Acting on behalf of a person as their guardian
This page describes how and in what matters you can act on behalf of a person as their guardian in digital services. Your ability to act on behalf of a person under guardianship varies depending on whether you or someone else is their guardian.
How does a guardian act on behalf of a person under guardianship?
In financial matters
As a guardian, you can manage your client’s financial affairs without a separate mandate in electronic services, if
- you are your client's only guardian, and
- your right to act is not limited to a certain asset, such as real estate or business activities.
You can manage your client’s financial affairs only in digital services that use Suomi.fi e-Authorizations. These services include the digital services of the Tax Administration and Traficom. The services automatically verify your right to use them.
However, the right of the guardian to act on behalf of the client may have been limited by a decision of the district court. Your powers as guardian and any restrictions are set out in the guardianship order. In addition, you must be able to identify yourself to electronic services, for example with an online banking ID or a mobile certificate.
If you are a public guardian, please note that you can only act on behalf of your client in e-services that have enabled the use of the service for public guardians. Remember to always check the instructions of the e-service to see if it is possible for a public guardian to act on behalf of their client in that service.
Ask the service provider about an alternative way to handle the matter
If there is more than one guardian or if the guardian’s right to manage affairs is limited to a specific part of the property, it is not possible to manage the client’s affairs electronically. Ask the organisation you wish to deal with, in which other ways you can handle matters on behalf of your client.
A guardian can manage their client’s mandates
If you are your client's only guardian, you can independently manage your client’s mandates in Suomi.fi e-Authorizations. The right to manage applies only to mandates concerning your client’s finances.
As a guardian, you can do the following at https://www.suomi.fi/e-authorizationsOpens in a new window.
- see the mandates that concern your client’s finances
- invalidate mandates concerning your client’s finances
- grant other parties mandates for managing matters concerning your client’s finances.
Read the instructions on page Using Suomi.fi e-Authorizations as a person.
If you give other parties mandates to manage matters concerning your client’s finances, as a guardian, you are responsible for how the other parties use these mandates in services.
In other than financial matters
In other than financial matters, you need a mandate from your client. These matters include, for example, health services. This mandate can be a Suomi.fi e-Authorization or another power of attorney used in the service.
Find out more under headline How does someone under guardianship grant mandates?
Not all digital services use Suomi.fi e- Authorizations
You cannot automatically act on behalf of your client or use Suomi.fi e-Authorizations in digital services that do not use Suomi.fi e-Authorizations. These include banks and insurance companies. Always check the service to see if they allow acting on behalf of another person.
How does a person other than a guardian act on behalf of a person under guardianship?
If you are not a guardian, you can only act on behalf of a person under guardianship in digital services with a mandate. This mandate can be a Suomi.fi e-Authorization or another power of attorney used in the service.
A person placed under guardianship cannot always grant mandates They may particularly be restricted to grant financial mandates. You should always check the matters in which a person under guardianship is able to grant a mandate first.
You cannot automatically act on behalf of another person or use Suomi.fi e-Authorizations in digital services that do not use Suomi.fi e-Authorizations. These include banks and insurance companies. Always check the service to see if they allow acting on behalf of another person.
