RENTING OUT UNIVERSITY FACILITIES FOR SHORT-TERM NON-UNIVERSITY USE
AS OF 1 FEBRUARY 2019

These instructions apply to the buildings, facilities and outdoor areas used by the University.

Principles

University facilities are reserved primarily for the University’s own use. Their rental to external parties must not interfere with the University’s principal activities.

University facilities are always subject to a rental fee. A price list for non-University bookings is available online.

University facilities may be rented for events arranged by academic communities, as well as by public and non-profit corporations, associations and NGOs. Companies can rent facilities for their trainings, meetings and similar events. The University complies with the principle of equal treatment in the rental of facilities.

Facilities are not rented out for unlawful, party political or religious events, events that are not in line with the University’s values and general moral principles, or activities that are commercial and/or directly compete with the University’s activities (e.g., seminars, training and courses subject to a fee). The University reserves the right to assess whether the event or activity is suited to the relevant University facility and its purpose of use.

Private individuals cannot rent facilities.

Facilities in the Main Building and Porthania cannot be rented to external parties on the first day of the academic year and the University’s anniversary.

Facilities are rented out during the opening hours of buildings. Rentals start on the hour. Clients may not use their own staff to replace the University’s lobby services. 
 

Catering must be ordered from the cafeteria operating on the premises and arranged in the cafeteria, a meeting room, a lobby or another appropriate facility. Catering may not be arranged in teaching facilities.

Exhibitions arranged in lobbies or hallways are subject to a fee and may be arranged only in spaces reserved for this purpose. The use of lobby facilities must always be agreed in advance. Practical arrangements must be made with the building lobby services well in advance.

Procedures

The University’s units may rent their facilities for short-term non-University use in accordance with these principles and the price list. Units must discuss facilities rentals and related practical arrangements (e.g., porter tasks outside opening hours) in advance with the team leader of the lobby services of the relevant building. The financially accountable director of each unit decides on renting out the unit’s facilities to external parties. Individual researchers or staff members agree with the unit director or the University’s Facilities and Properties sector on renting a facility, for example, for the use of external speakers, and provide information on this agreement when arranging the rental.

Prices, invoicing and booking cancellations

The prices for teaching facilities are in effect during the opening hours of buildings. In the case of bookings outside of building opening hours, the renter must pay not only the rental costs, but also the costs of lobby services. The renter is responsible for ensuring that the facility is in the same condition after its use as it was when the rental began. The renter will be charged for the costs of any additional cleaning. The price list will be confirmed annually by a decision made by the director of Facilities and Properties. The price for other facilities is agreed on a case-by-case basis.
The rent for facilities is based on full hours, with a minimum charge of two hours. Lobby and porter services outside of the building opening hours are charged at a minimum of four hours (excluding bookings made at the very beginning or end of building opening hours). External use is always subject to VAT.

Facility bookings must be cancelled at least two weeks before the event, or their costs will be charged in full. Other services booked will be charged according to the costs incurred.

The University has the right to cancel a booking if the event differs essentially from what has been notified in advance, if the event organiser has provided deficient or erroneous information, or if the booking has not been made in accordance with these instructions.

The University of Helsinki is not responsible for damages incurred by the event organiser for reasons the University cannot influence if the University was unable to avoid or overcome the consequences by reasonable means (“Force Majeure”). Such situations include a strike, a shut-out, a public transport standstill, a fire or a power failure. Moreover, the University of Helsinki is not responsible for damage incurred by the event organiser due to the event organiser's order being cancelled or moved as a result of a Force Majeure situation.

Those booking from outside the University must complete a facility use application.