> Repair backlog in a housing company: what it is and how to… > Lähde: https://huoneistokierros.fi/en/knowledge-base/repair-backlog/ > Koko sivusto koneluettavana: https://huoneistokierros.fi/llms-full.txt [Knowledge base](https://huoneistokierros.fi/en/knowledge-base/) # Repair backlog in a housing company: what it is and how to spot it Huoneistokierros · 19 September 2026 · 7 min read ![Green three-storey block of flats with a red tiled roof in summer evening light](https://huoneistokierros.fi/_astro/kerrostalo-vihrea.CTeHQKlu_X3qCL.jpg) In this article 1. [An upcoming renovation is not yet a repair backlog](https://huoneistokierros.fi/en/knowledge-base/repair-backlog/#an-upcoming-renovation-is-not-yet-a-repair-backlog) 2. [How a repair backlog builds up](https://huoneistokierros.fi/en/knowledge-base/repair-backlog/#how-a-repair-backlog-builds-up) 3. [Loan amounts and charges do not tell the whole story](https://huoneistokierros.fi/en/knowledge-base/repair-backlog/#loan-amounts-and-charges-do-not-tell-the-whole-story) 4. [Divide repair needs into three groups](https://huoneistokierros.fi/en/knowledge-base/repair-backlog/#divide-repair-needs-into-three-groups) 5. [The report, the plan and looking on site](https://huoneistokierros.fi/en/knowledge-base/repair-backlog/#the-report-the-plan-and-looking-on-site) 6. [Questions for the board](https://huoneistokierros.fi/en/knowledge-base/repair-backlog/#questions-for-the-board) 7. [Warning signs for shareholders and buyers](https://huoneistokierros.fi/en/knowledge-base/repair-backlog/#warning-signs-for-shareholders-and-buyers) 8. [A situation under control](https://huoneistokierros.fi/en/knowledge-base/repair-backlog/#a-situation-under-control) The repair backlog (korjausvelka) is not a concept defined in law, nor a key figure you can read from a single document. It usually means maintenance that has fallen behind: necessary repairs have been left undone or postponed in a way that increases the need for repairs later on. Even so, a repair backlog can be identified, and the board, shareholders and apartment buyers can get a long way by asking the right questions. ## An upcoming renovation is not yet a repair backlog Every building component ages and eventually needs repair or replacement. A housing company may have a pipe, facade or roof renovation coming up even if maintenance has been handled in a planned way. A replacement due in, say, 25 years’ time in line with a normal life cycle does not mean that anything has been neglected. A repair backlog is about what should have been done and what follows from putting it off. The line is not always clear, which is why estimating a repair backlog in euros requires baseline data, assumptions and often technical expertise. A hidden repair backlog is particularly tricky: the need for repairs is not yet even known. The building may have structures that have never been investigated, recurring minor faults, outdated condition information or an incomplete repair history. “We are not aware of any major problems” is not the same as “we know there are no major problems”. If the pipework has not been investigated, it cannot be said to be in poor condition, but the lack of an investigation does not prove it is in good condition either. ## How a repair backlog builds up The most common cause is postponement. The repair is not done this year, maybe next year, then it is decided to monitor the situation, and suddenly the original problem has existed for years. Not all postponement is wrong, since timing always has to be weighed against condition, risk and finances. The problem arises when the only reason for postponing is that nothing has yet forced the company to act. Typical things that increase a repair backlog: - inspections that are not carried out - postponed repairs with no agreed monitoring and no new date for reassessment - inadequate documentation, which means the next board has to investigate the same things again - ageing pipes, ventilation, heating and electrical systems - recurring minor faults whose cause is not investigated - an order of repairs in which urgency and risk have not been assessed. The backlog can also grow through patching. A leak is found on the roof and patched, the following year a new one is found and patched again. When a more thorough investigation is finally carried out, it turns out that a more extensive replacement is due. The cost did not arise on the day of the investigation; the building had been ageing for years. The principle of “fix it when it breaks” suits some building components, but not the roof, wet rooms or pipework. In these, a failure often causes more extensive damage than the fault itself. ## Loan amounts and charges do not tell the whole story The financial statements tell you about the company’s finances, but they are not a condition survey of the building. A future repair need is not debt in the accounting sense. Imagine two housing companies of the same size. Company A has €500,000 in loans, but its pipework has been investigated, the roof replaced and the facade repaired. Company B has €50,000 in loans, but no major repairs have been made for a long time and little is known about the condition of the pipework and facade. The loan amount alone does not tell you which is safer for a shareholder. Company B may be in good condition, or it may be facing much larger costs. The same applies to the charges. A low maintenance charge can reflect efficient financial management, but it can also mean that maintenance has been postponed. Postponement is justified when it is based on an expert assessment, not when maintenance is systematically left undone. ## Divide repair needs into three groups A repair backlog is easier to manage when the building’s repair needs are divided into three groups: 1. **Identified repair needs:** things whose need is well known, such as a roof replacement that has already been found necessary. 2. **Risks to monitor:** components where changes or recurring faults have been observed, but the need for repair is not yet clear. 3. **Gaps in information:** building components and systems for which there is no up-to-date information on condition. The third group is often the most important, because that is where the uncertainty in decision-making lies. If a repair is postponed, the reason should be recorded. “The facade repair is postponed by three years on the basis of an expert assessment, and the facade is monitored annually” is quite different from “we won’t do anything yet because the renovation is expensive”. ## The report, the plan and looking on site At the annual general meeting, the board must present a written report on the significant maintenance needs for the next five years. The report is not a decision on renovations but an estimate of future needs. A building’s life cycle is much longer than five years, however, which is why many housing companies also draw up a long-term plan based on a condition assessment. Read more: [maintenance needs report (kunnossapitotarveselvitys)](https://huoneistokierros.fi/en/knowledge-base/maintenance-needs-report/) and [the housing company’s long-term maintenance plan](https://huoneistokierros.fi/en/knowledge-base/long-term-maintenance-plan/). Documents tell you about the past and plans about the future, but the current condition can only be established by looking. On a building walk-through and an apartment round, you can see new damp patches, changes in the facade, problems with rainwater drainage and wear on doors and windows. A round does not replace a condition survey, but it shows what needs to be investigated further. Individual fault reports should be compiled into a [fault history](https://huoneistokierros.fi/en/knowledge-base/housing-company-fault-history/) so that recurring problems stand out. Shareholders also have a role. They must notify the company without delay of a fault or defect in their apartment that the company is responsible for repairing (Limited Liability Housing Companies Act, chapter 4, section 8). A leak, a damp patch or an unusual smell is often the first sign of a wider problem. A large upcoming repair need does not in itself mean that the board has acted wrongly. An old building naturally needs more repairs than a new one, and any liability is always assessed on the basis of concrete acts and omissions. ## Questions for the board 1. Which building components are approaching a significant need for repair? 2. Which repairs have been postponed, why, and has the postponement been monitored? 3. When were the most important building components last inspected? 4. Which building components do we have no up-to-date information on? 5. Can old surveys and repair reports be found? 6. Has the company prepared financially for upcoming repairs? 7. Who follows up on matters where it was decided to “monitor the situation”? 8. What happens if we do nothing for the next five years? ## Warning signs for shareholders and buyers - No major repairs have been carried out for decades. - The maintenance charge is exceptionally low for the age of the building. - The condition assessment is very old or does not exist. - The same faults keep recurring. - Major projects are postponed from year to year with no recorded reason. - Nobody can say roughly what the next ten years will cost. Repairs are funded from the company’s own funds, charges, loans or a combination of these, so for a shareholder a repair backlog eventually shows up as a higher maintenance charge or a financing charge. An apartment buyer should not look only at the current charge. Read the latest maintenance needs report, find out about repairs that have been made and ask which building components have not been investigated for a long time and which costs cannot yet be estimated. More tips in the article on [buying shares in a housing company](https://huoneistokierros.fi/en/knowledge-base/buying-housing-company-shares/). Housing companies were required to submit their administrative information, such as the maintenance needs report, completed repairs, loans and charges, to the National Land Survey of Finland’s Residential and Commercial Property Information System by 30 June 2026. According to the National Land Survey, not all housing companies have submitted their information yet, so it is worth checking the details with the property manager if needed. ## A situation under control Even a well-run housing company has things to repair. The difference is that the most important repair needs are known, the building’s condition is monitored, the work done is documented and the company prepares financially for repairs. Then you know what needs to be repaired, when, why and at roughly what cost, and today’s problems do not quietly pass to future shareholders to pay for. This article provides general information and does not replace case-specific legal or technical advice. Free assessment ## Know what condition your housing company's apartments are in On a preventive apartment round we go through every apartment in a single visit at a fixed price and record our findings in an electronic report. The assessment is free of charge. [Book a free assessment](https://huoneistokierros.fi/en/contact/#kartoitus)[Get a price estimate](https://huoneistokierros.fi/en/pricing/#hinta-arvio) Preventive maintenance at a fixed price Every apartment on a single round. [Book a free assessment](https://huoneistokierros.fi/en/contact/#kartoitus) Read next ## Related articles - ![Woman reading papers by the window](https://huoneistokierros.fi/_astro/nainen-lukee.DBdhDGzC_7rX5.jpg) 4 October 2026 · 9 min read ### Board member responsibilities and liability for damages What a housing company board member answers for under the law, when that becomes personal liability for damages and how to reduce the risk. - ![Christmas tree glowing in the window of a block of flats](https://huoneistokierros.fi/_astro/ikkuna-joulukuusi.CCNTNGwS_2rvnQ8.jpg) 3 October 2026 · 6 min read ### Power cuts in a housing company: preparation and what to do A power cut can stop lifts, electric locks, water pumps and ventilation. 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