What's on

26.03.2018

Statement: Fair play for housing, Kuopas!

The Student Union of the University of Eastern Finland is disappointed in the way how Kuopas (Kuopio Student Housing Company) is handling the renewal of their dwelling stock. Along with the renewal Kuopas has terminated tenancy agreements of students who do not fulfill their changed criteria regarding student status.

ISYY is especially disappointed in the way Kuopas has informed about the matter, it has been insufficient and contradictory. As a result, there is a lack of knowledge among students on who is eligible for accommodation and under which conditions. In addition, the new requirement on sufficient study progress has caused a large deal of confusion: Will a student lose their accommodation if they aren’t able to study because of health-related issues for example. This has also caused the services of FSHS in Kuopio to get crowded.

“The game is fair only when played with the same rules and when there is a mutual understanding on the rules on both sides. Kuopas has gone about the renewal process in a totally wrong order causing a lot of uncertainty and low spirits among students as well as among stakeholders”, states the Chairperson of ISYY’s Executive Board, Juuso Sikiö.

ISYY does not object to revising the rights of residency or to focusing the tenancy agreements for those they are meant for. However, ISYY hopes that Kuopas would evaluate their processes critically, inform about possible changes in good time and inform the tenants already when signing the agreement if there is a possibility that the conditions might change. In addition, the stakeholders should be informed of any major changes in good time in the future.

“ISYY wants to guarantee our students the possibility for a good student life. Finding accommodation for one’s study period plays a big role in student well-being and that is why it is especially sad that things that could have been avoided by negotiating and informing the parties earlier are now the cause of such uncertainty”, Sikiö continues.

Additional information:

Juuso Sikiö
The Chairperson of the Executive Board
The Student Union of the University of Eastern Finland
tel. 044 576 8400
puheenjohtaja(at)isyy.fi

Mikko Aaltonen
Specialist in Educational and Social Politics Affairs
The Student Union of the University of Eastern Finland
tel. 044 576 8414
koso(at)isyy.fi