Smoking Banned on Rental Apartment Balconies from 1 October, Tamperelainen Seeks Tenants
A national ban on smoking on balconies in rental apartments took effect on 1 October. Reporters are seeking Tampere-area tenants to share how the rule affects them.
From 1 October, smoking on balconies in rental apartments across Finland is prohibited under the revised residential tenancy law. The rule covers both new and existing leases unless smoking has been explicitly allowed. The nationwide ban was reported earlier when the rule was announced banning smoking in all rental apartments.
The law applies to rental homes only. Owner-occupied flats are not directly covered, although a housing company can decide on a building-wide balcony smoking ban. A reader signing as "Epätoivoiset invalidit" (Desperate Disabled People) contacted Tamperelainen, arguing the rule is unfair to people with mobility disabilities and highlighting practical problems in Finnish weather. The paper is seeking interviewees willing to share their experiences on the record; contact [email protected] or use the form linked in the original call for respondents.
Earlier coverage
Catch the full story over at Tamperelainen
