Municipal housing
Municipal housing is meant for an individual or family who is not able to provide appropriate housing that meets their needs or their family’s needs as a result of their socio-economic situation. In order to be eligible to rent municipal housing, the applicant must be a resident of Tallinn according to the population register.
Reasons an individual is considered an applicant for municipal housing
Individuals without a place of residence are considered:
1. Individuals whose place of residence, on a legal basis, in Tallinn has become unserviceable due to force majeure. Extraordinary events (natural disaster, fire, explosion, etc.) are defined as force majeure; events that could not have been foreseen or reasonably avoided and for which the place of residence’s owner or tenant could not be held liable.
2. Owners or tenants of a place of residence in Tallinn, provided there is a plan to demolish the place of residence in relation to the expropriation of land or termination of the right of use for municipal purposes.
3. Individuals who have been released from a detention centre but cannot return to their former place of residence.
4. Orphans and individuals without parental care returning to their place of residence from childcare establishments or from the homes of relatives, guardians or carers as well as those who, after finishing their studies at educational institutions, cannot return to their former place of residence.
5. Those with other valid social reasons.
Individuals in need of improving their living conditions are considered:
1. Individuals who utilise, on the basis of a lease contract, a place of residence owned by the city of Tallinn that is in danger of collapse or unserviceable.
2. Elderly and disabled individuals who do not have legal providers or are in need of assistance or those who cannot be cared for in their place of residence.
3. Disadvantaged families with children who require social services.
4. Those with other valid social reasons.
What are Tallinn’s municipal flats like?
The flats are equipped with all conveniences and are predominantly one-room or two-room flats. Tallinn has 24 municipal buildings and single flats in each district, for a total of 1833 municipal flats. Tallinn has also taken some municipal housing from the private sector, 10 buildings in Meeliku (680 flats) and nine buildings in Raadiku (1215 flats). The list of all municipal buildings is available here.
The city’s housing is greatly desired due to low rent – starting from 0.61 euros to 5.21 euros per square metre. At the beginning of 2022, 1612 people had applied for municipal housing. In any given year, over 100 municipal housing locations are rented out (118 in 2020 and 172 in 2021).
Where to start
1. Submit an application (Application to be registered as an applicant to rent a place of residence) to be registered as an applicant for municipal housing in your district, according to the population register. Fill in the application, sign it digitally and send it to your district’s contact person or bring in the application on paper. Wait for a reply.
2. If your district government has confirmed your need for municipal housing, you can start to apply for specific places of residence offered by your district. See which places of residence are listed on your city district’s website and apply to rent them. (You can only apply to rent unoccupied places of residence in the district where you are registered as an applicant.) Find unoccupied places of residence by district here.
3. When you find a suitable place of residence, fill in the application (Application for renting a place of residence) and send it to your district’s contact person.
Please note! Once you are registered as an applicant, at the beginning of each quarter of each year, you must confirm that you wish to continue renting that place of residence from the city. In order to do that, fill in the application (Confirmation of personal details of individual applying to rent place of residence) and send it to your district’s contact person.
Where to start
1. Submit an application (Application to be registered as an applicant to rent a place of residence) to be registered as an applicant for municipal housing in your district, according to the population register. Fill in the application, sign it digitally and send it to your district’s contact person or bring in the application on paper. Wait for a reply.
2. If your district government has confirmed your need for municipal housing, you can start to apply for specific places of residence offered by your district. See which places of residence are listed on your city district’s website and apply to rent them. (You can only apply to rent unoccupied places of residence in the district where you are registered as an applicant.) Find unoccupied places of residence by district here.
3. When you find a suitable place of residence, fill in the application (Application for renting a place of residence) and send it to your district’s contact person.
Please note! Once you are registered as an applicant, at the beginning of each quarter of each year, you must confirm that you wish to continue renting that place of residence from the city. In order to do that, fill in the application (Confirmation of personal details of individual applying to rent place of residence) and send it to your district’s contact person.
Kristiine District Administration
Mustamäe District Administration
Nõmme District Administration
Pirita District Administration
Northern Tallinn Administration
City Centre Administration
Kristiine District Administration
Mustamäe District Administration
Nõmme District Administration
Pirita District Administration
Northern Tallinn Administration
City Centre Administration