How to appeal a decision made by the City of Helsinki

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Helsinki residents can in most cases appeal against a decision made by the City of Helsinki. You can also appeal a decision if it concerns you personally or has an immediate effect on any of your rights, obligations or interests.

You cannot appeal a decision that only concerns the preparation or implementation of a matter. See the section Muutoksenhaku (only in Finnish) on this website for more information on whether a particular decision can be appealed. In cases where a decision cannot be appealed, the prohibition of appeal is stated in the decision.

The method of appeal depends on who made the decision. If the decision was made by the City Council, you must submit an appeal against the decision of a municipal authority, whereas if the decision was made by another party, you must submit a request for an administrative review.

The appeal period for a request for an administrative review is 14 days from being notified of the decision. For an appeal against the decision of a municipal authority, the appeal period is 30 days. This period begins from the date in which the decision is published on this website. The meeting minutes and official records regarding each decision on this website display the date of publication. 

If you are dissatisfied with a decision made by the City Board, one of the City’s committees or sub-committees, or an office holder working under them, you can submit a written request for an administrative review. You must submit the request directly to the governing body responsible for the decision. If the decision was made by an office holder, you must submit the request to the governing body operating immediately above the office holder. You can find the contact information of Helsinki’s governing bodies on each of their websites.

If you are dissatisfied with a decision made by the City Council, you can submit an appeal against the decision of a municipal authority to the Administrative Court.

Information required in an appeal

Include the following information in a request for an administrative review:

  • identify the decision you are appealing
  • describe how you want the decision to be rectified
  • state the grounds based on which you want the decision to be rectified
  • state the grounds based on which you are entitled to appeal the decision
  • provide your name and contact details

 Include the following information in an appeal against the decision of a municipal authority:

  • identify the decision you are appealing
  • identify the parts of the decision you are appealing and the changes you want made to them (demands)
  • state the grounds for these demands
  • state the grounds for your right to appeal if the decision you are appealing does not concern you personally
  • provide your name and contact details

In the appeal, you must also state the postal address and any other address to which you want the City to send the documents related to the proceedings (procedural address).

You must also include the following appendices in the appeal:

  • the decision being appealed and the appeal instructions
  • an account of when you were notified of the decision or another account of the start date of the appeal period;
  • the documents upon which you rely to support your appeal, unless you have already submitted them to the authority

For more information about requests for an administrative review and appeals against the decision of a municipal authority, see Chapter 16 of the Local Government Act (Finlex).

Anyone can submit an administrative complaint

An administrative complaint can be submitted by any resident who believes that there has been a procedural error in the City’s operations. You can submit an administrative complaint to a senior authority or an authority tasked with ensuring the general lawfulness of administration (Chancellor of Justice of the Government, Parliamentary Ombudsman).

The format of the complaint is free, and there is no deadline for submitting the complaint.