Finland's neighbours rein in lending for house purchase

Finland's neighbouring countries have actively adopted macroprudential instruments to counter stability risks relating to lending for house purchase. Sweden and Norway are taking strong measures to restrain housing credit growth and the associated risks. Of the Baltic States, Estonia and Lithuania, in turn, have imposed limits on the maximum loan servicing costs and length of housing loans so as to prevent risks proactively. Finland has adopted new macroprudential instruments more slowly. The loan-to-value cap that will enter into force in Finland in summer 2016 is more lenient than the requirements imposed in neighbouring countries.