Help with debt problems

Before taking on debt, you should carefully consider your financial standing and future risks.

Before taking out credit

• Calculate how much you can repay without burdening your finances unduly before taking out credit. Keep in mind that your financial situation may deteriorate due to unemployment or other reasons.
• Make a budget. Your income has to cover your expenses.
• Keep a sufficient buffer for surprise expenses.
• If you run into financial difficulties
• Contact your creditors immediately and negotiate on a payment term extension or other arrangements.

Please remember that you will incur considerably higher expenses if your debts are managed by an enforcement office or collected through judicial enforcement. It can also cause a payment default entry, which hinders your ability to get credit and make purchases in future.

• Seek help from a financial or debt counsellor in problematic situations.
• If the collection of your debts is referred to enforcement, contact the enforcement officer immediately when you receive the demand for payment from the enforcement office.

There is a great deal of information available on preventing and resolving debt problems on the web. The links compiled on this page represent but a fraction of the services available on the internet.

Links to public services

has information on services, managing your finances, over-indebtedness, coping with debt and debt adjustment, along with the contact details of legal aid offices that offer financial and debt counselling.

The Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare’s Gambling website compiles material to support the prevention and treatment of gambling-related problems.

Links to sites maintained by associations

The Guarantee Foundation’s website (in finnish) offers extensive resources, including the Debt Line telephone service and information on the restructuring loans granted by the Guarantee Foundation.

is a free tool for keeping track of your daily income and expenditure. The service is maintained by the Guarantee Foundation.

The Consumers’ Union of Finland provides a wealth of information on indebtedness and the management of your finances.

Counselling for companies

Enterprise Finland’s telephone service provides advice to companies in various situations. If your company has difficulties with finances or solvency, you can call the Enterprise Finland Telephone Service. The number can be found at the bottom of the page.

Company’s financial difficulties and their prevention guide (Suomi.fi) provides information and help to improve company's finances and advice on terminating business operations.

The enforcement authorities are not responsible for the contents of the services behind these links.