Student discovers carpet beetles in rental apartment in Helsinki

Rebecca Overmyer, a 25-year-old student in Helsinki, discovered larvae of a carpet beetle on the floor of her new rental apartment upon returning to the city after summer work in Jyväskylä. Before even unpacking, she noticed the pests, which can damage textiles. Overmyer promptly reported the issue to the housing authority, Hoas, which committed to arranging pest control.

However, Overmyer chose not to move into the infested apartment and temporarily stayed with friends. Despite this, she continued to pay a monthly rent of €590 without residing there. Rental rights advocate Anne Viita stated that tenants are entitled to a reasonable rent reduction when pests disrupt living conditions. Yet, Hoas’s customer manager, Emilia Nylén, mentioned that rent adjustments are dealt with on a case-by-case basis. Overmyer only received a minor compensation of €20 due to receiving the wrong keys initially.

After a week, a second inspection revealed carpet beetles behind the baseboards. Overmyer decided to avoid living in a place with textile pests. She stored her clothes in plastic bags to protect them and was frustrated that the promised pest treatment would take too long. Following her mother’s intervention, the treatment was expedited by two weeks.

The first treatment occurred in mid-October, but she continued to find carpet beetles afterward. Overmyer accordingly sought advice on how to eliminate the pests but felt unsupported. Eventually, she contacted Hoas for an alternative apartment, as she could not occupy the initially assigned unit.

On the last day of October, after six weeks of living elsewhere, she moved into a shared apartment Hoas offered. Now, she feels overly cautious, and her experience underscores the need for better support for tenants facing similar issues, especially students.