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A Helsinki bar’s warning of a €10,000 “fine” for throwing items from a terrace has raised eyebrows. Yet according to Finland’s National Police Board, the practice may fall within the bounds of private agreements known as real contracts.
The sign was originally installed by a bar at Makkaratalo in central Helsinki, warning patrons not to toss glasses from the second-floor terrace. Though the original establishment has since closed, the signs remain, now visible on the terrace windows of nightclub Hercules.
A similar notice appears at the Maxine nightclub nearby. Paul Meli, business director at operator Noho Partners, said the signs were in place before they took over.
“I understand the idea was humorous, and that’s why the amount was set so high,” he said.
Despite its phrasing, the sign does not constitute a state-issued penalty. Still, Chief Inspector Konsta Arvelin of the National Police Board confirmed the legal grounds for such private arrangements.
“If the rules are clearly visible at the entrance or within the premises, a real contract can form between the customer and the business, even without signatures or verbal agreement,” Arvelin explained.
Similar arrangements are common across Finland. Taxis may charge €500 for cleaning up vomit. Buffets can add €50 for wasted food. Private parking enforcers issue fines for unauthorised parking. Even party hosts can request compensation if guests break items, provided the conditions were clearly stated in advance.
Enforcement requires a court ruling
If a customer refuses to pay, the bar must take the matter to court. Judges then assess whether a contract was formed, if terms were clear, and whether the fee is reasonable.
“In Finland, real contracts are not heavily regulated. A person can name any sum as a ‘fine’, but it must be proportionate,” said Arvelin.
That means while a €300 fee for breaking a plastic chair might be upheld, a €10,000 charge for throwing a glass could be dismissed.
Private businesses can also only enforce these rules within their own property. No charges may apply if an incident occurs on public land.
At Maxine and Hercules, no one has been billed €10,000. Meli said the deterrent appears effective: “No one has thrown glasses during our ownership, so one could say the signs are working.”
HT
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Source: www.helsinkitimes.fi
