Over 1,000 balconies taken out of use by Lumo after safety warnings

Finnish rental housing company Lumo has placed more than 1,000 balconies under usage bans due to safety risks, following a warning from the Safety Investigation Authority (Otkes) in May.

The banned balconies feature fibre-cement boards in their railings, which Otkes determined are unsuitable for preventing falls. The warning came after a fatal accident in Helsinki’s Hietalahti district last September, where a woman fell through a fifth-floor balcony railing panel.

Lumo identified 1,125 at-risk balconies across 28 properties and imposed the usage ban on 30 June, according to company director Katri Viippola. Tenants receive a 5% rent reduction for the duration of the ban. The company, which manages 43,000 apartments nationwide, has not disclosed the locations of the affected balconies.

Rental housing provider Sato has also issued usage bans, affecting 1,600 balconies, as reported by Yle earlier this week.

Inspections now extend to glass balconies after a separate fatal accident on Midsummer Eve in Vantaa’s Tikkurila district, where a man fell through a glass railing. Authorities suspect the incident was caused by faulty fixings. Both Lumo and Sato are reviewing their glass balconies—over 10,000 each—with Sato’s inspections expected to continue until autumn.

Lumo has advised residents to avoid climbing on railings or furniture and to supervise children and pets on balconies. The company stated that tenants not previously notified of a ban can assume their balconies are safe to use.