Preskriptiosäännökset

Preskriptiosäännökset are legal provisions that establish a time limit within which certain legal actions or claims can be pursued. In Finnish law, these are primarily governed by the Statute of Limitations Act (Vanhentumislaki). The purpose of preskriptiosäännökset is to provide legal certainty and to prevent the indefinite existence of claims. Once a claim has become prescribed, the debtor is no longer legally obligated to fulfill it, although the obligation may still exist in a moral sense.

The general limitation period for contractual claims in Finland is three years. This period typically begins from the date when the creditor became aware, or should reasonably have become aware, of the claim and the debtor. However, certain types of claims have different limitation periods. For example, claims related to real estate or inheritance might have longer periods, while some consumer claims might have shorter ones.

It is important to note that preskriptiosäännökset do not extinguish the underlying debt itself, but rather the creditor's right to enforce it through legal means. The debtor can voluntarily fulfill a prescribed debt, and this fulfillment is legally valid. Furthermore, interruption of the limitation period can occur through various actions, such as acknowledgment of the debt by the debtor, judicial proceedings, or a written reminder from the creditor. Such interruptions reset the limitation period, starting a new period from the date of interruption.