Real estate maintenance costs rise by 0.6%

Real estate maintenance costs rose by 0.6 per cent in the first quarter of 2020 compared to the corresponding period of 2019, according to Statistics Finland.

Of the cost items of the index of real estate maintenance, costs of maintenance of outdoor areas and waste management increased most, by 2.1 per cent. Renovation costs went up by 1.5 per cent and heating costs decreased by 2.6 per cent.

Administration costs went up by 1.7 per cent and electricity costs by 1.1 per cent. Water supply and sewage costs rose by 2.0 per cent, use and maintenance costs by 1.4 per cent. Cleaning costs increased by 1.4 per cent.

Examined by building type, the maintenance costs of blocks of flats went up most, by 1.0 per cent. The costs of day care centres went up by 0.7 per cent, school buildings by 0.5 per cent and health care centers and office buildings by 0.9 per cent.

The maintenance costs of wholesale and retail trade buildings went up 0.8 per cent and the costs of industrial buildings decreased by 1.1 per cent year-on-year.

The total index of real estate maintenance decreased by 0.3 per cent from the previous quarter.