Hanko landlord to raise prices substantially if law passes: ‘It’s absurd to raise prices so much’

Restrictions on short-term rentals of apartments may cause problems in Hanko, where there are few hotels.

The studio apartment, known as the Emigrant, is both a family home and an investment.

Last year, someone other than a member of the Kauppinen family stayed in the apartment for 135 nights. The Emigrant is available for short term rentals through the Airbnb website.

The two-day guest who has just left has left the apartment tidy, taken out the rubbish and washed the dishes.

– This is how everything usually works, neat its mark, even if you don’t have to. We have never had any problems with any tenant.

Lundelin’s company runs 23 homes rental activities in Hanko. No accommodation has received complaints from neighbors.

– Hanko lives for celebrating here, but I think it happens mostly in restaurants and not in the apartments.

Diurnal limitation would bring problems

Hanko’s tourism traditions are almost as old as the 150-year-old city itself.

Joni Kauppinen’s apartment is a house built by the Finnish steamboat company more than a hundred years ago, which once accommodated migrants who had left abroad.

The draft law, which is currently prepared by the Ministry of the Environment, flashes restrictions on short rental of investment homes.

Functional problems have been particularly wrestled in Rovaniemi.

There the busiest tourist season is in the heart of winter during Christmas, while in Hanko it is in the summer.

Restriction of short rental for 90 days per year, the so-called Airbnb law would bring trouble for the summer city.

Tourism forms about one third of its entire livelihood.

– In March, we have already clearly increased in demand towards the summer. The busiest season nowadays continues until the autumn, so 90 days are by no means enough for us, says entrepreneur Salla Lundelin.

According to both Lundelin and Kauppinen, the restriction could increase the summer months’ accommodation prices when demand is at its highest. Owners of the rest of the investment homes would not sell.

Salla Lundelin emphasizes that several owners of holiday homes will finance their investment specifically on rental income when they are not present.

\”Now that other living costs have risen, it may not be enough for the money to maintain a\” second home \”if there is not enough rental income, Lundelin points out.

This, in turn, would take customers from local entrepreneurs.

-Thanks to leisure residents, we now have a very comprehensive restaurant offering in Hanko today. We have nothing to do if the accommodation is overcome, Lundelin emphasizes.

Also, according to the Finnish Landlords Association, the current daily limit for short rental is too small.

– If the law goes through as such, we become as a substitute for Rovaniemi’s problems, Kauppinen ponders.

The municipalities could, in this place, increase the annual limit to 180 by their own decision. According to the draft law, permanent housing should still be leased without restriction.

More accommodation capacity on the way

Hanko’s tourism business is dependent on private accommodation because there is still very little hotel capacity.

Of the city’s last year’s accommodation, 60 percent were in the summer months and half of them in private accommodation.

Currently, Hanko has one year -round hotel, Regatta Spa Hotel.

The capacity will soon be more capacity as the Omena Hotel will be replaced by Hotel Bulevard, closed last fall.

In addition to these, the city has half a year -year -old B

The average rate at Regatta Spa Hotel was 60 % last year.

– Customers want a holistic service. Most of our customers choose half -board, which includes, in addition to accommodation and breakfast, dinner and spa entrance.

The building permit for the extension designed next to the Regata is valid, but the construction schedule is so far open.

Both Salla Lundel and Joni Kauppinen believe that the city could accommodate a third year -round hotel.

Kauppinen’s emigrant came in three days the next day after the last one left.