Opening hours of legal aid and guardianship offices to change in February

The opening hours of some legal aid offices and guardianship offices will change from the beginning of February.

In future, each legal aid office will have one branch that is open at least from Monday to Friday from 8.00 to 16.15. Other branches of the legal aid office will be open at least from Monday to Friday from 9.00 to 15.00. 

Financial and debt counselling and public guardianship offices will be open at least from Monday to Friday from 9.00 to 15.00. 

However, the smallest branches may be closed for an hour at lunchtime and all day on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Flexible service by phone and online

Financial and debt counselling, legal aid and public guardianship services are available by phone from Monday to Friday between 8.00 and 16.15. In addition, there are telephone appointments available for financial and debt counsellors, guardians and guardians’ secretaries. It is also possible to handle many legal aid and financial and debt counselling issues online.

Documents can be delivered to offices during their opening hours or at other times agreed in advance. Documents may also be left in the mailboxes of the offices. 

The reform is the part of the wider reform of the opening hours of government agencies aimed at ensuring access to services, the availability of authorities by phone and the development of operations through more flexible opening hours. 

At the beginning of next year, the services of financial and debt counselling, legal aid and public guardianship will be centralised in a new Legal Services Authority, making it possible to provide more uniform and accessible services of higher quality.

Inquiries: Maaria Rubanin, Senior Ministerial Adviser, tel. +358 295 150 140, [email protected]

Check the opening hours of the offices at Oikeus.fi.