The city of Kouvola must pay compensation after maintenance workers fixed the wrong door at a storage facility. The mistake left a storage unit unlocked and vulnerable to theft.
Kouvola city rents storage spaces to market vendors under the Pohjolatori market hall in the city center. In January, a storage user noticed their iron door had come off its hinges and could not be closed properly.
They requested repairs from the city immediately. City maintenance workers visited the same day but accidentally repaired a different damaged door in the same storage area.
This left the original broken door unsecured over the weekend. When the storage user returned on Monday, they discovered tires with rims and ten wooden crates had been stolen.
The storage owner filed a compensation claim for 1,911 euros. They noted their personal insurance did not cover the loss and stated the property insurance should handle the claim.
The city acknowledged its responsibility since the damage resulted from municipal staff actions. However, the city's insurance company valued the stolen tires at 800 euros and the crates at 250 euros.
Kouvola city decided to pay only 1,050 euros in compensation. This amount falls short of the original claim by nearly half.
The city lawyer's decision was recorded on October 22. The storage user has 14 days to appeal the compensation amount.
This case highlights how administrative errors can have real financial consequences for citizens. The city admits fault but offers less compensation than the documented losses, leaving the affected party to either accept the reduced amount or pursue further appeals.