The ownership of an apartment can be indicated by a paper share certificate (below share certificate) or an electronic record of ownership (below record of ownership).
Before the transaction
- Check all information about the apartment you are about to buy.
- Ask the seller if apartment ownership is indicated by a share certificate or a record of ownership.
- Always check the apartment printout. If the apartment still has a paper share certificate, also check the extract from the list of shares. Request the printout and extract from the seller.
- Please note! When making the transaction, ask the seller for a power of attorney to attend the housing company's general meeting, because the bill of sale is not sufficient proof of your right to participate in the meeting. The housing company will check ownership information in the Residential and Commercial Property Information System, but the registration of ownership can take several months.
After the transaction
- Submit a transfer tax return and pay tax in the Finnish Tax Administration’s MyTax service. You may also need to pay transfer tax on property acquired through inheritance or division. Note: Transfer tax must be paid before you apply for the registration of ownership.
- Apply for registration of the ownership of your apartment in the Residential and Commercial Property Information System.
- By answering the questions in our interactive instructions, you can check how to apply for registration of the ownership of your apartment in various situations, for example, when your apartment has a share certificate or a record of ownership.
See also
Information and instructions about buying and selling an apartment on the Finnish Competition and Consumer Authority's website.