The City of Rovaniemi mobilised to hand out fines – now the likely recipient of a 70 000 euro fine is speaking out

The City of Rovaniemi is trying to curb the boom in short-term rentals with fines.

Rovaniemi’s Environment Committee will on Tuesday consider imposing a new fine to stop accommodation in apartments. This is the fifth decision in a row to try to curb the short-stay rentals that have swelled in the city in recent years.

The case before the court on Tuesday concerns the so-called ‘ten-block’ in the city centre. The block of flats in question has a total of 95 apartments, 77 of which, according to the city, are occupied by Taiga Kodit Oy.

According to the building control report, the furnished apartments in question do not have any permanent residents, but are used to accommodate people.

According to the city, the activities are professional, including reservation and cancellation policies, as well as hotel services such as luggage storage, linen, towels, hygiene supplies and final cleaning.

A fine and a report to the police

The time to terminate the activity would be given three months. However, in the event that the operation will not be stopped, the city would enhance the penalty payment by another month of EUR 30,000.

Kangas suggests that the decision should also be reported to the police because the negligence is not minor.

“Four airplane people”

However, according to him, the accommodation of the site will be stopped if the Environmental Board decides to impose a penalty payment.

– It only means 5,000 nights of accommodation from December. If the Wednesday is three days, it means a thousand customers, which is four aircraft teams, Pekkala calculates.

According to Pekkala, the decision would be \”disaster to Rovaniemi\”. Especially if similar decisions will continue to be made in the future.

– It is incomprehensible how the monopoly is allowed to drain into the pocket of big investors in this way and do not want well -being for local small entrepreneurs and people.

City: no change to the formula

According to the city, a derogation permit and a zoning change in its area, which would allow accommodation, have been applied for in the apartment building now under the threat. However, both have been given a negative decision by the city.

Pekkala says his company has applied for this change in the town plan of the Tenth Quarter. According to him, the city would require licensed sites where short -term rental could be carried out as permitted.

He tells his company and his investments in the hotel property in Kemijärvi and the plot to Ylläs. He plans to move his business there.

– Money would come from the doors and windows, but Rovaniemi doesn’t want to use it, he is annoyed.

250 exit notices

The Environmental Board made its first decision on the penalty payment in January. At that time, the decision was made to a block of flats in the heart of the city, with at least 12 of which were used for accommodation. The end of the accommodation was given time to the end of the rumors.

So far, the City of Rovaniemi’s building supervisor has sent more than 250 prompts to end the accommodation in the apartment.