Supporting tenants in their everyday lives 

News / 23.10.2026

When tenants contact Soihtu Housing’s customer service, they are very likely to speak with service advisor Anna-Leena Kauppila, who is primarily responsible for housing customer service. 

Move-in days set the pace 

The busiest days of each month are typically the first working days, when between 30 and 60 new tenants move into Soihtu apartments. With large numbers of people moving in and out at the same time, there is naturally plenty happening at the customer service point. 

At the same time, internal moves also take place as tenants transition to apartments that better suit their changing needs. For example, couples or growing families may move into larger homes. In this process, even a single delayed key return can trigger a chain reaction that affects several households. 

“We prepare for move-in days carefully and provide tenants with detailed guidance well in advance to ensure everything runs as smoothly as possible,” Anna-Leena says. 

The turn of the year and the summer months are particularly busy. Once new students receive confirmation of their study places, many submit housing applications. Throughout the summer, the team prepares for the arrival of hundreds of new students who will move into Soihtu apartments during August and September. 

A wide range of enquiries 

A typical day begins with processing returned keys and reviewing the most urgent emails. Throughout the day, Anna-Leena handles notices of termination, accepted housing offers and enquiries received through various communication channels. 

Tenants contact Soihtu for a wide variety of issues. In addition to working closely with colleagues within the Housing team, customer service collaborates extensively with the maintenance team and rent control. For example, if there is a fault or maintenance issue in an apartment, tenants are advised to submit an electronic maintenance request directly to the maintenance service. As the number of international students continues to grow, customer service receives an increasing number of enquiries in English. 

“Many of our tenants are young people who have recently moved into their first home away from their parents. For them, many aspects of tenancy and everyday housing matters are completely new,” Anna-Leena explains. 

The increasing use of digital services has changed how tenants interact with customer service. Visits to the service point have become less frequent, while email and WhatsApp enquiries continue to grow in popularity. 

Housing involves both emotions and responsibility 

Rental housing, and student housing in particular, is governed by a wide range of laws and regulations that influence everything from tenant selection to tenancy agreements. For example, sharing information about other tenants is never permitted. Similarly, notice periods are determined by law and cannot be adjusted on a case-by-case basis. This means that there are times when a tenant’s request simply cannot be fulfilled. 

What makes housing customer service unique is that housing-related matters are often deeply personal and emotionally significant. 

“When a tenant is facing a difficult situation related to their home, it is often a very important issue in their life. In these cases, our team works together to find the best possible solution,” Anna-Leena says.

Text: Anni Pajari | Pictures: Tiitu Design