1 § NAME AND REGISTERED OFFICE
The association is called the Finnish Landlord Association (Suomen Vuokranantajat ry). Its registered office is in Helsinki and its area of operation is Finland.
2 § AIM AND OPERATION
The aim of the association is to:
- be the connector between its members and lobby for the general and shared interests of its members
- provide up-to-date information on matters related to residential leases
- raise and maintain interest in topical issues and specific matters with its members and improve their knowledge and professional skills
- further any common goals of the industry and real estate investment business
- lobby in the interest of property owners.
In order to realize its aim, the association:
- provides non-profit advisory services, discussion panels and lectures, training courses, and other educational events
- conducts research, provides statistics, and creates reports related to the rental business
- provides information on issues, laws, statutes, and regulations related to realizing its aim
- connects authorities with property owners and tenants and supports other similar activities that further its aims
- lobbies for the interests of its members in all matters and disputes related to leases.
- The association may be a member of other industry organizations.
The association funds itself with donations and bequests and through the ownership of immovable and movable property necessary for its operations.
3 § MEMBERS
The Finnish Landlord Association accepts individual and corporate members who approve the association’s aim. A person residing in the same household with a member may be accepted to the association as a family member.
Support membership is available for individual and corporate members who wish to support the aim and activities of the association.
All types of membership applications are subject to the approval of the board of the association.
At a board meeting, an honorary chairman or member may be proposed. This chairman or member must have substantially promoted and supported the activities and the aim of the association.
4 § RESIGNATION AND DISMISSAL OF A MEMBER
A member may resign from the association by issuing a written resignation letter to the board or the chairman or by announcing the resignation at a board meeting.
The resignation takes effect at the end of the year the announcement was provided on.
The board may dismiss a member for neglecting to pay an overdue membership fee or for otherwise failing to fulfil their obligations brought on to them with the membership, or if their activities within or outside the association have caused significant harm to the association, or if they no longer meet the legal conditions or the conditions based on the association’s rules.
5 § ENTRY AND MEMBERSHIP FEES
The entry fees and the annual membership fees for members, family members and support members are set at the annual general meeting of the association by way of a board proposal.
For full corporate members that own residential apartments or business premises and rent them out with primary or secondary leases, the basis for the fee is the number or rental properties.
Among full members, fees may vary for individual and corporate members.
Honorary chairmen and members are not obliged to pay a membership fee.
6 § BOARD
The board of the association is elected at the annual general meeting and consists of 8 to 12 members.
The board has a required turnover of one third of its members every year.
The board elects a chairman and a vice-chairman who are required to be board members. A secretary and other necessary officers are not required to be board members.
Board meetings are summoned by chairman or the vice-chairman or by the managing director at the chairman’s/vice-chairman’s request when they deem it necessary or when requested by a minimum of 50% of the board members. The managing director has the right to be present and speak at board meetings.
Quorum for a board meeting requires that 50% of board members and a chairman or a vice-chairman are present at the meeting. Any voting decisions require an absolute majority. In the event of a tie, the vote of the chairman is the casting vote. However, in an election the winner shall be drawn.
7 § WORKING COMMITTEE AND OTHER COMMITTEES
The working committee is responsible for preparing any matters presented to the board and executing tasks assigned by the board. The working committee consists of the chairman of the board (who is also the committee’s chairman), the vice-chairman, the managing director, and one or two selected board members.
The working committee is summoned by the chairman or the vice-chairman of the board or by the managing director. Quorum for the working committee requires that 50 % of its members are present, including the chairman or the vice-chairman.
The association may improve its operations with other committees that present their suggestions to the board of the association via the working committee.
8 § SIGNING AUTHORITY
The signing authority is issued to the chairman of the board or the managing director or jointly to any two persons assigned by the board.
9 § FISCAL YEAR AND AUDITING
The association fiscal year corresponds with the calendar year.
A financial statement with all required documents and an annual report must be submitted to auditing four weeks before the annual general meeting at the latest. The auditors must give their opinion to the board of the association in writing two weeks before the annual general meeting.
10 § ASSOCIATION MEETINGS
The annual general meeting of the association is held in January–May. The exact date is set by the board of the association.
An extraordinary meeting may be held should the association meeting so decide or the board considers it relevant or if at least 10 % of association members entitled to vote require it, in writing, to address a specific issue. The meeting must take place within thirty (30) days of presenting the request to the board of the association.
Members may take part in the annual general meeting during the meeting using data connection or some other technical means specified by the board. The board may require that to have the right to vote at a meeting, members or their authorized agents taking part to the meeting using data connection or some other technical means must register to the meeting in advance no later than by a date given in the invitation to the meeting. The last date of registration may not be earlier than one week before the meeting.
Each full member has one vote at the meeting of the associationjä. A family member or a support member does not have a right to vote. A full member may use their vote in writing via an authorized agent. However, no one may represent more than two members in a meeting or vote with more than 5% (1/20) of all votes in a meeting.
Support members, family members, honorary chairmen, and honorary members have the right to attend and to speak at meetings.
To have a right to vote all due membership fees have to be paid before the meeting of the association.
Unless otherwise provisioned, the motion to be carried by the association shall be the motion supported by more than half of the vote. In an election to be held at a meeting, a majority vote system shall be followed. In the event of a tie, the vote of the chairman is the casting vote. However, in an election the result is drawn.
11 § SUMMONING AN ASSOCIATION MEETING
Association meetings must be summoned by the board of the association a minimum of fourteen (14) days before the meeting. This may be carried out by way of an announcement in the member magazine, via a mailed letter, or by e-mail.
12 § ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
The annual general meeting of the association has the following agenda:
- opening the meeting
- electing the chairperson, secretary, examiners of the minutes (2), and vote counters (2, if required)
- confirming the quorum and validity of the meeting
- approving the agenda
- presenting the financial statement, annual report, and the statements of the auditor and of the operations inspector
- confirming the financial statement and granting discharge from liability to the board and other responsible parties
- confirming the remuneration or other compensation for the board members
- confirming the remuneration for the auditor and the operations inspector
- confirming the operational plan
- confirming the budget and the entry and membership fees
- electing new board members
- electing one auditor and one deputy auditor and one operations inspector and one deputy operations inspector. If the elected auditor is an audit firm, no deputy auditor has to be elected.
- processing other matters specified in the meeting invitation.
If an association member wants to add a matter on the agenda, they must make a written statement to the board in time for the matter to be included in the meeting invitation.
13 § REVISION OF RULES AND DISSOLVING THE ASSOCIATION
A decision to revise association rules or dissolve the association requires a 75% (3/4) majority of votes in an association meeting. The agenda in the meeting invitation must include an item for the rule revision or the dissolvement of the association.
Should the association be dissolved, any funds shall be used to promote the aim of the association in a manner decided at the meeting in which the dissolvement was decided on. Should the association be dissolved permanently, its funds shall be used for the same purpose.
Finnish Landlord Association’s voting and election rules
1. The annual general meeting of the association has approved these voting and election rules in their meeting on May 11, 2021.
2. You can attend the Finnish Landlord Association’s annual general meeting both physically at the meeting location or via a web conferencing option.
3. If the board so decides, full members or their authorized agents attending via web conferencing are required to register for the meeting by the date specified in the invite to exercise their right to vote in the meeting. The last day for advance registration for the meeting is one week before the meeting at the earliest.
A full member’s right to vote in the meeting is verified with the name and membership number provided at registration. Should a full member want to cast their vote through an authorized agent, the agent is required to produce a power of attorney to that effect by the last advance registration date.
4. Those joining via web conferencing attend the association meeting on a specific platform selected by the board where audio and video feed of the meeting location and meeting documents are made available.
In case of technical difficulties, the first priority is to restore the connection. However, if it cannot be determined that the difficulties are attributable to the meeting organizer, the meeting will resume even if connection is not restored. If the difficulties are attributable to the meeting organizer, meeting is suspended until connection is restored.
5. Web conferencing attendants can participate in all processing and decision-making at the meeting.
If a secret ballot is held at the meeting, web conferencing attendants can use their vote via a technical system selected by the board in a way equivalent to the secret ballot held at the physical meeting location. An electronic vote cannot be withdrawn once it has been cast.
6. Web conferencing attendants can make requests to address the meeting via the platform by following provided instructions. The chairman has the right to restrict the duration of each speaker’s turn if moderating the meeting so requires.
One or more additional technical administrators can be selected for the meeting. They are responsible for monitoring the connection status, setting up votes and helping the chairman moderate the meeting.