Heka, Helsinki's largest rental housing company, has identified illegal subletting activities occurring in 14 of its apartments, where the units were offered for short-term rentals through platforms such as Airbnb. Despite having previously allowed residents to sublet their apartments with permission once a year, Heka has prohibited all short-term subletting since the end of 2025. In response to the unauthorized short-term rentals, Heka is intensifying its monitoring and has initiated lease termination processes in accordance with housing law in each of the identified cases.

The housing company, which manages approximately 55,400 apartments, is taking these violations seriously and warns that frequent illegal subletting could lead to the termination of tenancy agreements. Each report of unauthorized subletting leads to at least a warning, and the tightening regulation reflects Heka's commitment to maintaining housing integrity and availability in Helsinki amidst increasing tourism pressures.

As short-term rental platforms grow in popularity, Heka emphasizes that it cannot remove postings made by residents on platforms like Airbnb, but it will hold tenants accountable for violations of their rental agreements. This situation triggers broader discussions about housing policy in urban areas and the balance between tourist accommodation and long-term housing availability for residents.