The housing finance study group made important recommendations for new housing construction and renovations of housing companies. However, RT believes that accelerating housing and renovation construction requires stronger additional measures.
The study group set up by the Ministry of the Environment in autumn 2025 examined the housing financing situation in a variety of ways during the autumn and winter from the perspective of the housing market, new housing construction and housing renovation, and extensively analyzed various proposals for measures. The group issued its recommendations on 8 April.
"We support the recommendations made by the group. Unfortunately, they ultimately fell far short of the acute challenges facing the market. For example, finding solutions to bottlenecks in housing and construction financing by streamlining regulation was left incomplete in the recommendations," said RT's CEO. Aleksi Randell toteaa.
RT encourages the government to take the recommendations analyzed by the working group more broadly in the framework agreement, so that the housing market, both new housing and renovation construction, can recover. The working group did not take into account the war in Iran in its work, which has further weakened the situation.
RT particularly appreciates the working group's proposals, which
- Encouragement is given to introducing the flexibility of housing association loans as presented in the framework agreement: repayment holiday from 12 to 24 months, maximum amount of housing association loan from 60 to 70 percent
- It is hoped that municipalities will pay attention to issues that increase construction costs.
- support will be provided for the further development of the intermediate model of owner-occupied housing
- It is recommended that the possibility of using the residential building reservation be investigated for renovation, extension and supplementary construction projects of housing companies.
- It is recommended that the terms of the state guarantee for renovation loans for housing companies be amended quickly, in order to improve the availability of financing for larger renovation projects, especially those carried out outside growth centres.
- It is stated that the introduction of energy efficiency grants would support the implementation of the EPBD objectives and the weak economic and employment situation in the construction sector.
Another necessary change is to increase the repayment period for housing company loans and mortgages. In the government proposal supported by the working group, the maximum duration was increased to 35 years, after which the Finance Committee has proposed increasing it to 40 years.
RT participated in the work of the investigation working group, and the group considered all of RT's proposals. During the investigation, a financing group formed by representatives of member companies provided its views on RT's advocacy and position-making.