Registration of Title to Real Estate

Data relating to real estate in Finland is entered into a cadastre, and title and other rights to such real estate into the Title and Mortgage Register, which together constitute the Land Information System of Finland. The information contained in the registers is public.

The acquirer of an estate, a share of an estate or a parcel, is required to register his/her title by way of submitting an application for registration into the Title and Mortgage Register within six months of signature of the deed or other document governing the transfer of ownership. The application for registration of title is submitted to the District Survey Office of the estate’s location.

Bona fide third parties are, in principle, entitled to rely on the accuracy and legal validity of information regarding title and other rights to real estate registered in the Title and Mortgage Register. Similarly, unregistered rights are deemed to not have legal validity. However, in bankruptcy and enforcement proceedings a purchaser of an estate is entitled to protection against the seller's creditors simply by presenting a signed deed of conveyance, i.e. as of the time of signature of the deed, even if the purchaser’s title is not yet registered in the Title and Mortgage Register.