Over the past five years, a housing company in Tampere’s Amuri district has replaced its lifts, windows, balcony doors and locking system, as well as repaired its roof and refurbished the joints between its façade panels. Throughout this work, its finances have remained balanced and cooperation between shareholders, the board and property management has run smoothly.
How has this been achieved? The answer lies in a clear division of responsibilities, open communication and mutual trust. Over the years, responsibilities have settled into a natural pattern: property management focuses primarily on managing the housing company’s finances, while the board’s technical expertise supports the preparatory work for renovation projects.
Sari Pyykkönen, who has managed the Aktuaari housing company since 2022, and Kalle Koljander, Chair of the Board, both value this effective division of responsibilities.
“From the board’s perspective, things work better when we don’t pass every day-to-day matter on to property management. I have technical and IT expertise, so I’ve looked into matters such as locking systems, window and balcony door replacements, building automation and internet connections,” Koljander explains.
This has allowed Pyykkönen to focus fully on financial management.
Alongside the division of responsibilities, open communication has played a key role. It has been particularly important during renovation projects.
“Keeping residents informed matters. They need to know what’s happening and what condition our shared property is in,” Koljander sums up.
According to Pyykkönen, a good example is the chair’s review, which has become an established part of the opening of general meetings. It covers the work completed during the year and the projects ahead.
“When a housing company has a lot of people, you’ll never achieve complete agreement. But there hasn’t been any major dissatisfaction. I think that’s because we can explain our decisions. We tell people why a particular solution was chosen and why another option was ruled out,” says Koljander.
The importance of cooperation and communication has been especially evident when several renovation projects have overlapped. The property manager has overseen the projects’ finances as a whole, ensuring that the work could be carried out in a controlled way.
One particularly memorable example was a major window replacement project. Adding to the challenge, work on the door entry and locking systems began at the same time.
“The planning went well, cooperation with the contractor was smooth, and everything ran so effortlessly that there was nothing to complain about. It was almost a shame when the project ended,” Koljander recalls.
Finally, Pyykkönen and Koljander share their advice on making cooperation work.
“The board should see the property manager as a partner — someone to work with to improve things for the housing company,” says Pyykkönen.
Koljander, in turn, encourages boards in particular to look ahead rather than dwell on the past.
“Housing companies may have a long history, but the current board and property management should focus on what to do next instead of going over old ground.”
Both also emphasise the importance of trust.
“Everyone makes mistakes. What matters most is being able to discuss them openly and resolve things together. When there’s no need to hide mistakes, they generally don’t have time to develop into bigger problems,” Pyykkönen concludes.
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