Know the boundaries of your plot
Espoo has numerous parks, forests and other public spaces that all residents can use as recreational areas. Let’s work together to ensure that we have a clean and pleasant environment where people enjoy spending time.
We at the City of Espoo’s Public Works Department have noticed that public areas have been taken into private or business use without permission. From now on, the city will intervene more actively in situations where property owners use public spaces without permission.
Plot owner’s responsibilities
Extending your lawn areas, adding plants and structures, taking over areas or storing belongings outside your plot are prohibited under the Finnish Criminal Code. You may unintentionally or unknowingly be guilty of unauthorised land use or trespass to property or land if you are not aware of your property boundaries. Please do your part to ensure that public areas remain accessible to everyone by keeping your belongings within your own plot. For example, fences, trampolines, piles of wood, playhouses and trailers must be kept on your plot. City land includes, with some exceptions, streets, parks, squares, and many forested areas in Espoo.
Unauthorised use of street areas may obstruct mobility and cause safety hazards due to reduced visibility. Unauthorised fences and other structures hinder city maintenance operations and the placement of infrastructure. An unauthorised fence, planting, waste shelter, or advertising structure on city land may block visibility and therefore endanger traffic safety. Boundary encroachments can also lead to unpleasant situations when selling a property if the buyer thinks the plot is larger than it actually is.
In addition, the property owner or holder must keep the street area next to their plot clean. On a residential street, the property owner or holder is responsible for the green areas bordering their plot, up to a distance of three metres from the plot boundary. The city’s green area maintenance team takes care of any areas beyond three metres as well as green strips, trees and bushes located next to city-owned park and forest areas.
Garden waste such as brushwood, grass or leaves must not be moved to park areas or forests. Harmful invasive species spread easily through garden waste.
Use the map service to check boundaries
You can use the Espoo map service to check the boundaries of your plot:
- Go to https://kartat.espoo.fi/IMS/en/Map(external link, opens in a new window)
- Enter the address of your plot.
- As your map view, select ‘Aerial photograph’.
- As information shown on the map, select ‘Maps’ -> ‘Base map of the City of Espoo’.
This will show your plot boundaries on an aerial photograph.