You don't need to know how the city works.
It's enough that you know what's wrong.
Write it in your own words. You'll find out who in Helsinki decides on your issue, and get a ready draft that you edit and send yourself. You stay in control the whole way.
Independent tool, still in development. Not an official service of the City of Helsinki.
01 · Three steps, and you're there
No forms, no categories to pick from. Your own sentence is enough.
Hello, I use Helsinki's libraries regularly and would like the board to look at extending Sunday opening hours across the whole library network, not just at one location.
The draft is yours. Change anything you like before it opens in your email app.
02 · Why you need Lokalt
You notice something in your everyday life. You don't know who is responsible. The issue ends up with the wrong body, or none at all.
Lokalt reads your description and works out whether it's a maintenance issue, a political decision, a decision already made about you, or a brand-new idea. You don't need to know the difference. Your issue lands in the right place the first time.
03 · Four paths, one question
Something is broken, dirty, or missing at a specific location, like a broken streetlight, graffiti, or a pothole. This covers the vast majority of issues. Lokalt shows a map of who's responsible for the spot and checks whether something similar has already been reported nearby, before finding the right recipient.
→ We find the right place, whether that's the city, HSL, HSY, the police or somewhere else.You want the city to decide differently: build something, spend money, or change a rule. The only path that still goes through a board. Lokalt also shows related meetings and decisions already made on the topic before you write anything, and a maintenance issue never lands with a politician by mistake.
→ Email to the right board, with an AI draft.A decision already made about you, or something about your own care, treatment, or compensation. Explained as a process with appeal deadlines, never as an email to a politician.
→ The right legal channel.A brand-new proposal the city hasn't yet considered. Fits better in a participation channel than an email to a board.
→ OmaStadi or a residents' initiative, with a draft.04 · What Lokalt doesn't do
The button opens your own email app with the text filled in. You read it, edit it, and send it yourself.
Every answer carries a source link to paatokset.hel.fi. Check it before you send.
Text containing health or care information is flagged automatically and always goes the statutory route.
Lokalt is an independent tool, not an official service of the City of Helsinki.
Common questions
Updated 17 September 2026What is Lokalt?
Lokalt is a free tool that figures out who at the City of Helsinki is responsible for a problem or idea, and drafts a message you can send yourself. You describe the issue in your own words, and Lokalt tells you the right department, board, or contact, and writes a draft you can edit before sending.
How does Lokalt work?
You write what's wrong in a sentence or two, like you would explain it to a friend. Lokalt works out whether it's a maintenance issue, a policy question, a legal or personal matter, or a new idea, then shows you who's responsible and drafts a message. You read it, edit it if you want, and send it yourself from your own email.
Who do I contact in Helsinki about a broken streetlight, a noise complaint, a fallen tree, or a parking fine?
It depends on the issue, which is exactly the problem Lokalt solves. Broken streetlights, potholes, graffiti, and fallen trees go through the city's regular fault-report service. A parking fine has its own appeal process and a deadline. A noise complaint about a neighbor or a building site goes to a different part of the city than noise from traffic. Describe what's wrong on Lokalt and it tells you exactly where it goes, with a draft message ready if one is needed.
Is Lokalt free to use?
Yes. It's free, and you don't need to create an account.
Does Lokalt send the message for me?
No. Lokalt drafts the message and opens it in your own email program. You read it, edit it, and press send yourself. Lokalt never sends anything on your behalf.
Is Lokalt an official City of Helsinki service?
No. Lokalt is an independent tool, not an official channel of the City of Helsinki. It uses the city's own published decision-making data, from paatokset.hel.fi, to point you to the right place.
Does Lokalt store what I write, or track me?
We don't store who you are. There's no account, no login, and no tracking of you as a person. What you write is sent to our AI to find the right body and create a draft. To answer faster, we briefly cache searches of the decisions register before they're automatically deleted.
What languages does Lokalt work in?
Finnish, Swedish, and English, so you can describe your concern in whichever one you're most comfortable with.
Can Lokalt help with something personal, like a health or benefits issue?
Yes, but differently. If what you write touches your own health, care, or benefits, Lokalt recognizes that and points you to the correct official, statutory process instead of drafting an email to a politician or board.
How accurate is Lokalt, and can I trust the answer?
Lokalt uses AI to match your concern to the right contact, and AI can get things wrong. Every answer links to its source on paatokset.hel.fi, so you can check it yourself before you send anything.
You already know what's wrong.
We'll help with the rest. Free, no account. Boards and contact details come straight from paatokset.hel.fi.