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What happens at a cadastral survey?

Cadastral surveys are reviews of owned properties and the matters relating to their usage. This review is carried out in a meeting. Everyone involved in the matter is invited. 

Cadastral survey matters are reviewed and decisions are made at a survey meeting. Please read the meeting invite carefully. It includes all the information about the purpose of the survey as well as the date and location of the meeting.

What happens at the meeting?

The matter is introduced at the meeting. In the case of a larger project, such as road construction, an agent of the builder is often invited to share detailed information about the project. 

The meeting may also include an on-site review or measurement of the area in question. At this time, it is also possible to place the necessary signs or boundary markers. Sometimes, the measurements will have been made before the meeting.

What can you do?

If you have no comments or questions, there is nothing you need to do. Participation in this meeting is not necessary.

In the meeting, you can pose questions as well as make statements or demands. Participation in the meeting is the best way to influence the matter.

If you cannot attend the meeting but want to voice your opinion, contact the cadastral surveyor. You will find the surveyor’s contact details in the meeting invite. You may also authorise another person to represent you in the meeting. It is a good idea to give them a written proof of such a power, but it can be in any format.

Who makes the decisions?

In a survey, an attempt is made to reach an agreement between different parties. The final decisions are made by the cadastral surveyor. In some cases, the surveyor makes the decisions with two municipality-appointed cadastral officers.

The cadastral surveyor makes all the necessary decisions, even if there has not been a demand to decide on them. This means that an order to pay a fee can be made, without there having been a demand for such.

Any decision made at the survey can be requested to be changed. Changes can be applied for from the Land Court, and the deadline for submitting an application is 30 days after receiving the documents.

Further information regarding ongoing surveys

There is a website with further information on some of the larger, ongoing cadastral surveys. The web address for your survey will be included in the meeting invite. A web page is not created for surveys that concern just two or very few properties, such as parcelling.
You can search for the survey with the survey number, municipality or survey type on the Ongoing surveys page (in Finnish).