Notification of a person in need of guardianship

You can submit a notification on another person being in need of guardianship, if they are unable to manage their own affairs due to illness, deteriorated state of health or another similar reason, and their affairs cannot be managed in an appropriate manner otherwise. You can submit the notification regardless of confidentiality provisions. Complete the form for a notification of a person in need of guardianship (in Finnish).

Upon receiving the notification, the guardianship authority will investigate whether the individual the notification refers to is in need of guardianship. If a person is incapable of managing their affairs due to an illness and these will not be otherwise appropriately handled, the person is in need of guardianship. In this case, the guardianship authority submits an application to the court for the appointment of a guardian.

What duties can be assigned to the guardian?

A guardian may be appointed to manage the property and financial matters of another person (client). A guardian may also be appointed to perform an individual task, such as the sale of a property or the distribution of inheritance. A guardian may be appointed to manage financial matters for a fixed period (e.g. two years) or the appointment may remain in force until further notice. A guardian’s position can be terminated if the need for guardianship ends. In certain cases, it is possible to also appoint a guardian to represent their client in a matter concerning the client’s person, such as when deciding on the place of care, if the client is no longer able to understand such matters.

If the appointment of a guardian is not alone sufficient to secure the management of the affairs of the person to whom the notification relates, the functional capacity of the client may be restricted with a court-issued decision. For example, functional capacity can be restricted so a person (the client) can only borrow together with their guardian.

Who can be appointed as guardian?

A private person (e.g. a relative or another person who is close to the subject of guardianship) may be assigned to the task of guardian, if they give their consent to taking on the task and are suitable for the task. A public guardian may also be appointed to act as a guardian of several persons. A public guardian’s full-time job is to is manage the financial affairs of several different people.

A guardian responsible for the management of financial affairs is accountable to the guardianship authority. A guardian has the right to receive a reasonable fee for the performance of their duties and compensation for necessary expenses. A guardian may not disclose information on the client to others without the client’s consent.