Offers, deposits and deeds in Finland
How an offer binds, what the deposit means and how the purchase is completed.
Applies to: Finland. Reviewed 2026-09-25.
Key takeaways
- An offer can normally be withdrawn until the seller has accepted it.
- If the buyer backs out after acceptance the seller may keep the deposit.
- Conditions, such as financing, must be written into the offer.
The offer
When buying housing shares, the Housing Transactions Act lets the seller keep at most 4 per cent of the price if a consumer buyer backs out after acceptance. The rule cannot be set aside to the buyer's disadvantage.
- Price, and whether it is the sales price or the debt-free price.
- Conditions on financing or selling your current home.
- Preferred possession date and how long the offer is valid.
Questions to ask
- Which conditions will the seller accept, and with what deadline?
Red flags
- The seller wants to keep more than 4 per cent if you back out.
Sources
- The Housing Transactions Act (Finlex)
- The Code of Real Estate (Finlex)