbances and constant through-traffic can trigger a warning and eventually possession takeover.
Can a tenant Airbnb their rental?
Re-letting the whole flat always needs the landlord's consent — without it, it is a breach and a classic termination ground. You also answer personally for any damage or disturbance your guests cause.
How is the income taxed?
As capital income from the first euro (30/34%) — even for an occasional weekend. Costs such as cleaning, platform fees and part of the furnishings are deductible; you declare it all in OmaVero.
Do I need a registration number?
The EU short-term rental regulation brings registration and reporting duties from May 2026. Platforms pass the data to the authorities, so short-letting no longer happens out of official sight.
🔎 What people search
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