Cooperation with residents

In VVO Group, cooperation with residents is a decades-long tradition, a way of working and a competitive advantage. Cooperation with residents has been developed over the entire 46-year span of VVO’s operations.

This cooperation gives VVO Group’s residents the opportunity to influence their living arrangements and any practices concerning the residents. Some 2,300 residents have been nominated to specific posts in residents’ associations, such as Chairs and Vice Chairs of house committees, experts, and building security managers. Approximately 5,000 further active residents are involved in residents’ associations; for example, by serving as members of house committees.

VVO’s Board of Residents is the highest body representing all residents and includes a member and deputy member from each Home Centre area. The Board of Residents is elected for a four-year term, and Jarmo Natunen from Helsinki was Chairman in 2015.

VVO Group receives direct feedback from customers through the Board of Residents. The Board may also give its view on topical housing issues and serves as an active panel of tenants whose opinions are used to support VVO Group’s decisions on housing policies. The Board of Residents also issues an annual statement on the criteria for rent determination.

In 2015, a total of 14 economic theme evenings were organised for residents, attended by altogether 515 Chairs of house committees. The topics discussed at these gatherings included the most significant events of the year and the budgeting and rent determination criteria for 2016.

Through the Board of Residents, VVO regularly engages in open discussion with residents about maintenance-related guidelines and operating models. 2015 saw debate on issues such as property maintenance.

VVO Group presents an annual award to residents who maintain exemplary community spirit and a high standard of living environment in their building. The Building of the Year 2015 was Koulukatu 1 in Lappeenranta. Koulukatu’s active residents’ association takes all residents into account and offers them comfort, wellbeing and community spirit through joint activities. The award was announced at the national Housing Day event. The event is a meeting place for Chairs of house committees where they can have a dialogue on common issues every other year.

The housing advisory service launched in 2014 has proved its usefulness. During the financial year, VVO Group’s housing advisory service was expanded to the entire country. Ideally, the advisory service can reduce tenant turnover and provide solutions to problems related to the payment of rent. The advisory service supports business operations, and its effects can also be seen in the development of the amount of rent receivables.

In 2015, events open to all tenants were organised around Finland, with the largest at Helsinki Zoo and the Särkänniemi amusement park in Tampere. As an honorary contributor to the New Children’s Hospital 2017 project, VVO Group also organised a raffle for tenants; the winners received tickets to the Live Aid New Children’s Hospital 2017 concert held at the Helsinki Olympic Stadium. In addition, tenants were offered the opportunity to attend the Kohti joulua Christmas concert tour in 11 locations around the country. A total of about 20,000 people took part in the events during the year.

All tenants receive the Kodikas customer magazine delivered at home. The magazine reached the second position in the customer and stakeholder magazine category ProCom’s annual Magazine Review Day.