Elevator Outage in Kontula Heka Building Leaves Residents Stranded for Over a Month
An elevator in a nine-story Heka rental building in Kontula has been out of service for over a month, leaving residents—particularly those with mobility impairments—trapped in their homes. The malfunction, first reported to Heka on June 6, has caused significant hardship, with some unable to leave their apartments due to health conditions.
Residents describe the situation as exhausting, especially during recent heatwaves, as temperatures rise higher in the building’s upper floors. Iltalehti reports that one resident with a heart condition and a walker has been confined to their apartment since the breakdown. Another resident, Maarit, told Helsingin Uutiset that those in the top floors are struggling, though cooler weather in recent days has provided temporary relief.
Heka’s property manager, Eero Kokkonen, acknowledged the severity of the issue, stating that elevator malfunctions are always treated as urgent maintenance matters. However, the delay stems from the elevator being a rarer model, which has prolonged the search for spare parts. Kokkonen estimates repairs will be completed within two weeks and has apologized for the inconvenience (Iltalehti, Yle).
Residents Criticize Recurring Issues and Lack of Preparedness
The building, which houses many older residents and individuals with mobility impairments, has faced elevator problems in the past. Yle spoke with residents who expressed frustration over the recurring outages. Faisal Ibrahim, who lives on the fourth floor, said climbing stairs has become a daily struggle, while others emphasized the need for Heka to stock spare parts to avoid such delays.
Heikki Leppänen, a resident since 2010, recalled a previous elevator renovation at the end of that year. He noted that the elevators endure heavy use due to the building’s height but argued that such breakdowns should not occur. Ari Myllymäki, a wheelchair user living on the sixth floor, questioned why spare parts aren’t readily available, stating, “Airplanes fly, so spare parts should be moving too.” (Yle).
Heka Offers Compensation and Support
Heka has stated that residents will receive rent compensation if the elevator remains out of service for more than ten days. Kokkonen also explained that in cases where residents are unable to leave their homes, Heka assesses individual situations in cooperation with housing advisors to connect them with necessary services (Yle).
The issue was first reported by Helsingin Uutiset on Thursday, prompting broader media coverage of the ongoing disruption.