Finland Electricity Contract, Home Insurance and Utilities 2026: Complete Newcomer Guide

1. Electricity seller vs distribution company

The total electricity cost consists of energy, distribution and taxes. The energy seller and price can be competed; distribution is charged by the local grid company.

The distribution company is determined by the property's location and cannot be chosen by the customer. Comparing only the energy kWh price therefore does not show the full cost.

2. Fixed, open-ended and spot electricity

3. Electricity contract when moving

When you order electricity for the new address, the seller normally coordinates the network/distribution agreement as well. An incorrect move-in date can delay activation.

Do not assume the old-address contract automatically ends. Finnish consumer cases show billing can continue after a move when termination was not handled correctly. Keep written move-out and new-start confirmations.

4. Water, heating, internet, parking and sauna

In apartment buildings, heating is often included in rent/maintenance charges, while water may be billed per person or by meter. Detached and semi-detached homes can have substantially more independent heating, water/wastewater and waste costs.

Parking, sauna, laundry-room access and building broadband can be separate housing-company services. Confirm in writing what is included before signing the lease.

5. Home insurance

Home insurance can cover the tenant's belongings, liability and risks such as water, fire or theft depending on the selected policy. Exact cover varies by insurer and product.

A landlord can require valid home insurance in the lease, and Suomi.fi recommends home insurance even for renters. Do not assume the landlord/building policy protects the tenant's personal property.

6. Move notification and address updates

A notification of move can be submitted at the earliest one month before the move and must reach DVV no later than one week after the move. Posti's online service can update both Posti and the Population Information System.

Address data is forwarded to many authorities and some banks, insurers and energy companies, but do not assume this automatically terminates or starts electricity, telecom or insurance contracts.

7. Utilities move-in checklist

8. What an electricity bill is made of, and how to compare offers

A bill has three parts. The seller charges a price per kilowatt-hour for the energy and usually a monthly basic fee. The local network company charges its own monthly fee and a per-kilowatt-hour transfer price for distribution. Electricity tax and 25.5% VAT come on top. Even if the energy price halves, distribution and taxes stay, so compare the total cost.

Compare offers on the Energy Authority's Sähkönhinta.fi service using your postcode and an estimate of annual consumption, which varies greatly with the size of the home and whether it is heated electrically. On a spot contract you pay the exchange price, which has changed every 15 minutes since 1 October 2025; it suits you if you can move washing and dishwashing to cheap hours, while a fixed price is safer if you could not absorb winter price peaks.

9. Choosing home insurance as a tenant

The housing company's insurance protects the building, not your belongings and not damage you cause to others. A tenant's home insurance should usually cover three things: contents (irtaimisto), liability for damage to others — water leaking into the flat below, for instance — and legal expenses (oikeusturva). Compare the deductible (omavastuu) and how theft and water damage are defined.

Insurers usually ask for a Finnish address and personal identity code, so get the quote in advance to start cover on moving day. If the lease requires insurance, give the landlord a copy of the policy, and tell the insurer when you move: a change of address does not update the policy by itself.