Being a tenant consultant involves managing everything from unpaid rents and neighbors who have become enemies to someone’s nagging worry that the children might be at risk behind the closed front door of the adjacent apartment. In all these situations, early intervention is crucial for the outcome.
Is it just an unusually loud family living in the stairwell? A family that laughs and argues with the same intensity. But are they really just ordinary arguments? What if someone is in danger?
Hearing screams and thuds from your neighbors and not really knowing what’s going on can be very concerning. It’s even more distressing when there is no doubt that abuse is happening behind the closed front door. But it can be hard to know what to do as a neighbor.
That’s why Aulis Määttä Hallin works at KFAB. He is a tenant consultant. It’s precisely in these matters that he steps in. A phone call to Aulis can make a big difference.
– You can call me and remain anonymous if you want. The important thing is to act when something worries you and creates insecurity. When I look at the statistics, I should have significantly more calls about domestic violence than I receive. Unfortunately, a lot goes on that I never become aware of. But if I get a call, I usually start a staircase investigation where I ask all the neighbors if they’ve noticed anything unusual lately and if they feel safe where they live. If I then suspect that the concern is justified, I try to have a conversation with those involved. Then I involve social services or the police if I think it’s needed.
Everything becomes easier when you get to know your neighbors a little. Saying hello to your neighbor is a simple thing that creates a good atmosphere and also a feeling of security.
Quite a few calls are about disputes between neighbors. Sometimes you get annoyed with each other. Living close to someone you didn’t choose can lead to deep conflicts. Aulis acts as a mediator and he explains that good mediation can be crucial in whether both stay.
– My goal is to get the neighbors to understand that you have your way of viewing reality and your neighbor has theirs. It’s important that everyone is allowed to keep their perspective; instead, we talk about how they can still live next to each other. After six months, I contact them again and ask how it went. It has actually happened that they started having coffee with each other.
Another recurring problem is that neighbors disturb each other with loud noises. According to the rental law, it should be quiet in a residential apartment after 10:00 PM. But if someone invites friends over for dinner or has a small party that might go on later, it’s always best to contact your neighbors in advance.
– I usually recommend writing a note or a letter informing about the party. End by providing your phone number and asking the neighbors to call or knock if they’re disturbed. If everyone gets such a note in their mailbox, it usually resolves the issue.
KFAB has collaborated with Securitas Disturbance Service for many years, which responds to alarms at night and on weekends.
– We follow up on all alarm reports we receive from them, which amount to a few per week. Sometimes it’s not possible to prove any disturbance, but in cases where it is, we bill the tenant for the cost of the disturbance service’s visit (2,700 SEK).
Another important part of Aulis’s work is helping those who cannot pay their rent. Sometimes tenants come to him when they’ve gotten into financial difficulties. Together they then discuss different ways to resolve the situation. The earlier problems are discovered, the easier it usually is to find solutions. Therefore, Aulis usually contacts tenants who don’t reach out themselves as soon as a monthly rent is missed.
– The early intervention increases the chances of finding solutions. Currently, very few people are actually evicted, as effective cooperation means that most can stay.
Aulis has close contact with social services, the police, the enforcement authority, and other authorities to provide as much support as possible around the issues that may arise. But as a tenant, neighbor, and fellow human being, it’s also of immense importance when you dare to speak up if you have financial problems, suspect that one of your neighbors is in danger, or have a neighbor with whom you repeatedly come into conflict.